

Pike Lily White Washita Paddle Hone and Strop
This is a small cardboard sleeved paddle hone/strop manufactured by Pike in the very early 1900s. The small but effective slice of venerable Lily White Washita retains the original Pike ink-stamp. The paddle is made of wood, and the reverse side features a nicely beveled leather strop.
The printed cardboard sleeve is worn; one side is torn, and the ends are tattered. Even so – the printing is still very readable. I keep this hone in a makeshift cardboard sleeve to protect the sleeve.
The stone and leather appear to have been used minimally, perhaps only once. The wood shows no signs of continued use and only a lack of use would allow the ink stamp to remain in this condition.
The instructions say to use water with this stone – which is odd; I seem to remember most Lily White Washita stones to include instructions directing the user to employ oil as a honing medium.
For someone honing a straight razor, this hone is more of a curiosity or a visit to those days when these stones were often used for such tasks. More than a few geological manuals from the 1800s reference the ‘fine’ Washita stones for honing razors, one mentions the use of a spine-leading stroke to ensure a finer edge.
I ran a finished and confirmed good edge on this stone with water in what I call ‘touch up mode’ – the finished result was somewhat surprisingly nice. I expected a harsh shave but I was rewarded with a nice but not exceedingly sharp/smooth edge.
Admittedly, this is more of a collectors piece that’s not in perfect museum-worthy condition. Most Lilly White stones sell at higher prices than I’m willing to invest though, so this score made perfect sense; it satiated my curiosity about the Lily White without breaking the bank. The fact that it actually does a really nice job is a complete and unimagined bonus.
Approx. Overall Dimensions: 6.9 x 0.94” / 175 x 24 mm
Approx. Stone Dimensions: 4.0 x 0.94 x 0.25” / 102 x 24 x 6.4 mm