Probably a dumb question, but are these generally interswappable?

Will the crown race from a Cane Creek headset work OK with a Hope headset for example?

Ta!

Occasionally yes, generally no.Different overall diameters and sealing arrangements are the main problems, not to mention cup and cone versus cartridge compatibility.

I had a mate who for several years swore blind that the crown race was part of the fork and that all crown races were the same. No amount of explanation would get him to change his mind until the day he took his forks into his LBS and watched as the mechanic tapped the crown race off.

Muppet!