Thread: axe hones under other names.

So awhile back I purchased a craftsman 2 sided hone an asked if anyone thought that they were the same as the Pike/Norton axe hones well nobody thought. Well as of today I have in my hand a Pike axe hone recently acquired from eBay well I now think that they are exactly the same hones, which makes me wonder what other hones are axe hones in disguise. Here are some pics what do you guys think?

By the way I'm going by feel, the colors are slightly different I don't know if this is due to age differences or care of owner as the pike is a little ruff an needs some cleanup an the craftsman looked NOS when I got it (now it's used).

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Norton made hones for another brand and stamped them differently. At the same time, it also wouldn't surprise me if Craftsman made their own using the same/similar materials and processes. These axe hones look a lot like barber hones, and that tells me that they're probably just a cutting material, most likely carborundum/aluminum oxide, mixed into a baked clay.

I know that they are barber hones an that there are probably similar hones but these seem to be the most sought after man made hones they're in the same boat as the frictionite 00. So I thought that maybe there was a way to actually prove that they are identical hones renamed. I mean how nice would it be to find cheap replacements for insanely over priced hones so that the average joe could get these same hones without having to get a lucky break like I did on mine. Also I read something a while back on another forum but I can't seem to find it now but it said that there was another hone that was the exact same hone but I don't remember the name of it.

I know but I am not saying anything until I have the market cornered :<0) The fact is, yes there are many hones that work on both tools. It's no secret though. Some are more popular with axe guys is all.

Another way to look at it - IF they are the same, and people find out, how long do you think it will take for the price of these cheap hones to go through the roof to match the other hones? Some questions may be best left unanswered, but the best way to tell in my estimation would be to compare their performance and see how close they match.

They look quite different colourwise. I think you really need to try comparing some virgin material i.e. slice a bit off of the end and look at the cores. But i could be really wrong ☺

The one sought after by the axe men down under is the Norton and it is a barber hone. From what I have read the Norton and Pike are very similar in results if not identical, the Pike being older. Have seen the Norton go for crazy prices and the Pike for peanuts.
A desirable item in the axe community, like a NOS Escher to the shaving community I guess.

Yep, I have the Pike version which I paid under $30 shipped. I posted it on here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...azor-hone.html

BTW, that Norton broken in two pieces was relisted & sold for well over $400, or was it $500..........

It only took me 7 years to acquire a Norton razor hone. It is most certainly not like the craftsman hone. I dont have a Pike I can compare it to, But I'm pretty sure they are different too. I believe Hi-bud-gl did a write up on it a long while ago.