What Did You Sharpen Today?
- Thread starter marbat
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That's one of my favorite Plumb hatchet patterns. They aren't very common either. Nice job, Bob..Plumb 1.8 lbs (0,800 kg)
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Bob
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I spent a couple hours working on this ol 'slasher today. Filed a full banana on it. This thing was FAT! I removed a lot of steel. Previously i had a plain chisel grind on it.
Hard to get photos of the angles and such but I tried. It's a little too keen but with care regarding knots it'll be alright.
I'm looking forward to using this for falling. It weighs near 4# and i know it'll bite deep. Have a great evening fellow axeheads.
Hard to get photos of the angles and such but I tried. It's a little too keen but with care regarding knots it'll be alright.
I'm looking forward to using this for falling. It weighs near 4# and i know it'll bite deep. Have a great evening fellow axeheads.
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It's a lot of work but it's worth it. They cut so nice. I like to put a gentle roll in the banana. I think they release easier. Looks like you did that, too.
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It sure does take awhile. Roughly two hours per axe for me. How long does it take you for a thick axe? I keep thinking the more i do it the faster I'll get at it but that's just not the case. It takes the time it takes! I do roll the edge. I did it a little less this time but it is there. I know the companies warned against thinning them out too much but like you said they cut so much better that way. I leave em thick at the toe and heel. I really think they were just covering their butts. It's such a joy to use them when they're tuned right. My problem is I've already felled all the hardwoods on my 4 acres that I'm willing to harvest. I have to find someone who has some acreage and won't mind/ or sell me rights to cut a couple oaks per season. I really enjoy falling with an axe and i would do i would do it much more often if i only had the trees. I do have a few more i can take plus some poplar and some cedar and a big white pine.
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Takes me about 30 minutes per side if I have a good file. Cleaning off the oxidation layer with a flap disc will speed things up and prolong the life of the file. Just stay away from the last 1/8" of the bit which heats up so quickly. You've seen how fast the filings come up with my files. I've posted videos.
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I meant two hours for the whole process. So i guess it takes me about a half hour each side for filing and then another half hour per side for honing. I am really thorough with the medium diamond and then the finer side goes pretty quick. That is a good suggestion about the flap wheel to get through the rust if it's present. I'm using a 10" nu-cut followed by an 8" Nicholson mill bastard. I really want to get a few of those grobet yellow tangs. 72hrc! It'll take awhile to wear that baby out!
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I switched to Grobet files at Christmas and I'm very, very happy with them. Some people say Mexican Nicholson's are better than they used to be, but I never experienced that. The Grobets are feeling like fresh files longer than anything I've used in a looong time.
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May i ask who your vendor is? Also i know i want American(not swiss pattern) but i am not proficient in "file speak" so I'm a little apprehensive about buying online without being able to look at it to make sure I'm buying the right thing. I "think" i want a 10" 00 mill bastard for rough removal. Also a 10" (with a higher cut#) 02 maybe?
Would you be willing to tell me the specifics of the ones you ordered if they sound similar to the ones I want? I'd really appreciate it!!
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I don't tend to use larger than 10". A 10" mill bastard is good but I go to it after a 10" double cut bastard that seems to really cut fast. The mill bastard knocks the tops off the double cut and starts smoothing. Then a 10" smooth cut is really all I need out of a file and then some. I have 8" and 6" files but don't really use them on axes.
It's the Swiss patterns that have the sizes. American is just the type, shape, and length; smaller being finer. An 8" bastard is finer than a 10", and so on.
I think what your looking for is a 10" or 12" mill bastard (or a case of them
) and certainly no harm in getting a 10" smooth cut. I just skip second cut files with axes. That's a safe way to start, just add more as you like.
It's the Swiss patterns that have the sizes. American is just the type, shape, and length; smaller being finer. An 8" bastard is finer than a 10", and so on.
I think what your looking for is a 10" or 12" mill bastard (or a case of them
) and certainly no harm in getting a 10" smooth cut. I just skip second cut files with axes. That's a safe way to start, just add more as you like.
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Great! That is super helpful and exactly what i needed to know. Thank you! My old files still cut pretty well except on the hardest of axes. Still i can't wait to try a file that hard. Seems to me it must be difficult to get them that frigging hard. Where did you buy your files from?I don't tend to use larger than 10". A 10" mill bastard is good but I go to it after a 10" double cut bastard that seems to really cut fast. The mill bastard knocks the tops off the double cut and starts smoothing. Then a 10" smooth cut is really all I need out of a file and then some. I have 8" and 6" files but don't really use them on axes.
It's the Swiss patterns that have the sizes. American is just the type, shape, and length; smaller being finer. An 8" bastard is finer than a 10", and so on.
I think what your looking for is a 10" or 12" mill bastard (or a case of them
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http://www.grobetusa.com/hand-files/
If you Google the part numbers you'll come upon some suppliers that sell them individually. I've used more than one, and sometimes Amazon has them singly and sometimes not. Haven't figured that one out lol
If you Google the part numbers you'll come upon some suppliers that sell them individually. I've used more than one, and sometimes Amazon has them singly and sometimes not. Haven't figured that one out lol
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I like a double cut second cut file for axes, the bigger the better. Simonds Multi-kut pattern cuts fastest for me. On the hard steel of an axe I sometimes have difficulty with the coarser basard files. 10" is a minimum, 12" is great and 14" is even better. And spread the work out - use the whole file. They last longer. And keep them clean.
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It's a little mundane posting what I file and sharpen here. But i haven't made any new purchases or hung anything in a little while so I'm relegated here. These are both Snow and Neallys. The Jersey pattern is hung on a new 28" S&N haft that i ordered from the new amish owners. The 3-1/2# yankee pattern i initially sharpened very convex;
And now;
And i had the 3-1/4# Jersey sharpened much the same way but flat.
Now;
I purchased the s&n Jersey before i joined the forum so i haven't posted it before. I've got a bunch i still need to get on here. After all this time i still haven't seen another Snow & Neally Jersey pattern either in a photo or available anywhere. Have any of you seen one before?? Thanks for looking!
And now;
And i had the 3-1/4# Jersey sharpened much the same way but flat.
Now;
I purchased the s&n Jersey before i joined the forum so i haven't posted it before. I've got a bunch i still need to get on here. After all this time i still haven't seen another Snow & Neally Jersey pattern either in a photo or available anywhere. Have any of you seen one before?? Thanks for looking!- Joined
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It's amazing how dramatically the chopping ability of an axe increases when you switch from a radial grind to a banana grind. And I like how you keep a little roll in your grind to help with the release.
This Commander had a bad day somewhere back down the line. Not sure where or how, but it's better now.
I used a belt grinder, watched my heat and cooled it as needed, then knocked the wire edge off with the fine side of a puck.
Back to a perfectly good working edge in less than 15 min.
Wont be much use until I handle it though!
I used a belt grinder, watched my heat and cooled it as needed, then knocked the wire edge off with the fine side of a puck.
Back to a perfectly good working edge in less than 15 min.
Wont be much use until I handle it though!
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That looks frigging perfect! What a ding to start with! Looks like it was a "sound break".This Commander had a bad day somewhere back down the line. Not sure where or how, but it's better now.
I used a belt grinder, watched my heat and cooled it as needed, then knocked the wire edge off with the fine side of a puck.
Back to a perfectly good working edge in less than 15 min.
Wont be much use until I handle it though!
I find filing/ honing has become my favorite part of the process. Nicely done man!