Fine circumferential skin cracking in extruded thin-walled cordierite honeycombs having channel wall thicknesses not exceeding about 0.004 inches (100 &mgr;m) but skin layers of substantially higher thickness is prevented by extruding the honeycombs under conditions that enhance cordierite crystal alignment in the skin; thin-walled honeycomb products having skins free of fine cracks that are well-matched in thermal expansion to the honeycomb cores are provided.