Thread: How do you sharpen an axe?

jisk
Does this help?
http://blueandwhitecrew.org/resources/tips/axes.php

Regards

Ian

in days gone by they would use a concrete grinding wheel. Most had a crank handle. Some of the newer ones were powered by a motor via a pulley. Here is a pick of an old wheel in a state of disrepair.

Use a file and remember to do both sides!!!!!!!!!!!! Pop was a Qld axeman, he should know. Damien.

I don't know anything, but for years I used a grinder.

Then one day I was unpacking or something and didn't have my grinder handy, so I grabbed a file. I've never used anything else since!

Cheers,

P

Nicholson 10 inch fine mill file and the Granfors stone for my favorite Granfors axe.

My brother got half interested in competitive woodchopping a while back, & we talked about methods for sharpening his axes.

Mentioned was centre punching a mark on each face of the axe head, and using this as a pivot for sharpening on a belt sander with a fine belt.

Power stropping afterwards would yield a pretty wicked edge I'd reckon.

How do I sharpen an axe? With a 4" angle grinder and a "fine" disc with plenty of dunks in water to keep it cool. If I want it really sharp I'll use a flap wheel or a sanding disc afterwards. Call me a heathen

Mick

Originally Posted by wattlewemake

in days gone by they would use a concrete grinding wheel. Most had a crank handle. Some of the newer ones were powered by a motor via a pulley. Here is a pick of an old wheel in a state of disrepair.

I think it would be a sandstone wheel .

Kev

Hi Jisk
I'll throw my 2 bobs worth in and add another tip to the ones above.
If your new axe came with a hefty shoulder I would use your file to remove the biggest portion of it. Once you have nice sleek side cheeks smooth it off with your diamond or oil stone, then hone your cutting edge untill you can shave the hair on your arm and you have it. If you are trying to slam a fat bullish cutting edge into a log it will resist, the less shoulder the less resistance. My father used to cut railway sleepers and my grandfather owned a sawmill and I got into all sorts of strife it my axe was found blunt. Other tip, don't use the grinder, sorry.

A good edge takes a little sweat.

"If you are trying to slam a fat bullish cutting edge into a log it will resist, the less shoulder the less resistance.
A good edge takes a little sweat."

And the axe wont glance off the tree and swat you in the shin ,like happened to me a few years back .
With the swelling I thought I'd grown another knee halfway between the original knee and my ankle.
Luckily the bone didn't shatter.
No blood , but the bone ached for three days ,worst pain I ever experienced.

As Claw Hama says "A good edge takes a little sweat."

Kev

Woodlee, I had the same experience at about 10, dead smack in the middle of the left knee, 38 years later the scar is still very prominent. It wasn't the shoulder of the axe just a badly placed shot on a baksia with thick bark and very red sap. I remember it like it was yesterday.

I found this link a while ago which I found pretty handy, and covers from handles to sharpening and technique.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/...232823/toc.htm

Last axe I sharpened I gingerly used a fine sanding disc on a grinder (no linisher unfortunately) to take out the chips and set the shoulder and finished with a new flat chainsaw file. The chainsaw file didnt muck around plus the're cheap to buy-just be careful when filing that you dont slice fingers.

Well that was a jolt to the brain......

How do you sharpen and axe?

As soon as I read that it came back like a bolt of lightning....

"You never sharpen an axe..... you "HONE" and axe...."

My grandfather was a "sandlewood cutter" in the goldfields....goodness me I didn't even know what "Hone" meant....LOL....
.....but I remember seeing granddad actually shave with the axe....LOL....

thanks for the memories.....sorry can't help you but I can see him when I close my eyes.... as small stone in his hand.....sitting with the axe in his lap...many hours of watching him....the older I get the more memories I have!....LOL.....

KEKEMO...

I've generally shaped my Axe with an angle grinder to remove the thick shoulder, then a single cut bastard file to sharpen. With a cheap Axe there's no point getting a perfectly honed edge because three or four decent strikes will ruin it anyway... especially if you're like me and always manage to bury the blade in the ground and find a rock at least once