Axes, your assistance desired...

About sharpening, the method my dad taught me is to use a good file (bastard file?). Hard to describe in words, but I'll try.

Lay the axe on your knee with handle either pointed away from you or against you, depending on wht side you are working on (I'm talking single bladed axe here).
The head flat on your lap, and handle held firmly in some way (you need both hands for the filing, so have to find another way), anyway, put left index finger on the upper side of the head, thumb also on upside, rest of fingers below. Put one end of the file on left index finger, and hold it with left thumb. Right hand holds file on edge side of the file, and the file is then moved along the edge, sideways, pivoting on left finger.
With the right file the work will be efficient and give a decent edge.

If you dont understand what I mean I can take a picture and post it.
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You all should check out the axe and tomahawk forum. Also, review www.gransfors.com These are some of the very best axes made. Cliff Stamp tested the Wildlife Hatchet, as I recall. They have been discussed at length in the axe forum.
 
Alberta Ed and others made this a really educational thread, so I just thought I'd kick it back up here in my search for axe information.
 
In this age of chain saws, one often overlooks the
importance of hand tools. I've learned from hard
experience that the most important accessory for
my chain saw is a sharp single-blade axe. It
clears away the limbs so I can get into position
to use the chain saw. It doubles as a driver to
tap wedges into a cut to lean tree in a certain
direction. It chops the saw out where a limb has
it bound on a fallen tree.
I no longer use the axe to split fire-wood, but
it also has that ability.

Just got thru spending a day clearing an old logging
road. Used chain saw for about 20% of work, machete
for about 30%, and the axe did the other 50%. The
axe is the one tool that could have done it all.
 
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