Newbie Axe sharping tips.

[jmaas283]

Buckin Billy Ray addict here, looking on tips for hand sharpening old axe heads, mainly by hand. Start with a “ bastard file” then move to a dry 2 sided stone, then finish with a leather strop? Anyone make their own strop? I’ve found some on amazon for straight razors and pocket knives but they don’t seem wide enough for an axe head? Maybe it’s just me, any and all tips, videos and pictures accepted. Nice project for those cold winter nights in my basement workshop near the wood stove.

 

[DSW]

Not sure what you plan to do with it but a strop on an axe wouldn't make much sense for most. It'll lose that pretty quickly being used. Something like a knife it makes more sense as it isn't being used for rough work typically.

If you're set on it you could use a standard size leather and just work part of the edge at a time.

 

[jmaas283]

The strop thing I read in the “Ax Book: The Lore and Science of the woodcutter,” according to the author it’s a must do. I haven’t ever tried it so wasn’t sure if it was something worth buying, I did order and stone and some files off of amazon. Using the ax to split wood.

 

[old guy]

I been sharpening axes since I was 12 years old and gonna be 77 soon and have never stropped an axe, specially a splittin axe.
I used to get the edges too thin, then in cold weather, hitting a hard knot would wreck the edge.
When I was 15, I had just put a new handle on my 26'' single bitt plumb, was using it one handed holding the wood with my left hand, when I swung, the end of the handle got deflected and sent that razor sharp blade into the back of my left hand cutting a large vein or artery and tendons for three fingers, blood squirted about 3'' out of the cut. A doc sewed it all back up, it was about a year before I could straighten those fingers all the way

 

[CR888]

I've sharpened axes so they'll shave hair. You can get the sharp.enough to cleanly cut paper with a bastard/raker file. It depends what you want to do with your axe as to how sharp it needs to be. Splitting wood does not require a razor sharp edge, you want an edge that will be durable enough to handle the task at hand for the longest time. Sure if you are shaping wood or chopping in competition with a racer, its a different application. For general firewood splitting I use a double bevel edge with angles that suit durability. My kindling hatchet is no bevel edge and tighter angles. A sharp tool is often a safe tool, but if yo or going to swing 5 pounds of razor sharp carbon steel around make sure you hang your axe well for safety of you and others.

 

[svk]

I use a bench grinder on my mauls and splitting axes but go gently so you don't take too much metal off. On my chopping axes I'll use a raker file or my generic dremel works great too. I've also used a stone but axes tend to wear down the stone quickly.

 

[dancan]

Some good vids with practical thots .
Yes he rambles on at times but a lot of what he says is legit .
Re strops , plenty of ways to make them .
3/4" mdf board with autosol , 1/2" thick flat board with a piece of denim and autosol , black & white newspaper on a flat surface , add autosol if you want , plenty of ways to skin a cat lol

 

[crowbuster]

Can an axe be to sharp ? Not in my book. Good info here. Im no expert but have used grinders to stones. Never did strop an axe, waste of my time, it is so sharp when im done I truly would not know the difference. And I really enjoy the process. Have fun

 

[svk]

As a kid my favorite movie was "Challenge to be Free". In one scene, the kind hearted protagonist Trapper catches the main antagonist Frenchy in a rope booby trap and rather than kill him, gives him a cold shave with an axe and lets him go.

 

[jmaas283]

Thanks for the input guys, truly value your opinions and appreciate them

 

[CR888]

An axe can't be 'too sharp' but the edge can definitely be too thin. If its too thin if you hit a nail or something the damage will be far worse. Also it won't be sharp for too long if you chop hard wood.

 

[TimberWolf530]

I always try to maintain the same angle the manufacturer put on it. I don't know if that right or wrong, but I've used that everything from knives to lawn mower blades, and it seems to work for me.

 

[7sleeper]

Haven't read all comments but I tatally agree what @CR888 said.

I believe first one has to decide what the axe is supposed to do. For felling work I prefer a thinner edge and truely sharpen with some ceramic stones, for splitting I prefer a thiner sharf edge so that the edge can penetrate but after that a stronger widening of the blade so that the wedge effect comes into play. If you have ever looked at the new generation of axes with plastic handles (Fiskars, Husqvarna, etc.) you will understand what I mean. But as mentionend above one must decide beforehand on WHAT the axe is for.

7

 

[jmaas283]

definitely just looking to split with my ax! thanks guys

 

[user 122190]

Even stones are a step beyond what an Axe can hold and use. Even my Fiskars only gets file sharpened. The one time I took a stone to it, the fine filings was a mess. It looked nice, and maybe split better, but only for a short while.