Free Axe .......... Part 2

[Kepis]

Got round to repairing the damage on the axe my workmate gave to me, the edge had all sorts of nicks and was not central to the head, looking at it i think he must have used a metal work file of the coarse variety to sharpen it, loads of burrs and deep scratches.

After two hours on the sharpening stones it now cuts a sheet of paper cleanly, it's got a nice mirror edge to it and I have restored the bevel to what it should be, it's still going to need a bit more work to get it to my satisfaction, one thing i did find strange is, ceramic stones seemed to work better that my usual waterstones - any ideas why this should be?, i used used 800, 1000 & 6000 after the use of my axe file.

Have posted a couple of before & after pictures below

[stotRE]

How flat are your waterstones as they should be reflattened every now and then.

I flatten mine on a piece of thick glass with a sheet of wet and dry glued on.

Never used ceramic stones before but i have heard that they are pretty good :)

P.S. nice axe mate, even better when it cost you nowt :)

[Kepis]

How flat are your waterstones as they should be reflattened every now and then.



Dead flat, i use a Nagura stone to help flatten them, if they get nicks and scratches i do the same as you with a sheet of glass.

Not a bad axe for a freebie i agree, still want a Gransfors though :cool:

Even stranger is the ceramic stones don't do a good job on my Mora or RM Micarta, i find the regular stones much better for the knives, i wonder if it is down to the knives being carbon steel and the axe being made from a different type of steel

[stotRE]

Thats probably right about the different steel.

Reading camping and woodcraft by Horace kephart at the minute and he recommends using a double bit axe.

I'll have to have a look at the gransfor range :)

[redcollective]

I flatten mine on a piece of thick glass with a sheet of wet and dry glued on.
Ayup Stu

What grade of wet an dry do you use? how ofter do you need to flatten a stone - Mine *seem* flat.

[Kepis]

I use the finest i can possibly find at B&Q or the like