Thread: Escher as a touch-up stone

Hey all,

So I know that an escher could in theory be used as a touch-up stone, but who uses it for that purpose? I was just wondering if something like 5-10 laps every week or so for a daily shaver would be good to maintain a blade. I have a nice little yellow/green that's about 6 x 1 1/8" so it's very convenient to keep in the bathroom. I know coticules are mentioned a lot to be touch-up hones, but I have read little if none about the same function being used with eschers.

I currently use a little coitcule for touch-ups, but if I can skip that step entirely and just use the escher solely for touch-ups that would be more convenient.

I'm just curious to see who uses just the escher for such purposes...

Thanks!

I see no reason why you can't yse an Escher for touch-ups. What's the worst that can happen, you have to drop back to the Coticule?

Touching up every week seems a lot but what ever works for you.

You should be fine if you strop before each shave and touch up only after the blade starts to tug. For some people that would be around every 3 months.

Good luck!

i have done it for years but let me add a little more . Can you use Escher and it will do great work.
There is another easier way.
It is to use a good barber hone.
Example C-mon barber hone .you will need to do only 2-4 passes with lather that is it blade comes backto it is original condition in less then 1 minutes.
hope this helps.

I find a Y/G or B/G Escher fine for finishing or touching up. They are just great hones IME. One legendary item that lives up to the reputation. I have little experience with barber hones but if Sham says they work then you can take that to the bank AFAIC.

i use y/g escher for touch up.

I use a nakayama for touch ups. So you can certainly use an Escher.

James.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

i have done it for years but let me add a little more . Can you use Escher and it will do great work.
There is another easier way.
It is to use a good barber hone.
Example C-mon barber hone .you will need to do only 2-4 passes with lather that is it blade comes backto it is original condition in less then 1 minutes.
hope this helps.

The whole barber hone thing confuses me. If you've finished an edge on say an escher or nakayama or even pastes, and then you hit the barber hone, doesn't it bring that finished edge down to the barber hone's finish level instead of whatever it was at?

That is, if you finish an edge on the escher, love the edge, then it starts to dull, you do your 3-5 strokes on the barber hone, is it then exactly the same edge as it was when you first finished it on the escher? Or is it a *little* worse? Noticeably different but still OK?

Originally Posted by pjrage

The whole barber hone thing confuses me. If you've finished an edge on say an escher or nakayama or even pastes, and then you hit the barber hone, doesn't it bring that finished edge down to the barber hone's finish level instead of whatever it was at?

That is, if you finish an edge on the escher, love the edge, then it starts to dull, you do your 3-5 strokes on the barber hone, is it then exactly the same edge as it was when you first finished it on the escher? Or is it a *little* worse? Noticeably different but still OK?

Good question, and I've had the same thoughts. That's actually why the prospect of touching up on an escher than a barber hone appeals to me more.

I thought of that too, we need Utopian's input here. He know's a quite a bit about them.
I kept one small Escher out with my Barber hone's just for that reason. I think the Barber's hone is smoother, making it a higher grit than an Escher. When I finish honing a blade, and the Escher is going to be the final polisher, I do 15 strokes. If I'm touching up with a Barber's hone, I do 3-5, so why couldn't you touch up with and Escher? These old school Barber's had these Escher's and Barber hones, so why did they use the Barber hone?
We definitely need some more input on this one. Now I'm curious.

Originally Posted by pjrage

That is, if you finish an edge on the escher, love the edge, then it starts to dull, you do your 3-5 strokes on the barber hone, is it then exactly the same edge as it was when you first finished it on the escher? Or is it a *little* worse? Noticeably different but still OK?

Barber hones will do the job and your edge will be sharper then escher etc. user have to know no more then 3-5 strokes needs to be done. Not every barber hones will do the same job. check pictures and there is couple more out there. i have used from left to right 2 and last one i just got it. haven't test it yet.left to right cmon,Gem, and GEm hones. 2 hones have 2 sides. check picture. hope this helps.