Axe sharpening

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Oct 28, 2005
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I have tried searching BF. Would someone point to some threads showing the best way to hand sharpen? I have a grinder, but hesitate to go that way.

We are cleaning out my father's workshop, and he has an axe that looks ok, except the edge is gone. Thanks for any help.
 
Search out 'An Axe to Grind' on YouTube; that'll tell you everything you need to know.
 
Maybe I do it wrong, but I just sharpen my axes like I do my knives. Dragging the edge across a thousand grit Arkansas stone seems to do the trick. My Dad uses his grinder on his el cheapo hatchet, but that still gives me the chills, haha.
 
McFeeli said:
Maybe I do it wrong, but I just sharpen my axes like I do my knives. Dragging the edge across a thousand grit Arkansas stone seems to do the trick. My Dad uses his grinder on his el cheapo hatchet, but that still gives me the chills, haha.
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Takes forever to do if the blade is really dull or needs re-profiling. Great for maintaining an edge once you've got it though!
 
300Six said:
Takes forever to do if the blade is really dull or needs re-profiling. Great for maintaining an edge once you've got it though!
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Yeah I definitely wouldn't reprofile the edge like that, haha. Especially with an Arkansas stone.
 
Not a thing wrong with that^. I put my axe in a vise with pads and take my Norton combination India stone to it. I use oil on the stone and
carefully watch the angle. After I finish with the fine side stone, it is getting sharp. Around 400 grit. DM
 
a file is all you'll ever need. i find putting a nice sharp edge doesnt do much better than a filed edge. its probably great for doing the small bushcraft stuff but for general chopping its fine
 
His filing technique is very good! Hand positions and motion are of someone experienced with a file. The clamping method is clever but would be helped if he put a squeeze clamp or something on the end of that haft to lock it down.

For a carving hatchet his angles are great. But for an axe I would change my filing angle at the heel and toe to leave a thicker bevel. The heel and toe take the most damage and will benefit from the thicker bevel. Of course in competition you wouldn't worry about that, i.e. - sacrifice durability for speed.
 
I noticed that too. I think he only does his hatchet at that angle. I give my Estwing an increased angle. My splitting axe more so.
You think for a competition axe they would thin the entire cutting edge in order to increase performance? DM
 
The whole bit would be at a larger inclusive angle but the heel and toe wouldn't be sharpened different than the center when durability isn't as much an issue as speed. Worse case scenario a racer can resharpen it in 60 seconds after his event. A trail worker won't always have that option. A touch up is about the best you can do on the trail.
 
I ordered 6 more of these Friedrich Dick All-Purpose Mini Hand Files today. I ordered 3 last Fall to try them out. They're great little files and will do the job of sharpening an axe. I keep one with my pulaski and one in my truck. I just wanted to have a few more around while they're still this cheap.

Not suggesting that anyone make this their primary file - something bigger would be better. But these are impressive for their size and price.

https://www.riogrande.com/Product/friedrich-dick-all-purpose-mini-hand-file/114863
 
Square_peg said:
His filing technique is very good! Hand positions and motion are of someone experienced with a file. The clamping method is clever but would be helped if he put a squeeze clamp or something on the end of that haft to lock it down.

For a carving hatchet his angles are great. But for an axe I would change my filing angle at the heel and toe to leave a thicker bevel. The heel and toe take the most damage and will benefit from the thicker bevel. Of course in competition you wouldn't worry about that, i.e. - sacrifice durability for speed.
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This is a backpacking hatchet, so used with one hand and fairly careful about placement - I'm all about max performance/least energy used. So yes, the grind is pretty darn aggressive but no issues so far.

I wouldn't sharpen an axe quite as thin, but I do still use a compound convex on all my axe/hatchet heads. I got the method from writings by Elmer Kreps and really does seem to improve performance.
 
Is it 30 degrees inclusive? I'm afraid I didn't catch that, my ears not good enough.
 
Moonw said:
Is it 30 degrees inclusive? I'm afraid I didn't catch that, my ears not good enough.
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30° inclusive. I might have said "side" but disregard that. The edge terminates about 30 degrees, with the convex primary grind running thinnest at the heel, thickest at the toe or just a touch underneath it.

The overall deviation is not a ton, but definitely visible with a cursory inspection. In truth, some factory edges come with a bit of this dynamic already, but not if you picked it up at the local hardware store.
 
Mine is further from that than I thought. More like 22-23* on my hatchet a side. Then on my splitting axe (Hults Burks) I'm closer to 30*.
At less than this on my hatchet I start getting burrs after chopping juniper. DM
 
HeavyHanded said:
30° inclusive. I might have said "side" but disregard that. The edge terminates about 30 degrees, with the convex primary grind running thinnest at the heel, thickest at the toe or just a touch underneath it.

The overall deviation is not a ton, but definitely visible with a cursory inspection. In truth, some factory edges come with a bit of this dynamic already, but not if you picked it up at the local hardware store.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I was pretty sure I heard "per side". Was wondering how is that thin :).

Excellent video, I didn't know you had a channel.
 
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