My first clearly marked Escher stone.
What a major thing to add to my collection of stones.
Should i use it or just keep it on the shelf.
Cause it would stink to get water on that label
and ruin. How awesome it looks.
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My first clearly marked Escher stone.
What a major thing to add to my collection of stones.
Should i use it or just keep it on the shelf.
Cause it would stink to get water on that label
and ruin. How awesome it looks.
Man! 6 posts and an Escher. Use it. I would! There are threads here on waterproofing the label. Check them out! Lessee a picture!
...Really....No Picture....
:mace:
yea i messed up on the post.
I have used Krylon Preserve It spray with success on back labels. On end labels a clear nail polish called "Hard As Nails." So far so good. I use that perforated rubber shelving stuff you buy in the super market under the stone and an paper towel under that. Others will come along with what worked for them.
I would say use it if you know how to hone razors. If you are learning wait until you can shave smoothly and comfortably on a razor you have honed to the 8k level. When you can do that you're ready to add the escher as a finisher. Congrats on the score.
Thanks!
Now of course I'm incredibly jealous...
Opinions vary, naturally.Quote:
Originally Posted by Suile
If that were mine I would leave it on the shelf. Wait, on second thought, I wouldn't even dare to tempt the evil witch Gravity. I'd leave it on the bottom shelf...of a safe deposit box.
I think you should send it to me. I have a nice shelf I can put it on to keep it nice and dry for you. If I hone with it, I promise that I will dry it off real nice for you.
Grrrr, other peoples' good fortune makes me crazy. That is awesome , though.
To have an Escher (IMO) and not use it, is really not that cool. If that's the case, then you sell it to someone who will. Sorry to be so frank.
These are stones, and they have an intended purpose. Put some clear coats on the label to preserve it, as that is very important.
NOW I see! Whatta label! Very nice. Now you need a junker with a partial label to use. I see your predicament! That is very nice. Did I say nice?
Use it!
Normally I would completely agree with you. The thing that, in this case, gives me pause is that I believe someone buying an Escher in this condition (mint?) is probably not buying it to sharpen razors. A sharpener-buyer can find plenty of unlabeled Thuringian stones or barely labeled Eschers on Ebay for cheaper. As a result, I think if you sold it, it may remain unused.Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxi
If you want to be a custodian for the hone museum don't use it. :)
IMHO people who pay high prices for Eschers buy them to use. Collecting is a sideline. jUst saying....
If I bought a vintage unused Ferrari, I would drive it. You only live once and can't take it with you. That said, I'd still have a daily driver :)
I do have 6 other stones.
that i use that perty sure are thuringains
for they are soft and easy to make flat.
they did not come flat.
their grits are very fine and a good level of cut.
It is a different kettle of fish when you have good finishers already. I had a good escher that I used. I picked up a mint NOS 1905 or so in the box with slurry blue green with perfect labels and ink stamps on the honing surface. I didn't hone on it for a long time. I checked it with a straight edge and it wasn't flat but it wasn't bad. So I honed on it without flattening. I really liked it so I flattened it and use it.
I had a near perfect yellow green that I never honed and finally sold. Same with another that also had ink stamp on the honing surface faintly. Now if I get a hone I use it. I'm about done buying hones though. :w
I don't think i ever be done buying hones.
I seem to always buy.
When the price is a real bargain.
I agree with Maxi I would use it. I have "lost" a 1981 unused Staffordshire scuttle due to SWMBO thinking it was way to valuable to be trusted in my hands. RoloQuote:
Originally Posted by Maxi
I ain't found one of those yet ....... those are really rare ......... :banghead:Quote:
Originally Posted by Suile
It's your Escher and your money. If you are happy to have forked out whatever you paid for it, and then have it sit on a shelf forever, then good for you.
If on the other hand you want to use it, paint that label side with a clear varnish and enjoy a nice stone.
James.
This stone reminds me of The Pearl, The story where a poor man finds a freakish gigantic pearl but ends up only gleaning pain and suffering from it. Whatever you do with this stone, I fear that you'll end up making a decision you'll one day regret. Sort of a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" kind of thing. I wouldn't recommend chucking your Escher into the ocean, though.
First, I don't think you should hold onto it forever. Consider, though, Eschers with full labels AND boxes in that kind of shape are pretty darn few and far between, at least compared to ones with lesser labels. The next time you're on Ebay look for 2 Eschers with different label qualities (size, clarity, color, etc.) and see where their respective selling prices end up. Labeled stones in that condition sell at a distinctly higher price, almost as a rule. (Of course you may have paid a small fortune for this stone. For whatever reason I'm assuming you could sell it for more than you have into it).
If you want to use the car analogy, putting varnish on that immaculately preserved label would be the value-destroying equivalent of spraypainting flames on a vintage Ferrari with original paint. Is it still a Ferrari? Yes. Is it still an amazing car to drive? Yes. Did you reduce its blue book value? You betcha. Before you criticize that terrible analogy, let me agree that it isn't quite apt. I'd prefer to draw similarities to the act of rebluing an antique gun.
Second, if you don't put the varnish on it and then decide use it, the label will find a way to get wet. I don't know what happens to decades-old paper products and/or adhesives when they get wet, but my gut tells me it's not improvement. In that regard, Jimbo above is correct: if you're going to use it, varnish it. At least then it will keep its provenance and pedigree as an Escher, though not as pristine as its current condition.
In short, I longwindedly agree with what Jimbo said succinctly above. It's yours. However, you asked the question, so I'll give you my "Minnesota nice" passive-aggressive thoughts: it just seems like a bit of a shame to spoil such a well-preserved and valuable piece when you have others that perform imperceptibly different from it.
That's my two cents, no big whoop.
It's probably not an Escher. I have seen the label before inside an Excelsior synthetic box and on a Thuringian. It doesn't have Escher written on it. It might still be just as good as an Escher, so congrats.
Here the box and label Piet is talking about!Quote:
Originally Posted by Piet
Attachment 102719Attachment 102720
