Another Norton 'Axe' Hone Goes For A Bundle

I'm putting this in hones because, though it is the result of an ebay auction, it is more interesting as a hone. I came upon it last week when it was somewhere a bit under $200.00 USD. No intention of getting it, but I watched it to see if it would be 'under the radar.' Finished last night at $615.00 USD. I'm curious to try one of these on a razor. Sham had one, got $700.00 for it IIRC. He said it was great for a finisher on razors. Brings as much as a like size Escher y/g and double the Suehiro Gokumyo 20K ! :thinking:

Item # 231911133842 in case the link is dead (when the page opens scroll down to see it)

Vintage Norton Razor Hone | eBay

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I'd be nervous to drop that much coin on a B-hone.
There's a seller on the bay that bought that giant "Norton" (I think it was 12x4 or something like that) and cut it up into small pieces. The first one brought 192.00 for a 3.5x2" piece.

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Originally Posted by Dcaddo1

I'd be nervous to drop that much coin on a B-hone.
There's a seller on the bay that bought that giant "Norton" (I think it was 12x4 or something like that) and cut it up into small pieces. The first one brought 192.00 for a 3.5x2" piece.

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Wow ! What a bummer !! I took pix of that hone when it was up for $1500.00 USD. If it is the same one ......... I wanted it, the spirit was willing, but the wallet was weak ..... :boohoo:

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I had one of those for awhile, it suffered from crumbly hone syndrome to the point of self slurry so I never really got to test it on a razor

Popular in australia for axes, thus the price.

Same as the frictionites. Someone gave me a bunch of frictionites to sell for them several years ago, and every one of them except for the first (which I didn't sell fixed price) went to australia. And all but one of those went to the same guy in australia, I guess he was reselling them.

They are used between stages in local axe-man (like stihl timbersports), and they value them more than a sane shaver would.

Damn, old supply and demand is really screwing Honers of 3 continents, totally ridiculous prices.

Watched that, funny thing is a couple of hours later the older pike version of that same hone popped up buy it now $35 AUS.

I sold one of the norton that I received by chance in a lot I won online. It didn't get what Sham sold his for, but it wasn't to far off. And yes, some guy in australia bought it :)

I sold mine in a lot on Ebay of damaged or unknown barber hones, I even mentioned the Norton was soft. I got $60 and sent it to Australia. They must want those things BAD..

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Originally Posted by rodb

I had one of those for awhile, it suffered from crumbly hone syndrome to the point of self slurry so I never really got to test it on a razor

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I've heard of some barber hones coming apart like that. The binder degrades, dries out. That would be a heart breaker if someone spent big dollars and the thing was shot before they got it.

Why on earth are Australians so crazy over Norton axe hones?

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Originally Posted by ShaveWares

Why on earth are Australians so crazy over Norton axe hones?

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From what I've been told they compete in axe competitions for money, as well as glory, and the norton hone is supposed to be the best for touching up on the fly in the midst of felling that tree. :shrug:

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Originally Posted by ShaveWares

Why on earth are Australians so crazy over Norton axe hones?

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We like razor sharp axes :p

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Originally Posted by ShaveWares

Why on earth are Australians so crazy over Norton axe hones?

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This may provide some insight as to the popularity:

Woodchop Competition

Looks very intrestingand very sport discipline

Didn't that ad say it was lapped? Some of these old barber hones had a coated surface and wasn't meant to be lapped. I wonder how it functions after having the surface removed.

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Originally Posted by scag315

Didn't that ad say it was lapped? Some of these old barber hones had a coated surface and wasn't meant to be lapped. I wonder how it functions after having the surface removed.

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It is more of a status thing down here, kind of like a custom or extremely rare razor. Your 10k edge will be trashed from the very first blow on any Aussie or Kiwi hardwood, but you will look mighty in the pits honing your axe on the Norton...

Ax competitions pay out BIG money. These guys take it very seriously and will do anything to win the cash

And from what I have been told, this is the best hone EVER..improves any edge.

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Originally Posted by Disburden

Ax competitions pay out BIG money. These guys take it very seriously and will do anything to win the cash

And from what I have been told, this is the best hone EVER..improves any edge.

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Hey Nick, long time no see. Sham told me the same thing, and I've never had one in hand, but I don't believe it. If it were that good it would still be around. IMHO.

A link to the New South Wales Axemens Association "An Introduction to Woodchopping"

Introduction to woodchopping

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Hey Nick, long time no see. Sham told me the same thing, and I've never had one in hand, but I don't believe it. If it were that good it would still be around. IMHO.

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I say we take a trip to Sham's house and take one hostage. I doubt he would even notice!!!:rofl2:

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Originally Posted by Disburden

I say we take a trip to Sham's house and take one hostage. I doubt he would even notice!!!:rofl2:

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LOL, y'know he sold one on the bay years ago. I don't know how many he had. Might have been the only one. Some guy on the bay had a normal sized one, and this behemoth that I really wanted .......... the spirit was willing but the wallet was weak .......... :shrug:

EDIT ....... just realized I had already posted these in this thread .......... :gaah: ........... oh well ........... :beer2:

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Jeesh, What a hone!

I wonder if the large one is different? I know the larger swaty hones were different than the smaller "Three line" variants.

Are the old red red and black pike hones the same? Almost bought one before but wasn't willing to gamble.

I snagged one of the old black and red pikes like you are talking about hoping it was but the binder in the hone was deteriorating and I couldn't lap past it. Haven't herd definitively one way or another.

Matt

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Originally Posted by MattCB

I snagged one of the old black and red pikes like you are talking about hoping it was but the binder in the hone was deteriorating and I couldn't lap past it. Haven't herd definitively one way or another.

Matt

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The pike one is not the same quality as the Norton. The large one is the same as the smaller Norton version.

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Originally Posted by Disburden

I know the larger swaty hones were different than the smaller "Three line" variants.

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How so?

I have not seen any difference in performance by the longer versions.

why would a 100 year old synthetic be any better than a modern one with intact binders? I have a bunch of vintage swaty's and its pot luck if they are any good due to binder decay.

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Originally Posted by sidmind

why would a 100 year old synthetic be any better than a modern one with intact binders? I have a bunch of vintage swaty's and its pot luck if they are any good due to binder decay.

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I have thought the same thing but the fact that these axe competitors from Oz keep spending big dollars on them ......... and using them ....... would indicate to me that they must work better on axes then the modern alternatives ....... :shrug:

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I have thought the same thing but the fact that these axe competitors from Oz keep spending big dollars on them ......... and using them ....... would indicate to me that they must work better on axes then the modern alternatives ....... :shrug:

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For a short time I had a stock of black translucent Arkansas stones, most were sold to Axe competitors on Ebay, I wish I still had a few but sold them all unfortunately, that was when I first started dealing/selling Arkies as well as vintage stones, I didn't understand the true value of these particular stones, live and learn I guess.

Hey Jimmy, thanks for the flashback...

that pattern on the floor in the photo of the long hone in hand was exactly the same pattern of the flooring in the kitchen and bathroom of my parents' house. The house is gone and so are they, but the memory of that floor remains!

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Originally Posted by Grazor

Watched that, funny thing is a couple of hours later the older pike version of that same hone popped up buy it now $35 AUS.

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I found the Pike version around the first of the year & I got it for under $30. I put it in Show & tell after I saw one broken in two go for over $500. I guess the buyer was going to glue it back together. I have a hindustan that was broken in two & I CA'd it back together & had a buddy of mine take it to his work & lapped it on one of those machines like the Japanese use, looked like a big turntable. It worked out & I have applied quite a bit of pressure to see if it would break but it seems fine although I never use it.

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I saw a big Norton go for a couple months ago. He started out at $1250 I think & kept re-listing it until it got down to $850 & sold. This one was missing the slurry.

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if you see a Barber hone called the "Trojan" with the same packaging as the hone above it is the same as the prized Norton ax hone. FYI. and they sell cheap.