Thread: Large hone

No, I'm not going to try to make money from it... or cut it to pieces for that matter! I'm keeping it as a foundation piece for the hone tower I'm building in my basement.

I must have been skipping school the day this type of hone was a thing on ebay, but I learned about it now searching threads for norton "axe" hone, in the thread referenced above. Craziness...

So what's the word on this stone? Are you using it still? How does it perform?

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

So what's the word on this stone? Are you using it still? How does it perform?

I cleaned and lapped it and that's it. I still have it. I was going to try to fix the box a little as it's coming apart and the felt is loose. I haven't used the hone yet. It feels like a high grit hone, especially the black side. It seemed unique because of the size and the smoothness but I was not familiar with it when I saw it at the flea market. I actually walked away from it twice before going back to that table a third time and getting it. It sat there for like an hour in the meantime! The guy said he got it at an auction in a lot with a bunch of Nortons but this one is not marked so... can't say it's a Norton.

Here’s a simple test. Hone a razor and finish on the finest stone you have. Or maybe you have a razor that is pulling? Clean your test hone with some soap and water. Leave a little soap and water on the test hone. (Bar soap, Liquid soap, etc no reason to make it complicated.)

Make 5 to 8 passes on the black side of your unknown test hone. STOP. Rinse the hone off with water and let air dry.. Don’t strop. Inspect and test shave. See if improves or degrades the edge. Let us know when you get a chance.

Or if you wish, send me a PM and I can test for you and post results on SRP. There are indeed large and small un-branded Norton Razor “Axe” hones floating around out there.
Mike

I had some correspondence with Norton via email and shared many pictures and measurements of the hone hoping to get some info. Two different people referred it to their tech department who eventually got back to them and then they got back to me, several times, ending as follows:

"So my tech team is telling me that they aren’t sure if it’s a Norton or Pike sharpening stone. Without any significant markings on the box to tell for sure. They have seen both from the 1950s and looked familiar to that era. We are also not sure if it’s for a razor, axe, or barber. I’m sorry we couldn’t be more help."

I tested it on a Wester Bros. that had been starting to pull a little. I had been using the razor for about a month maintaining with regular stropping on linen and leather, no pastes or other additives. I inspected the bevel first using magnification and observed the striae and edge. Then I washed the hone and did eight passes. I inspected again and the bevel appeared somewhat more polished.

I did not strop, just shaved as is and did my whole first pass like that. The edge was not pulling any worse than before but it felt slightly harsh. So, before my second pass I stropped as usual, linen and leather no additives. The shave now felt slightly improved over the last time I used this razor, "fresher" I guess, not pulling as much. That's all I have for now on it but I will continue using it and probably post again after I learn more.

What the heck is with this New Hampshire ?

Beautiful hones lying around in the flea markets,,, over size razors just lying around.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

What the heck is with this New Hampshire ?

Beautiful hones lying around in the flea markets,,, over size razors just lying around.

Haha, well... it was an abnormally good summer for hunting razor stuff, I'll give it that! I will say that I did put in a TON of legwork and really only posted threads about the times I found something. Probably more than half the time out I find nothing at all but those would be darn boring to hear about!

You would think that a lot of places would have straights down here, with so many old timers coming down to retire, but no. I guess they leave all their shaving stuff up North. They come down here & live like hippies.

Either that or they give 'em to their beard growin' razor pawnin' grandsons.

Now don't you get them started again.