Recommendation? For those who make axes/hatchets...

[N.W. Gean]

Hello all. I hope your holidays are going well.

I've had a couple hatchet blanks from JT Knives sitting in my shop since March (80CRV2 1/4"), but I do not know how to grind them, and I am not finding much in searches except for this thread: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/hatchet-edge-geometry.1418193/#post-16407145

But, I don't have a good way of convex grinding, and I don't know what hardness JT used on these.

How high should the bevel be flat ground? To what edge thickness, or are we talking about a zero edge (scandi-style grind) here? If there is a micro bevel, what angle should one use?

Thanks in advance,
N.W. Gean

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Those small hand axes are fine with a pretty flat bevel. The main bevel can go to a cheek about half the way back the face. Take the edge to about .010" and then add a secondary at 25 to 30 DPS. If you can convex the secondary it is best.

 

[A.McPherson]

Hey Gean,

It depends on what you are making the axe for...
If it's for splitting kindling you don't need much of a bevel, just enough to get the blade started. If you're using it for carving, you want a longer, slower bevel. General use will be somewhere in between.

Take a look at some high end, specialty axes online to get ideas. Gransfors Bruk is a good place to start.

https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/

I'm really no expert on axes, but that's my general take on it... It's like deciding how to grind a knife. What's the knife for, and what kind of grind serves that purpose the best?

 

[N.W. Gean]

I can certainly convex the edge, as I use a work sharp KO blade grinder for most sharpening work.

So maybe a 1" high bevel going to .010 would be good for general purposes?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

That sounds good.

 

[PEU]

At about 1/4" thickness I go about 2" flat bevel and then blend with the flat side. I leave about 1mm/0.04" at the edge.

Pablo

 

[Seedy Lot]

I had a few of those hatchet blanks myself. I ground them at 12dps to almost an apex then convexed. With the light head weight you need a slicey thin edge.

 

[Seedy Lot]

Here you can see how my hatchets ended up looking.

https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/full-tang-hatchet-80crv2-sold.280224/

 

[E.Carlson]

I flat ground mine back about like this before convexing. I smoothed it all out on the bottom of a 8" contact wheel.