How do sharpen an axe

Hatchets are more versatile than an axe, and arguably, you will get more use out of a hatchet, both around the campsite, and for general chores around the yard and woods. Hatchets require a bit more sharpening, for a keener edge, because of the nature of the more precise chores you might use them for, such as making kindling out of small logs, making tinder to start fires, or even for camp-craft projects like building simple, useful structures from limbs and saplings.

The procedure for sharpening these different chopping tools are similar and will be described in greater detail, and shown in the short, informative videos, below. So, take a few minutes to learn how you can easily sharpen and care for your axes, mauls and hatchets. Axe sharpening works best when the axe is locked in place.

This way, both your hands are free to use the file for sharpening. To use this latter method, start by propping up the blade edge by placing a small block of wood underneath the ax head. You want the centerline parallel to the ground. Then, hang the edge of the blade about halfway off the bench. Use a clamp that is deep enough to reach the center of the axe head. Clamp the axe in place, with handle parallel to edge of table. It can be difficult to gauge the correct angle at which to sharpen your axe, and to see your progress.

Pro tip: the sharpie trick. To give yourself a visual cue, take a sharpie and draw a 4-mm-wide mark along the edge of the blade, as shown in the video. When you then sharpen the blade, the marker will disappear, and be replaced by a shiny, newly-sharped metal edge. Sharpening an axe enough to shave your arm hair is a neat trick, but totally unnecessary.

With axes, your goal should be to get a clean, workman-like edge. That is, file away any dings or creases, until the cross section of the entire length of the edge looks simply like a vee. Keep sharpening until there are no flat spots along the edge. Its relatively aggressive cutting action works quickly for touch-ups or big repairs.

This tool is shown in the video. Use full strokes and apply even pressure for the length of the stroke. Focus the contact on the edge of the blade. You should be removing sharpie ink from edge area only, not the entire 4 mm width of the marking. Adjust the file angle in your hands, as necessary, to accomplish this. A line of shiny, bright metal will show your progress, and indicate your edge is sharpening up nicely. Tips and Warnings.

Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Protect your hands and face. Take these steps to avoid injury while sharpening an axe: Wear thick leather gloves. If your file does not have a finger guard, cut a slit in a piece of leather and fit it onto the file. A dust mask is optional for hand sharpening.

A respirator is recommended if you use power tools but see Tips below. Clean and polish the head of the axe. If there is any rust on your axe, clean it off with a rust eraser or steel wool. Further polishing is mostly a matter of aesthetics, but not too difficult to accomplish: [2] X Research source Sand with coarse-grit aluminum oxide or silicon carbide sandpaper. Rub the axe head with even pressure, moving from the poll hammer end to the blade.

Repeat with finer-grit sandpaper. You may wait on this step until after sharpening. Clamp the axe in a vice. Clamp the axe horizontally for easier filing, or vertically for a more even edge as this allows you to alternate sides.

This is easier than judging the correct angle by sight. Select a bastard file. A 10—12" 25—30cm bastard mill file coarse, single-cut, and slightly tapering is the best choice for most axes. Shorter bastard files do not have the same density of teeth, so the length is not just a matter of convenience. You may use a smaller mill file for hatchets. Clean clogged file teeth with a file card. If the file is new, rub soft chalk over it to prevent clogging.

Inspect the bevel of the axe. Broader, more convex edges are more suitable for hardwood or frozen wood, as the curve pushes wood out of the way to protect the edge. Carving axes have a straight, triangular point. In most cases, you'll want to match the existing bevel, following the curve of the blade to remove an even layer of metal.

File with a steady motion into the blade. Hold the file handle in the palm of your dominant hand, with your thumb resting on top. When splitting a log with a sharp axe, you expect to raise the axe and then swing it down with a certain amount of force. As the axe dulls, you are forced to strike that wood with increasingly more force—until the point where it's more about a blunt force than about a sharp edge cleaving the wood fibers. Sharpen your axe prior to any wood cutting session or at the beginning of fall or winter.

Axe-sharpening should not be only an annual event. When cutting wood, frequently stop and run your finger along the edge of the axe to assess its sharpness. If you are working too hard to chop the wood, this can physically take a toll on you. A good axe strike should be mostly propelled by gravity, with the weight of the axe head and its sharpness doing most of the work.

Sharpening an axe is dangerous in many ways. Always wear hearing and eye protection. When running the grinder, make sure that you know how to use the grinder and have read all safety instructions that can with the product. Make sure that you have no loose clothing, hair, or jewelry near the grinder.

Wear a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and shoes. Before you touch the grinder to the edge of the axe, ensure that you will not be in the direction of the hot metal filings. Wear gloves when hand-filing the axe. After sharpening the axe, be careful about running your finger on the edge. Unlike a dull knife, a dull axe can be less noticeable. When cutting wood, so much force is applied that even a dull axe will cut reasonably well.

A blunt axe is dangerous. A lot safer and less exhausting! In addition to maintaining the handle it is also important to make sure the edge stays sharp. We mostly use sharpening stones when sharpening axes. In this article we tell you how to sharpen a damaged or blunt axe, how to sharpen an axe that is still in great shape and, of course, tell you all about the right posture when sharpening an axe. When we say coarse sharpening we mean repairing a damaged edge.

Does the edge contain cuts? If so it fits in the 'coarse sharpening' category. To sharpen your axe you need a file or coarse diamond-coated sharpening stone. The coarser the grain the coarser the stone, the more material the stone removes. Do not use a grinding wheel because it can heat up the steel to such an extent it can affect the hardness of the steel.

A diamond-coated sharpening stone removes more material than a ceramic sharpening stone and is therefore great when repairing a damaged axe. But do you need to sharpen a damaged axe? Is the edge chipped? Don't worry, you don't immediately have to get rid of the axe. You can sharpen the chip out or just leave it as is. If you leave it the chip will slowly wear out as you use and sharpen the axe. You can also remove the chip with an extra coarse diamond-coated sharpening stone.

Do, however, keep in mind that you remove quite a lot of material when you do! When we say 'fine sharpening' we mean sharpening a relatively sharp or undamaged edge. There are two grinds often used on axes. A convex or a scandi grind. A convex edge can handle quite a lot because there is more mass directly behind the edge. Sharpening, however, takes some getting used to because you don't use a fixed angle.

An axe with a scandi grind is sharper, but less strong. As such this grind is more suited for carving or hand axes. Sharpening a scandi edge is easier because you use a fixed angle. The edge of a splitting axe is straight and undamaged but doesn't have to be sharp. A felling axe needs to be sharp to be functional. A trekking axe needs to be very sharp to remove a lot of material. A carving axe needs to be razor-sharp.

The head of the axe doesn't require a lot of maintenance. Properly dry the head after use. Fresh wood is wet and oak wood, for instance, also contains tannic acids.

As such you will not only be bothered by rust but also by other nasty spots on the head of the axe. Fortunately, as long as you make sure the axe is dry as you store it you don't have to worry about this.