Belt/disc sander combination

I think I own something like 9 grinders. I haven't counted in a while. They're useful. But I enjoy filing an axe.
 
The main reason i bought this HF belt sander was to help me speed up making my hatchet and axe handles, I'm far from an expert. I enjoy using a draw knife, and spoke shave,and sand paper, even a piece of glass every now and then. It makes me appreciate what people before us had to go through just to make a axe handle. My Grand dad was a black smith for the railroad. I sure wish i'd had the opportunity to be around him more and learn a lot of what he knew.
 
ARKLITE881South said:
The main reason i bought this HF belt sander was to help me speed up making my hatchet and axe handles, I'm far from an expert. I enjoy using a draw knife, and spoke shave,and sand paper, even a piece of glass every now and then. It makes me appreciate what people before us had to go through just to make a axe handle. My Grand dad was a black smith for the railroad. I sure wish i'd had the opportunity to be around him more and learn a lot of what he knew.
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Where a belt sander is the cat's meow is on wood. If you screw that up or take off too much there is no harm done. Bring out the next piece and start over!
With steel if you get the angle wrong or sand off material merely to remove an irritating chip you'll very quickly discover the blade is 1/8" shorter. To accomplish something like that with a file takes considerable effort and you're much more likely to inspect your work as you go and not get too cocky about stock removal in the first place.
 
300Six said:
Where a belt sander is the cat's meow is on wood. If you screw that up or take off too much there is no harm done. Bring out the next piece and start over!
With steel if you get the angle wrong or sand off material merely to remove an irritating chip you'll very quickly discover the blade is 1/8" shorter. To accomplish something like that with a file takes considerable effort and you're much more likely to inspect your work as you go and not get too cocky about stock removal in the first place.
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Here in da big City I see plenty of Do it yourselfers, that have screwed up just about everything with a hand file. :)
 
300Six said:
Where a belt sander is the cat's meow is on wood. If you screw that up or take off too much there is no harm done. Bring out the next piece and start over!
With steel if you get the angle wrong or sand off material merely to remove an irritating chip you'll very quickly discover the blade is 1/8" shorter. To accomplish something like that with a file takes considerable effort and you're much more likely to inspect your work as you go and not get too cocky about stock removal in the first place.
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Messing up a piece of wood can be a costly mistake in both time and material. Anyone that has done much wood working has experienced it.
 
I have never seen an axe that was screwed up with a file that could not be put right by someone who knows how to file correctly. On the other hand, I have seen many axes that hve been screwed up with a grinder and can never be put right.
 
garry3 said:
Messing up a piece of wood can be a costly mistake in both time and material. Anyone that has done much wood working has experienced it.
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Another "piece of wood" is just around the corner, a clean and stamped axe head from the 1920s (etc) isn't.
 
300Six said:
Another "piece of wood" is just around the corner, a clean and stamped axe head from the 1920s (etc) isn't.
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Its pretty close on the average what I have invested dollar wise between a handle and a head. And I kind of doubt many users are using axes with any sort of historical significance. I think most of the damage has already been done by Harry home owners with their bench grinders out of ignorance. I think we have all seen that, its easy to identify.

This isn't rocket science or particularly hard or difficult tasks. Its pretty simple and straight forward and about anyone that cared at all will be just fine. Like the kind of people that would come to these forms in the first place.
 
So Garry, you are telling us that there is nobody on this forum, or who drops in on this forum, that would ruin an axe head with a power grinder? I will have to think about that one!
 
Old Axeman said:
So Garry, you are telling us that there is nobody on this forum, or who drops in on this forum, that would ruin an axe head with a power grinder? I will have to think about that one!
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And also no one that would ruin a Axe head with a file ether? Both methods can work. If you enjoy filing go right ahead.

Others can use a different method and achieve excellent results.
 
Old Axeman said:
So Garry, you are telling us that there is nobody on this forum, or who drops in on this forum, that would ruin an axe head with a power grinder? I will have to think about that one!
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Maybe your right, at this point I am almost convinced that there are people out there that can never learn something so basic as hanging an axe head. Our ancestors survived the last ice age by leashing pointed rocks(that they fashioned themselves) to the ends of sticks which is surely more complicated. I would think that some of that hand an eye coordination, ingenuity and ability to learn would still exist in each and everyone of us.
 
You've done in the hardness on high carbon steel when it's turned dark blue/gray. Never seen it using a belt sander. Once with an angle grinder. Then just grind it out.

The risky part is right at the edge when the heat can't dissipate fast enough.
 
Old Axeman said:
I guess I have just not run into the people who can draw the temper on an axe with a file.
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Most of these steels are tempered at 400 degrees give or take about 50.

I dip the head, Knife etc, it water, make a pass on the belt, If I see steam at all, 212 degrees, Its back in the dunk bucket.

I Use fresh sharp belts, once about half of the grit is gone they tend to heat up too fast and the belts go into the profiling etc pile for non harden steels usage.
 
Rino- The issue of grinder vs file is where I came into this forum a little over a year ago. My comments about power grinders/sanders have never been directed at those of you who know how to use one. BUT, when an internet forum promotes something with pictures, videos and "This Is How You Do It" attitude, bad things can happen to people and axes. It is the part of the internet that bothers me a great deal.
 
Square_peg said:
Axes are more likely tempered at about 500 degrees.
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I haven't made any so thanks for that info. You have a bigger safety margin then. I use mostly modern stainless Air hardening steels for my knives.

Steam is still the best safety gage I know of when sharpening with a power machine.
 
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