Thread: Getting the Most out of an Escher

Originally Posted by Matt1222

I am a very big fan of the JNat edges I have been getting from both Kiita and Asagi stones. My preferred edge is the bit smoother one I get from the Kiita I have. However tonight I'm doing a bit of an experiment and taking what I would consider a finished JNat edge from that Kiita and putting it on a dark blue Escher. I also have a light green and yellow green so if you gentlemen think I should be selecting a different Escher for this please let me know.

I am interested to see the results. I'm thinking it will enhance the smoothness of the edge while retaining the keenness. But I could be totally off.

I had a really good dark blue years ago. Sold it to a fellow in Switzerland, so I guess you could say it went home. IME the dark blue was a slow stone. It would get there, but not quickly. About 10 years ago I asked Tim Zowada, who had a herd of Eschers in all colors, which he liked best and he said the Blue/Green. Lynn said the same when I asked him. Neither one used slurry with it at that time.

Tony Miller, the strop man used to sell Thuringans and the occasional vintage Escher when he ran up on one. He told me that the Jewish Rabbis and kosher butchers were only interested in Yellow/Green Eschers. On the old price lists the Y/G was the most expensive. I have had a couple come and go that were not only labelled gelb grun, or yellow green, on the end, but labelled 'Guaranteed Soft' on the other end. Seems softer made for faster, yet still fine with the Y/G. At one time Sham claimed that he had a Light Green (labelled) that was the best Escher he ever had.

That was years ago and he may have found another that beat it, but I haven't been in touch with him in years, so I don't know. Since you have all of those to try just keep experimenting with them. TBH I don't know if following a really good j-nat edge with an Escher, whatever the color, is going make it better. It will make it different, and you might like the difference better. Depends on what you like in an edge. Sometimes the sharpest edge isn't the one I like the best, but everybody is different when it comes to this sport.