Thread: Sharpening an adze?

Hi seanz,

While not an expert when it comes to sharpeing stuff, have you thought about a wet stone grinder like the schppach system or something similar? I collect the odd old axe when I can find them and I have a GMC wet stone grinder and I have found it to be pretty good. I was warned off using a bench grinder in case I stuffed the temper in the steel. After using the wet stone I then finish off the edge with a normal oil stone.

I'm not an expert either, but we used to sharpen our adze by drilling a small 3/16" diam hole in the middle of the handle, about 1/4" deep. You'd do it about where the handle came out of the head. You then took a hand file, and with no handle on it, you poked the pointy part of the file into the hole you've just made in the handle, and you slide the file back & forth scribing an arc, with the file being the radius. It files the adze blade well eventually, and at what we were always told was the 'right' angle.

The back was mean to have a gentle arc, about the arc of a 5 ft radius circle.

Somewhere out there is an expert but they're probably not on the internet.....I just did another search for Brades adze and this thread was second on the Googly list.

Bluegum; a wetstone grinder would be nice and it's on the wish list. I've got a 6" bench grinder, files and some oilstones.

Stewey; now that is interesting. The file technique gives me a good idea of what the bevel should be like but might be a bit slow to put a bevel back on the blade. I've had a look at what's left of the old bevel and using your idea as a guide I should be able to manage something.

I spent 16 years on the blunt end of an adze and only ever used files to sharpen them in similar fashion to Stewey except we held the file freehand and swung it across the blade to match the existing bevel. I have never seen the bevel angle written anywhere but my current one is between 35 and 40 degrees - hard to measure with one side curved

Originally Posted by TTIT

I spent 16 years on the blunt end of an adze and only ever used files to sharpen them in similar fashion to Stewey except we held the file freehand and swung it across the blade to match the existing bevel. I have never seen the bevel angle written anywhere but my current one is between 35 and 40 degrees - hard to measure with one side curved

OK then... 35 to 40, that seems quite steep but it's a start. I've been leafing through all the books I've got that have pictures of adzes and they looked to be around 30+ degrees but it's hard to judge. I'll be using mine on Poplar....what do you use your adze on?
Anyway, it looks like I'll be grinding the bevel freehand and then finishing it off with a file.

Originally Posted by seanz

OK then... 35 to 40, that seems quite steep but it's a start. I've been leafing through all the books I've got that have pictures of adzes and they looked to be around 30+ degrees but it's hard to judge. I'll be using mine on Poplar....what do you use your adze on?
Anyway, it looks like I'll be grinding the bevel freehand and then finishing it off with a file.

These days I just use it to flatten one side of small logs (usually green) to make them more stable when I run them over the bandsaw. In a previous life as an electrical linesman I used them on hardwood power poles to flatten faces where the hardware is attached.
PS: Desperately need a new handle for mine and one for another head I have - anyone know where I can get a couple??????

I dropped the angle on mine from (at a guess) 35ish to 30 or less and it was a whole lot easier, keep the underside as paralel with the surface as you can and just skim the top, don't try and take too much, I try and keep it between my feet that way if it slips or you miss you just take an air swing and your ankles are out of harms way. They are said to be the only tool the Devil won't use!

Blunderings had adze handles a few weeks ago.Don't think anyone working there knew what they were.

I have seen adze handles for sale at B

I made my own, couldn't find any long enough for my dodgy back.

Originally Posted by Claw Hama

I made my own, couldn't find any long enough for my dodgy back.

Ah, yes....The Back.....I'll just have to see how it goes.....oh well, it's a hobby not a career.

Bunnies sells handles over here too.....bit stingy pricewise ($50) though so I'll search some of the country hardware stores.

Thanks very much for all the replies....I've gone from no idea to half a clue.

There is a little info here
http://books.google.com/books?id=JdJ...20adze&f=false

Thanks for that Sprog.
When Googlebooks first started I thought it was a great idea but I've never been happy using it.
Seems alright at first and then you make one false move (or click) and it develops a mind of its own.

So, that book recommends an overall bevel of 25 degrees and a slight back-bevel.....interesting.
I wouldn't have thought to put on a back bevel, maybe I'll put one on after I've used it a bit?
And a slight back-bevel on a side-axe?
Very interesting.

Actually I did that too, sorry I forgot to mention it, only very slight, like 6 wipes with the stone, just stops it from digging in so much and gives you more control.