axe sharpening woes

B

Basing110

Joined
Jun 1, 2016
Messages
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Anyone know of anyone in san diego CA that can help put an edge on an axe. Just bought my first axe. Husqvarna multi purpose/forest axe. Bought a lanksy puck and a combo 600/2000 whetstone. For the last hour or two i have cleaned up the edge and it seems alot better but still just does not seem sharp enough. Going camping this up coming monday and would like ti get it ready by then

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You need to make the edge SHARP with a file first, then the puck. Nothing else is really needed unless you just want a shiny edge. Heck, in the great scheme of things a file is really all that is ever needed to work.
 
Sorry man I don't. I would meet you halfway but Thursday is when I will finally get my license. Bout time at 16.5 years old. If it were Monday after this id meet you and do it. It appears usable tho. Go get a cheap saw at a hardware store incase hatchet isn't cutting it.


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Basing110 said:
Im in Poway
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I'm in Ramona, but like square_peg said it's sharp enough and also quinton has a valid point. It just depends on what you want to do with it.

Also, if your camping around here you really should not make a fire anywhere in SoCal!
 
RICKOFF said:
I'm in Ramona, but like square_peg said it's sharp enough and also quinton has a valid point. It just depends on what you want to do with it.

Also, if your camping around here you really should not make a fire anywhere in SoCal!
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Yeah firefighters are busy enough. I went three years before sharpening my bear grylls hatchet and my guess is it arrived dull. You'll be fine


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I am beach camping so all the fire is going in the fire pit they provide. Yea they have enough to worry about with this high heat. I have been studing and practicing the ray mears splitting wood and been working on starting a fire with ferro rod.. i want to teach my nephew and brother how to split wood properly and not pull a "alone season 2" accident and to make fire with a ferro rod. You guys are probably right its sharp enough. I have just never really done my own sharpening before and want to get it where it should be so i know for future reference
 
About 2 years ago I started to sharpen an axe for the first time. It was a standard 1980's Woodslasher 3.5lb Dayton. I was sitting with it held across my knees, filing away at both sides and lamenting that it wasn't working, it just didn't look great and I had a hard time getting rid of the wire edge. Something needed my attention and I placed the axe butt down on the floor between my knees. Somehow I relaxed my grip, the axe balanced for a moment before slowly leaning forward a couple inches and lightly stopped on my right thigh just above the knee. A very light touch that had my sock red and me deciding if I should get it stitched. I didn't, but, yes files work. :D

BTW, I also learned proper safe sharpening practices, learn from my mistake.

 
I always recommend the tutorial in the An Ax to Grind video that can be found on YouTube, made by our forum member Old Axeman. That's how I got mine to blazing sharp!
 
quinton said:
You need to make the edge SHARP with a file first, then the puck. Nothing else is really needed unless you just want a shiny edge. Heck, in the great scheme of things a file is really all that is ever needed to work.
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Those usually come reasonably sharp right out of the box too. That one looks really blunt. Friday afternoon axe apparently.
 
garry3 said:
Those usually come reasonably sharp right out of the box too. That one looks really blunt. Friday afternoon axe apparently.
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I always hated those obtuse factory edges. But, I love to find old vintage heads that still have them!
 
mine (husky hatchet) arrived here with a good edge geometry out of the box, its hard to judge your edge from the pictures but i think youll be fine.
 
I've owned about a half dozen of those Husqvarnas. A few came with VERY rough grinds. Most showed almost a 3 grind spot edge. I suggest a good metal file, elbow grease, and a bit of liquid courage (beers) and get after it!

They are a great bargain and well worth the effort to get in proper shape!

Best of luck
 
Hi Basing 110

The best kept secret in axe sharpening is to USE A BELT SANDER. YEAH THIS IS THE GREATEST SECRET OF ALL IN SHARPENING AN AXE TO HAIR SHAVING SHARPNESS.

My belt sander is a 1 X 30(inches) belt sander purchased from Harbor Freight Tools. There was a sale on these sanders when I purchased mine for $33.00.. The rough 40 t0 80 grit sanding belt is what I start with. I then go to 180 grain to 300 grain to 600 to 800. Most of the time you can skip the 800 grain. The 600 grain will put a razor sharp edge on your axe. Your axe looks as if the cheeks are thin enough now so don't worry about thinning the cheeks. Finish off the edge with a leather strop and the hair will jump
off your arm and commit suicide well before the axe's cutting edge ever gets near the hair(joke).

You will need to order the finer grit sanding belts from some source on on the webb. there are plenty out there.

I own at this moment over 72 axes and have put a razor edge on all of them using a belt sander. The temper of the axes has not been affected at all.

I hope this helps you. Good luck!

ripshin lumberjack
 
I wouldn't exactly call that a secret. But there's lots of ways of getting a good keen edge on an axe, and if doing it by hand then a file is the way to go for your initial stock removal, followed by the puck.
 
I just dont have the strength for this again, can somebody else counter Ripshin Lumberjack's post?
 
Well, I'll start. First of all is the myth that you can't destroy the heat treatment of the edge if you can still touch the blade with your bare hands. As someone who does beveling work all the time on a belt grinder, I can tell you that it's definitely possible to overheat the edge itself because the section of steel at the edge apex is so gosh-darned thin that it can heat up and cool down way faster than the rest of the bit/blade. A lot of care has to be taken when using power tools to sharpen, even with fresh belts and a light touch.
 
Way less chance of a big/non-reversible mistake when using a file and stones. Overheat the edge or make a divot or grind the heel/toe too much on accident and there's no going back without significant effort.
 
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