Original Escher Stone and Thuringian Water Hone
Limited quantities available from a recently discovered block of the Original Escher Stone.
The end of the narural Escher hone has come. We are sold out of all large sizes. The quarry has used up the entire block of stone that was available, and we will never see any more of this natural stone, as its origin is protected as a nature reserve. But a few smaller sizes are available.
This was the original Escher Stone, cut out of the one and only ultra-fine green to grey colored raw material from Germany.
This quarry was hidden away in Communist Germany for decades and yielded an original block of stone, which was cut into the only sizes that its veins permitted, thus producing a limited quantity of high quality Original Escher hone.
Natural Escher, as you may well have read on our web pages, is no longer available. But we have been slowly introducing a man-made Escher, with great results as reported by all who have tested the hone. It is now available. The composition of the new Thuringian hone is the same as Escher. Quartz powder embedded in chalk, gives it its slurry activity. The quality yield remains the same with each production run, and will give satisfactory result with many different steel alloys, just whetting the surface of the stone. Cost is $179 and $198 for 8x2", 10x3" respectively, during introduction time. You have to call to order.
Thuringian Water Hone
Ultra-fine natural blue/grey water hone in high quality for the final hone of razors, scalpels, knives, edge tools, butcher knives.
The new Thuringian hone is somewhat harder than the Original Escher material, but has recently yielded towards lighter color, in the direction of the Original Escher, producing a similar high-grit hone.
About the Escher and Thuringian Whetstones
The Original Escher Stone was known by straight edge razor shavers as the ultimate razor honing stone. It is used as the final hone after shaping and sharpening the blade with man-made or natural abrasives that produce a wire-edge, or burr, in the fashion of a saw-toothed like serrated line.
It may be used for improving the edge of any knife.
The composition of the new Thuringian hone is the same as Escher. Quartz powder embedded in chalk, gives it its slurry activity. The quality yield may differ with each production, and can give satisfactory result on many different steel alloys. You can either rub a small sister stone over the surface to quickly raise an active quantity of dust, then add water and you have a slurry, or use without a slurry, just whetting the surface of the stone.
Can I use it as a final hone after using the Belgian garnet stone?
However, if you happen to own a low-quality Belgian stone (more aptly: a stone containing fewer larger sized garnets, therefore cutting a coarser edge profile), there can be some improvement finishing with the Thuringian hone.
The Thuringian whet hone is completely free of pyrites, which could otherwise hamper the honing effect. Please do not confuse our reasonably priced Thuringian with an Escher hone. Please note, if our small sized Escher does not suit, beyond the auction market, there is always our new Thuringian hone.
