Best way to sharpen an "axe"

[Mike Painter]

I recently bought a Biel tool and have put a sharper edge on it than it came with. It will now cut through paracord fairly neatly whereas it would not before.
This is mostly a tool for breaking and smashing things and I'm not interested in a razor edge.
Are there any suggestions for sharpening this?

*************
I work a music festival every summer and last year somebody asked if I had a slim-jim.
This year I can tell him "Not exactly, but I can get the door open."

 

[Brody R.]

I dunno if this properly answers your question but to sharpen my hawks I just started using a bastard file/ puck stone with honing oil, i'd think a 45 degree angle would be good for what you want as far as not being razor sharp but still sharp.

 

[Ravaillac]

Sharpens like any other convex edge, difference being that axe being larger it is generally easier to move the stones rather than the tool, and you can hone it in circular motion rather than long strokes.
The sand paper method works too.
If you have a lot to remove you can start with a file which can actually be considered as some sort of very coarse stone.

 

[B Finnigan]

When I forge a hawk, hatchet or axe the edge is fully hardened so a file would not work. I use a ceramic or zirconia grinding belt and then a Arkansas oil stone (2"x8"). It is amazing how many axes and hatchets can be sharpened with file and how low the carbon content is to be able to.

I also have a very cool little dual stone sharpening system where the two stones are held together with spring tension. Each stone has an opposing 15 degree bevel and they are both on a 1/4" mandrel so you can chuck it in a drill press. I would never use it on a knife but it fixes a badly screwed up axe or hatchet edge very quick and evenly.

On a fully hardened edge you can also use a A/O or oilstone as a file with the axe in a vise. It is just a matter of finding what works best for each of us.