View Full Version : Advice on sharpening an axe
OK, I know this has been asked a dozen times already but I wonder if any of you can give me some tips on axe sharpening. I spent hours this weekend crouched over my SFA and I'm sure it's no sharper! I'm using waterstones (800 to start with, 1200 to finish it off) and made sure they were fully saturated first. The bit I'm not sure about is the actual sharpening technique. Do you hold the axe and lay the stone on a bench or do you hold the stone and lay the axe on a bench (or up against a pole as I was doing). I know you use a circular motion but do you do lots of cricles working along the edge or does one cricle start at the 'toe' and end at the 'heel' of the bit. I also know that the aim is to gain a 'wire edge' and that once you have the wire edge you should work it backwards and forwards until the edge is razor sharp - but at what point do you switch to the finer grade stone. Any tips gratefully received !
Mat
hey mat , i sharpen mine like you sharpen a knife, lay the stone down and use strokes away from you and towards you then strop it , it ends up shaving sharp but wierdly doesnt feel gransfors sharp , but then i dont strop it on a buffing wheel, i use waterstones too, i find sharpening generaly a feel thing which only you will know when to change stones, but it doesnt need much to maintain ,other people use the circular method and find it works well for them ,again its all personal preference in my opinion but someone is bound to dissagree :-D
MartiniDave
13-04-2004, 13:37
I'm using a fairly cheap, older oilstone - no idea what grit but reasonably fine - that is fairly well worn into a dished surface. I hold this quite lightly in my right hand, with the axe supported in my left, and rub it on the axe head in a circular motion. My axes aren't Granny B's, but they are fairly good quality, especially the one that was my Dad's favourite which is at least 50 years old Hults Bruks. I find the above technique works pretty well. Wet and dry on a mouse mat is good too.
Dave
Just mount 400 or 500 grit waterproof sandpaper on a mousepad or on a piece of cardboard. Use only a stropping motion. After it takes a sharp edge, you can refine it by stropping it on chrome-polish saturated cardboard.
-Emile
I use the handstone method outlined here:
http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/yxboken/bok17.htm
However, I use two small DMT diamond pocket hones (coarse and fine) and watch my fingers while doing the circular motion!
Mat,
You can sharpen your axe in much the same way as a knife - just remember to roll the bits edge as you sharpen it and also remember to leave the edge convex (if thats the bit profile you have).
The traditional way of sharpening is to use a file and file the edge down but today people forgot an axe is just a tool and as such lavish more TLC on it. This method is prefectly good and will qiuckly give you a good sharp and robust edge ideal for chopping wood!
My preferred method (as ADI pointed out - I think) is to use a Gransfor sharpening stone and water (this is the ice hockey puck shaped one) I work this in a circular motion on the bits edge and it give a razor edge.
Another good point (someone mentioned) is to strop the bit too - this sets the edge and gives longecity to it (if used normally) - but again I would point out that with an axe you must ensure you maintain the bits shape the most common profile for this being convex to help ensure the bit doesnt stick in the wood your chopping.
Hope that helps.
BorderReiver
13-04-2004, 18:08
"My preferred method (as ADI pointed out - I think) is to use a Gransfor sharpening stone and water (this is the ice hockey puck shaped one) "
It says in the little book I got with my axe to use the "puk" dry.
Does water help?
Depends on the puk ... the instructions on the GB one say use if dry but I wouldn't think that water would harm at all.
It doesnt necessarily make a difference to the sharpening - a dry stone will sharpen as well as a wet one (this includes waterstones and oil stones).
What it does help with is prelonging the life of your stone because the water carries away the fine particals of metal and waste which would eventually glaze the surface, clog the pours and render the stone useless.
I also find that the film of water reduces the bite on the stone giving a smoother finish ... at least the process feels smoother!
Your probably right Adi - it would (on a microscale) cushion the two surfaces and as such add to the smoothness of the action to some degree.
the naughty boy
13-04-2004, 18:50
i dont use mine to shave so it dosent have to be razor sharp.im a joiner by trade and have sharpened plenty of chisels and plane irons in my time,also i fell into the trap of trying to get my blades so sharp that a stationary blade would cut a leaf floating on a stream in two![ like the old samurai sword legend]. if your not slicing tomatoes with it then just make sure its reasonably sharp,any stone will do this,or wet and dry on a sanding block will do a good job too.
keep it real m8...and dont try to shave with it!...ITS AN AXE!!! :roll:
so is the "all wood working tools should be sharp enough to shave with" a myth then?
the naughty boy
13-04-2004, 19:10
i dont believe i said that, although mine are and i do reccomend it.i dont put them in the stream either, but feel free. :roll:
One reason I prefer having sharp tools (shaving sharp) is that they are easier to use, therefore you have fewer accidents. Also, the cuts you do get off them are cleaner and heal better. The difference between a mediocre edge and a shaving sharp edge on an axe for me is a few minutes extra work, and the edge lasts longer than it takes to put on the tool
the naughty boy
13-04-2004, 21:08
when oil is put on a stone isnt the idea to stop it clogging so the stone bites better? if so surly water is used to the same effect? also is there a heat issue . i thought a lubricant was used to enhance the cutting ability to a stone :wink:
anyway im sure youll find how to get a razor edge from the forum.the sharpest edge is always preferrable,just balance between the angle of the edge and the function its used for.force and intelligence are the guide marks.
.................remember to wear your wellies when wading through bulls*it :wink:
when oil is put on a stone isnt the idea to stop it clogging so the stone bites better? if so surly water is used to the same effect? also is there a heat issue . i thought a lubricant was used to enhance the cutting ability to a stone
yes,
sometimes,
no,
not really, more like your first point.
:-D
oil or water, or water and soap emulsion, any fluid that is thick enough to float off the particles of metal and stone to stop them clogging your stone will do. spit is ideal in the field. some posh waterstones really do need to be saturated.
there's only a heat issue with powered grinders.
it could be argued that a lubricant would reduce friction and the cutting ability of the stone, in practise it stops the stone getting clogged and polished as mentioned.
i second the wet'n'dry on a mousemat bit.
cheers, and.
the naughty boy
14-04-2004, 00:40
yes thats what i meant about anti clogging when i mentioned lubricant.perhaps the wrong use of word but couldnt think of one that meant " to float off the metal bits"
what was the original question again? lol
moving on..... :roll:
Keith_Beef
14-04-2004, 10:37
there's only a heat issue with powered grinders.
My flat grinder and my bevel grinder are both powered by elbow grease, and I've managed to burn my fingers when using the stones too dry.
OK, so I didn't get up to the heat that would have spoiled the temper, but I reckon it was up to 50ºC - 60ºC.
Keith.
the naughty boy
14-04-2004, 11:11
lol faster m8 then add your tinder. dirrerent kind of firesteel eh? it,ll never catch on. :-D
Link to a previous post of mine about GB axe stone
http://www.bushcraftuk.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?t=1404
I use the stone dry for touching up an edge, but wet for sharpening proper. The stone does clog more quickly dry.
A GB axe stone is the only sharpener I carry with me and use it for my knife as well as axe when out.
IMO GB axe stones are excellent, if pricey, these being about the cheapest I found
http://www.tamarackoutdoors.co.uk/
Actually a very nice little shop if you're in the area.
I like to use a set of three japanese waterstones for most of my sharpening. Chisels and plane irons and of course knives :) need a razor edge to work well but I'm not sure a razor edge is neccesary or even all that useful on an axe?
I dont think axes are usually as hard as knives (they would chip too easily) combined with the kind of use they are designed for I wouldnt think a razor edge would last very long. Being thick bladed and wedge shaped axes wont take a razor edge like a thin bladed knife anyway will they?
To sharpen a heavy axe head I sometimes find it easier to clamp the head and then hold the stone in your hand, if you rock the stone in a seesaw type of motion bringing the back of the stone down as you push the stone over the edge of the axe you'll keep the convex bevel, easier to demonstrate than explain!
At the end of the day if you really wanna hone your axe then go for it :)
Jason
Any stones Ive tried dry felt horrible, but Ive only used oil and waterstones none of the high tech stuff.
I almost exclusively use my three waterstones these days 800/1200/3000 and my understanding is that the waterstones work best when a muddy slurry has formed on the stone, this fine slurry acts as a cutting paste and the stone is not working correctly unless you have the slurry going on. The 3000 grit stone is the exception, it is too hard to produce a slurry and is only for polishing similar to a strop.
Jason
I use waterstones for my sharpening in 800/1200/6000 as said before the slurry formed speeds up the process but I form a slurry on the 6000 stone with a small nagura stone which is supplied for the job. Then strop a couple of hundred times to maintain a keen durable edge. My axes are as sharp as my knife, maybe the axes don't need to be that sharp but it's the way I like them to be.
Hi Steve
Im curious, I dont use an axe that often though Ive spent plenty of time splitting logs with heavier axes years ago, do you not find that having such a fine edge on your axe makes it more susceptibe to damage on anything but softest green wood?
My harder stone could be a 6000, its a good few years old and Ive no idea what grade it is really, I can still make out the numbers on the softer two, didnt realise you were sposed to create a slurry on the hard stone, I'll have to see about getting a nagura stone!
Cheers
Jason
Ive just read the article on Gransfors Bruks axes at outdoors magazine, it seems that they have a knife hard blade of very thin section, quite unlike what Im used to in an axe, sounds interesting I might have to get one!
I still wonder how tough such a thin edge can be tho, seems like a compromise to allow finer work to be carried out?
Jason
Hi Jason,
I have one of the Wilkinson Sword/ Fiskars sports axes, medium size (inch or two shorter than a GB SFA I think).
It came with a reasonable edge on it which turned into an absolute scorcher with a couple of passes on a 1200 grit watersone...shaving hairs and slicing paper as well as my knives.
I too was aprehensive about an edge like this lasting but it has astounded me. Whilst I haven't used it for really heavy and prolonged splitting, I have split and carved oak with it, hitting Knots and chopping straight against the grain and heavily hacked some knarled old piece of very tough elder stump into a fireboard (and other similar timbers) without the slightest nick or turned edge. (Ido strop it regularly)
I can only imagine in all comes down to (as well as good steel and heat treat) the steep angle on the edge relative to your average knife...plenty of steel to back it up.
I can confirm that it's damned useless at cutting through steel nails though :roll:(has a great talent for finding them, however).
Last weekend's piece of carelessness cost me an hour and a half with the waterstones (800, 1200, strop) but the edge is shaving hairs and slicing elder as good as ever.
SquirrelBoy
28-04-2004, 21:24
On one of Rays Country Tracks programs he shows how sharp he keeps his axe blades - sharp enough to slice a corner off a piece of paper.
That is sharp :shock: