My new Thuri.

So i got this one in the mail. Horse traded for it. Dark blue, 1 5/8 x 7. Attachment 301484
Just had a test shave using it for the first time.

I pulled out an Imperial, full hollow, 13/16 that i recently touched up on a 20k. I went with just water and did 60 laps feather light as a first test. No slurry. Wanted to go into this easy. The shave was a little caulming of an edge but i dont think i noticed any less keenness in the edge. I did feel the tinyest feel of what i know is the feeling i get when i shave with a razor off a Thuri as i have a couple honed by others on these stones. But it was just a little of that feeling.

So for a first test i think i had a good experiance. I will try a little more preasure next time. Then maybe move to a touch of slurry. I did get a little rubber with the stone as you can see in the picture.

So. Im happy with my trade and feel this is going to be another few feet down the rabbit hole of honing.

Still didnt finish getting to know my Arkie. Dammit, when will this end.

Now i got to make a nice little wood box for them.

Sounds good. Need to try using mine more.

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Originally Posted by Gasman

Still didnt finish getting to know my Arkie. Dammit, when will this end.
Now i got to make a nice little wood box for them.

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There is an end???

I have no experience with dark blue, but always use a little slurry to begin with my blue-green.
All instructions say to use slurry, so what the heck?

Seems I read where the dark blue is slower.
Someone will chime in who knows?

Yes. Slower is what i read too. And that means harder. And what ive been finding in stones, hardness means more keen. This is also backed up by Outbacks opinion. The razor i asked him to hone for me he knew i liked a keener edge than he does so he used his dark blue thuri on it. I found it to be the best thuri edge i had ever tried. Then this deal jumped up and slapped in the the face so i couldnt pass it up.

Wish the stone was wider but if i get anong with this one as well as i hope too that maybe be an option for the future. The trick would be finding one as i hesitate to buy stones on fleabay. You just never know if your buying the real thing.

Nice stone Jerry! Mine's a green one so i have no experience with a blue but I do like the edge off it.

Nice Jerry-I've been meaning to get one of those, but I too am still very much learning the limits of the hard arks. Definitely a thuri is on my radar if I can find one that doesn't cost hundreds like the labeled Eschers.

This one not being labeled saved me a lot of coin. I bet it would still be pushing 100 bucks if i had to buy it. But with the good members we have around here a guy can still get an offer he cant refuse now and then. Thanks guys.

And a special thanks to the anonymous trader I delt with.

You wished it was wider..?!
Let me show ya my Thuri's, Jerry.

You've had one on loan, the light blue.
Its the same size as your dark blue.
But my dark blue is what I consider a barbers, pocket hone for touch-ups.

Its 4 1/2 x 1 1/4", and fits in the palm of your hand.

Attachment 301520

Attachment 301521

A bit awkward for wide blades, but still manageable.

Attachment 301522

I also have a boxed "celebrated water razor hone" that is a very dark
it's also around 4 1/2 x 1 1/4", perhaps a bit shorter

but it's the best one I have, provides me with consistent outstanding edges.
It's small but works really well for me, it's much easier to do honing gymnastics on the smaller ones than the bigger ones for me. Easier to hit the entire edge on my excessively smiling blades with them.

I prefer my darker Thuringers to my lighter ones, amazing little stone I always seem to come back to after experimenting with Cotis, BBWs, Lorraines and my 12k. The Thüringer is my preferred finisher: sharp, smooth and consistent.

This too, is the best of my thuri's.
But you have to mind the meaty part of your thumb, while honing. Being I kinda speed hone ( 1-1 1/2 passes per second ).

Once I get in a rhythm with the blade I'm honing, I can take my eyes off the hone, and watch TV at the same time.
But I don't recommend it, or do it very often. :tameshigiri:

Hey Jerry, were talkin hundreds of passes with Thurigan, and Escher's. Like 300, give or take 25.

First 100 with slurry n pressure, then dilute to clean water on the second 100, then the last on water with lighter n lighter strokes. U know what my edge felt like, now you can chase it down.

Keep at those Arks, they make for a nice "Natural" progression to the Thurigan, If you care to spend the time, like I do.

Like a bottle of Heinze 57, the sweet anticipation. :tu

Hundreds of laps is not a problem for me. Some times i just dont know when to stop. Sunday night i will get a chance to put it to work. Its small to me being most all my stones are 3x8. Its just going to take so.e practice. Thanks for the pointers. Crossing me fingers it works well for me.

Lots of laps is what got me to looming at the arkie stones. I bet i do 50 laps before im warned up. Next thing i know ive done a couple hundred. I will watch my finger tips closely! I already paid my blood dues to the sraight razor god.

I seem to remember an antique ad for stones with coticules costing double that of Eschers.
It proclaimed the dark blue best for beginners because it was virtually impossible to overhone on it.

This was my Y/G thuri.
Then a friend found an Labeled Escher with this Thuri to compare it to.
I have never been so happy to get an upgrade from a solid member and friend.
Good people in the wet shaving world, so joyful to have a full size Thuri to hone on.
No Label no problem for a humble honer.
What a great ride on this hone.


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Realestate is nice but hard to find on a Thuri!Attachment 3016836.75"x 2.5" Keeper for sure!

Now thats what im talking about!

Get ready to mortgage the house!

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Originally Posted by Toroblanco

Realestate is nice but hard to find on a Thuri!Attachment 3016836.75"x 2.5" Keeper for sure!

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Peter (Hatzicho) sometimes has rocks like that for sale on thuringianhones.de

VERY NICE!

That is one from him, put in a order as he hardly ever has them in that size handy. I asked for a fine finisher and sometime later he came up with this one. It's a yg/b and although you can see some bue comming out I can't feel a different grit. That is why I purchased this one.

He has some great stones! He is a great person to deal with too.

Put 3 razors on the Thuri tonight. Had to go from bevel set with 2 of them.
Double Duck: Bevel set to 8K then Thuri with Slurry and pressure, then diluted the slurry little by little but still with pressure. Then clear water, in the end, lightening up the pressure until feather touch for the last 30 or so laps.

I did this with the Hibbard Spencer too, except I worked up to a 12K before going to the Thuri.

Last was an Imperial I had finished on a 20K. I did about 2/3 of the number of laps as the other 2 razors. Going from Slurry with pressure and lightening up and diluting the entire time until clear water for the last 30 or so laps.

The TPT tells my the Imperial has the keenness edge and it sure looks good too under the scope. So for your scope picture enjoyment here is the Imperial.

Attachment 301755

A little double bevel going on but it was that way before the Thuri stone and one hell of a straight smooth looking edge. All 3 razors were undercutting the slurry and clear water the entire time. Nice! Plus this was my first try at honing in my hand. I liked it! The stone was able to rock/pivot a little so it was easier to keep the edge flat on the stone. I'm not sure if it was easier to hone in my hand or on a holder as far as arm and back stress goes, but I sure liked it. I will be doing this more often.

Test shave tomorrow.

BTW, That is one of my Arm Hairs above the edge. Not intentional. But it does give a size comparison.

I like the way you used the synthetics to give yourself a nice consistent baseline to see the effects of the thuringian. I have done something very very similar recently with my black Arkansas. I am interested in the results.

That is a beautiful edge, should shave like a dream.

Very nice clear pictures!

Test shaved with all 3. In my opinion, and comparing to the 20k edge im now used to id say they all felt lacking. They cut whiskers but not wiping them off my face with no effort. Even the Imperial with the great looking edge was not as nice as I thought it was going to be. Id have to say the razor finished with the 12k then Thuri was the best edge. And since i didnt do as much time on the Thuri with the Imperial, that might have made a difference.

Now this being my first test i didnt expect a miricle but i got a good feeling about the stone. Its just going to need a little more practice. I dont know what i can do differently but time will tell. Im happy that they shaved even if not as keen as Im used too.

BTW, i did get a wood box made for the stone today. Will post it in another area.

Well you may just be narrowing down what you like in a razor. I think it was a pretty solid test. Since you like the keenness of the 20k I would recommend elimating all of it except some finishing strokes with just water and no pressure. That may have given you the best of both worlds in that it is keen yet smooth. Maybe? Otherwise maybe that GOK20K is your stone. Many prefer the keenness of that stone while others prefer a smoother edge. The search continues.....

I spent some more time on the Thuri tonight with 2 of the razors. Will test again in a day or so. But you may have a point Steel. I will give that a try soon too. Sounds like a way to get the best of both. Thanks!

I haven’t had a chance to try out a Thuri or an Escher, so I might be talking out of my hat. It’s always interesting (and confusing) to combine synthetic and natural stones.

I take my edges up to 8K on a Norton or a coticule, which many claim is also around that grit (if you can apply that grit rating to a natural stone ) and then finish on a Vermio, which the vendor claims is equivalent to a synthetic 15K. I get smooth and keen on my edges.

Read somewhere that the Thuris act like a 12k-15k grit synthetic stone. I wonder if in going to 20K and then the Thuri, you might be walking your edge back in keenness. Have you tried going from something less than 12k and then to the Thuri?

Damn Jerry, you have come a long way that, is a nice edge.

Try a light worked Thuringian slurry on the 20k, you might be surprised. I have been experimenting with Jnat slurry on an old fine Lilly White and old Translucent Ark with some impressive results.

Experiment with breaking down your slurry, doing more laps as opposed to just thinning. Save a worked slurry, I use small Japanese saucers to save slurry, because you don’t want to do too many laps on the 20k or you end up with a 20k edge.

I don’t like the 20k edge, but it is a polisher and can add keenness in but a few laps. I often take an edge to the 20k to polish the bevel, then joint the edge and finish on a natural, so I know all I’m looking at is the natural finish on the bevel.

Another thing you can try if your Thüringian edge is lacking, add a layer of thin tape, (scotch tape works or Kapton) and do a few light laps on the 20k, 3-10 for a super micro bevel, experiment with the number of laps, surprising what 2 or 3 laps can do.

“BTW, That is one of my Arm Hairs above the edge. Not intentional. But it does give a size comparison.”

That is something guys should do, put a hair on the razor edge and look at it through the scope and the magnification you are using.

Gives you a whole different perspective of what you are looking at when looking at an edge through glass.

Thanks Marty. I think my edges are getting much better and i now know, with the help you have given me, what the differences are when looking thru the scope compared to the feel.

It is possible that going from 20k to a Thuri is going backwards. I wont argue with that. But natural stone also give a different feel. Not just smoother but a completely different feel to the face. I cant explain it.

Saving thuri slurry? Huh, i never thought about trying to save slurry. But that is another thing to try. When i deciced to get a Thuri the plan was to put my perfect edge on a razor, then back it off with the Thuri so put a little bit of that different feel on the edge. And to calm the edge a pinch. But i figure i need to learn to use the stone properly first before doing any tricks.

So many different things can be done with stones. Hard to imagine. I think breaking down the slurry more is a good idea. But this can be tough on a thinner stone. Keeping it on the stone.

Im going to keep at it and try some different things after i get the the point of knowing im getting all i can from the stone. I do have my eye on a lily white too. We will see. This rabbit hole of rocks is dangerous!

I’m talking about working a slurry as opposed to thinning a slurry. To thin a slurry, you start with a thick slurry and remove some after working, scoop it up with the razor, this is the slurry I save.

Or you can just keep adding water and thin the slurry the excess runs off the stone. A good reason to hone on a plastic tray, so clean up is easy.

If you try to keep the slurry on the stone and keep working it, not removing any, adding a drop of water to keep the consistency of milk or a bit thicker. You will lose some eventually. Keep working it and if needed, add slurry so you have a mix, you may be surprised with the results. Experiment.

You can also save all the slurry when done, dry, save and rehydrate to re- use. Save and mark in small plastic containers available at craft stores.

The super micro bevel is a great tool, good for hard chippy razors too.

I don’t hand hone, for small stones I place them on another stone with a piece of drawer liner on the large stone to keep it in place, I also level the tray with pieces of craft foam, to keep slurry from rolling off the stone when thin.

Very nice work gasman! Your edges are comming along nicely, great work! Playing in the mud is fun and can be greatly rewarding. Synthetics are very good to learn on and develope muscle memory. Once you hit the keenes wall, then it's about smoothness and comfort. Which to me is where naturals shine. No burn, just a warm feeling when applying after shave or even a cool feeling.

Marty has a great wealth of information and shares it freely. He is a great asset to this community. He is very good at explaining what you are seeing, which is not always clear what you are looking at. With his guidance I felt more sure in what I was experienceing was just as he explained.

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Originally Posted by Gasman

Hundreds of laps is not a problem for me. Some times i just dont know when to stop.

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This is me.

I get into the Zen of it, and I lose all track of time, effort, reason...

Sometimes honing is it's own reward, even if I don't get a edge out if it. When I do get a great edge out of it, it's like a bonus or something.