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How to Sharpen an Axe Print E-mail
Written by British Red   
Article Index
How to Sharpen an Axe
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axesharpening25.jpg
This means that it will take ages to do and will tend to sand the convex bevel flat, however much you "roll your wrist". What you need to do is put something soft between your board and the wet and dry and then push down as you push back. This will bring a lot of wet and dry into contact with the bit and will also preserve the convexing. It will look more like this 
axesharpening26.jpg
I achieve this by gluing a piece of mousemat to one of the blocks. It makes the contact area soft as shown
axesharpening27.jpg
Wrapping a piece of “wet and dry” over the top gives an ideal axe sharpening tool
axesharpening28.jpg
Start with a fairly coarse grit (around 400 or even 240 if you only have a coarse diamond file). Push straight back over the bevel towards the eye as illustrated.

Work through the grits until the axe is suitably sharp. I usually work up to 1,200 grit.
Step 4 – polishing the bit and bevel

axesharpening29.jpg
Polishing the bit and bevel (and even the ramp) is not an exercise in vanity. It gives the axe a very sharp edge (an a sharp axe will not glance and is far less likely to rebound to a point you do not intend to strike). In addition a polished bevel and ramp with “glide” through wood, penetrating more deeply and requiring less strokes.

In the Gransfors system, this is achieved by using the fine side of the axe stone (similarly wet). Again, reverse direction.
axesharpening30.jpg
In the assembled system, we will using “buffing compound”. This is an abrasive “crayon” used to polish metal. To do this we need to cut a piece of scrap leather the same size as the “wet & dry” we have been using and attach it to our sanding block rough side showing. If you haven’t got any scrap leather you can use felt or even a cereal packet (leave the non-printed size showing). Crayon all over the leather to get an even layer of compound. Either green or pink / green compound gives the best results
axesharpening31.jpg
Now we need to change direction again and polish from poll to bit. This will give a mirror shine and snap off any “wire” that has built up over the bit
That’s it. Your axe should now have an even, convex profile and razor sharp profile.

Please use it carefully

Red


Copyright ©2003-2007 Bushcraftuk.com
Comments (3)add
very clear instructions
written by suburban bushwacker , July 19, 2007
great piece, thanks for making the effort.
Well written and quite helpful but please, I'd like some more advice
written by JLPearson , November 24, 2007
Would you have equally helpful advice and instructions on sharpening saws and other "toothy" objects?
Best description I've seen
written by ZenDog , October 30, 2008
Your article is spot on, tho' i've used water stones once i've finished filing and coarse diamond honing. Just finished hafting and repairing an old 6lb Elwell bearded axe so its good to get other insights. Gloves are sound advice, but best way to test the shape and parity of the shoulders on the bit is to run finger and thumb along (carefully) - feel is more accurate than sight i think
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