For someone that doesn't know much about vintage stones/hones, I'm having a hard time telling what is worth a bid on ebay. I'm starting to recognize some barber hones, and have a pretty good grasp on Arkansas stones, but some of the others are a mystery to me. When there aren't any descriptions or markings on the stones, how do you know what is what? Is it only by experience? And even then, can you really tell just by looking at the photos (most of which have bad color shifts)?
Vintage stones/hones on ebay
- Thread starter letterk
- Start date
Well, Belgians and Eschers are usually not too hard to spot. You can also ask questions. Best advice - pm an experienced member and ask. Not 100% warranted, of course, but unless you have the knowledge yourself - I don't know what else.
If you have a particular hone in mind - try BST - someone might be selling
If you have a particular hone in mind - try BST - someone might be selling
- Thread starter
- #3
For Belgians and Eschers, what would I look for? I've seen photos of both, but am not sure about the defining specifics.
Well letterkwe are very similar in thought processes. I came back to wet shaving from an electric right to a straight razor... shaved with it for a bit factory honed then i joined here found out it should have been honed. I then got rad and bought a futur and a vintage gillette de and now looking for a hone for the straight. I bid on an ebay one that is on joel's 8 dovo razor test and that is only info i based my bid on(though was outbid and lost auction). I have been looking at the fs on here and straight razor place too, I will probably pick up an cheap ebay straight to pratice on and shave with de until i find a hone and get the technique down to hone my straight.Therefore I am intently watching this thread too.
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- #5
How about this one:
- Thread starter
- #6
Or this one:
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- #7
Here's another:
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- #8
This one says it's a Coticule:
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- #9
Here's a bunch in one lot:
You always will take a chance with an unmarked hone. It may look like a Belgian but it may be an Arkansas. I let the price tell me if I want it or not. If it turns out to be a 1000 grit hone then I've purchased a new tool sharpner. The barber hones with a stamped name on them will typically be 4k and up.
Glen
Glen
In my opinion (not worth much) the first one is a coticule (is that the one the seller suggests would be a nice stone to toss in your tackle box?). It looks like my two coticules.
The others look like knife stones to me. The one that claims to be a coticule could be, but I would not bid on the assumption the description is correct. 'Could be' is not good enough for me if the price is over $10. Might be worth a shot if cheap, but I really doubt it's a coticule. Like most hot items on ebay, there are misrepresentations, and coticules are always hot.
The others look like knife stones to me. The one that claims to be a coticule could be, but I would not bid on the assumption the description is correct. 'Could be' is not good enough for me if the price is over $10. Might be worth a shot if cheap, but I really doubt it's a coticule. Like most hot items on ebay, there are misrepresentations, and coticules are always hot.
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- #12
John, that's the one.
As with all things on Eboy your taking a chance when you buy. With barbers hones (and there are many, many types) if you are familiar with the types and they are labeled then you will know the grit otherwise its trial and error. With other types of hones, if you believe the seller when he says its a coticule then fine. Until you get it you will not know for sure. I've found if I want a particular hone I'd rather buy new and pay the price but know I'm getting what I think I'm getting and its not beat up especially if its one of my main hones I use all the time.
I recently took a chance on an old japanese natural stone hone off a Japanese site. I lucked out and got a real quality hone but I could have just as easily gotten a dud.
I recently took a chance on an old japanese natural stone hone off a Japanese site. I lucked out and got a real quality hone but I could have just as easily gotten a dud.
John,
my feel is that the first is a Coticule, the second probably an escher or something like it (thuringen, celebrated, etc.) and the third may or may not be a y/g escher.
The other one i'd bet is NOT a coticule, and the lot - there might be a Hunsrueck there, etc.
All this with the disclaimer that I am not an expert
Cheers
Ivo
my feel is that the first is a Coticule, the second probably an escher or something like it (thuringen, celebrated, etc.) and the third may or may not be a y/g escher.
The other one i'd bet is NOT a coticule, and the lot - there might be a Hunsrueck there, etc.
All this with the disclaimer that I am not an expert
Cheers
Ivo
I just bought some stuff today on ebay, 3 stones and 3 straight razors. What is that saying...a fool and their money eh!
Nothing ventured nothing gained I guess. I now have some stuff to practise and learn on the very lest.
List of items:
120119610042 King Cutter straight razor with case
120119611533 King Cutter straight razor with case
120119614051 ORSTRHOFF Manganese steel straight razor with case
120119664181 Razor blade sharpening bar or hone
120119666071 Razor blade sharpening bar or hone
120119667189 Razor blade sharpening bar or hone
Now I wait for the stuff to arrive.
Nothing ventured nothing gained I guess. I now have some stuff to practise and learn on the very lest.
List of items:
120119610042 King Cutter straight razor with case
120119611533 King Cutter straight razor with case
120119614051 ORSTRHOFF Manganese steel straight razor with case
120119664181 Razor blade sharpening bar or hone
120119666071 Razor blade sharpening bar or hone
120119667189 Razor blade sharpening bar or hone
Now I wait for the stuff to arrive.
- Thread starter
- #16
Ivo, yes. I was pretty sure the one labeled coticule is not, as it looks to have a far too large of grain.
So the other three might be worth a flier... Now, for someone that has never held an Escher, Coticule, Thuringen, how would I go about getting it correctly identified? I'll be able to tell relative grain when comparing it to my Norton 4k/8k and Arkansas stones, but that's about it.
Some guys at SRP send what they win to Tony Miller
you can also PM / call Howard (TPE) and I am sure Lynn will help if you asked him...The first one, if it is a Belgian indeed, is not a combo (the back is just slate, not Blue Belgian, btw). If I were you I'd pay at least $15 to try the one I said *might* be a Y/G escher (if it is - it would be worth over 4-5 times as much, imo - depending on size), and the other one is clearly an Escher-type (red background) - I think I've bought good stones from the same seller - he uses the same ruler
Cheers
Ivo
- Thread starter
- #18
Well, some others thought that first one was a Belgian as well. It sold for almost $50.
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