Thread: Barber hones characteristics

Originally Posted by Alucard77

if you had to choose between a pike hone or a swaty hone which one would you choose??? Because I would like to buy one and there priced the same, so what should I do

BUY TWO!

Agree with Jim, buy them both. I have both. They are nice hones. I think the Emerald green PIKE is probably just a little less fine grit than the Swaty, but that may just be me. If it is, and I think it is, the Pike would be a good step in the direction of a finisher, or, it could be a nice quick edge straightner during a shave.

If they are in comparable condition, buy the Swaty. Because it has better name recognition, it is easier to sell if you ever have the need.

Swaty it is

thanks everyone

Originally Posted by Utopian

If they are in comparable condition, buy the Swaty. Because it has better name recognition, it is easier to sell if you ever have the need.

Ron, I have wondered what it was they used in the green Emerald Pike hone I have that made it so .... green? One thing I'll pass along on my Swaty vs Emeral Pike I found out, is that the Swaty will attract a magnet, but the Emereald Pike will not.

I don't know. The grit may have been green or they may have added coloring to make it green just so that they could call it the Emerald. I did not know the Swatys were magnetic.

I didn't know it either until I happend to put a magnet against both to determine what might be in them. BTW, speaking of early barber hones, their is a VERY close relationship to the present Norton-Pike (Saint-Gobain) comany and the Pike I have with the fish swimming though the capital "P". Norton Pike History
I have a Norton HS4 transluent slip stone and it's seemingly more fine that simply 4000 grit. Almost glass smooth.