Recommendation? Sharpening with a file vs. a stone?

[Wild Willie]

Good work.

Sometimes I don’t file a nick entirely out, in hopes it’ll remind me not to nick it again. They all sharpen out eventually.

Parker

I don't bother with nicks in my machete I use almost every day either. There's a couple in it right now that have been getting progressively smaller over the last couple of months.

I'll admit it bothers me a bit more on an axe, but with the machete there's 18 more inches of blade to use.

 

[David Mary]

file -> stone -> 2k sandpaper or strop

This sounds like a good progression, and should work well. I like to go grinder -> grinder -> grinder -> grinder.

 

[catspa]

Yah, I watched your retip video and thought “I bet that’s not the way he usually does it…”

Parker

 

[garry3]

Since Old Axe Man turned us on to them my go to stones for axes are the Norton utility stones.

Norton Utility File

Norton Tradesman's Utility Stone

After using metal files to shape the bit I use the big utility file (actually a coarse stone) to refine the edge and remove the file marks. Because it's used like a file it's easy to follow the profile you created with a file. And because you can bear down on it with 2 hands it cuts quickly. I keep a bucket of water next to me to frequently rinse the surface of the stone.

After the utility file I use the smooth side of the utility stone to further refine/polish the edge. The axe is plenty sharp at this point for ordinary use but because I'm such a fussbudget I'll go one more step with a hard black Arkansas stone.

I would put a vintage Washita (not the modern colored stone) between the fine Crystolon and the black. They were the king of woodshops for better than a century and there was good reason for that. Fast for a natural stone and they cover a wide range, acting coarser or finer based on pressure.

I use this broken one for axes because it fits well in my hand. I use oil or spit, they don't do great on water.