Field sharpening an axe and a boiled linseed oil question.

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MattPatches

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Apr 29, 2014
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Hey guys, I'm helping a buddy clear some trails on his property this weekend and i plan on using my cold steel pipe hawk which I got last weekend for some lighter branch clearing. If I were to put a coat of boiled linseed oil on the hand friday afternoon, would I be able to then use it Saturday morning? Also what do you guys find is an effective method for sharpening/re sharpening an axe head in the woods? Thanks guys!
 
Depends on the temperature and relative humidity that the haft is drying in. As long as you wipe off all excess you'll probably be fine. May need a final wipe before actual use.
As for field sharpening, check out a puck-style sharpener. I use those with good results. YMMV.
 
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Small round stone will take care of things in the field. Staying out of the dirt will likely make the stone unnecessary.
 
MattPatches said:
Hey guys, I'm helping a buddy clear some trails on his property this weekend and i plan on using my cold steel pipe hawk which I got last weekend for some lighter branch clearing. If I were to put a coat of boiled linseed oil on the hand friday afternoon, would I be able to then use it Saturday morning? Also what do you guys find is an effective method for sharpening/re sharpening an axe head in the woods? Thanks guys!
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Swede saw or a boy's axe is going to be a lot more useful to you for clearing branches and such then is a flyweight tomahawk. You'd be all afternoon even trying to cut down a small tree that can be dropped in one minute with a Swede saw.
 
300Six said:
Swede saw or a boy's axe is going to be a lot more useful to you for clearing branches and such then is a flyweight tomahawk. You'd be all afternoon even trying to cut down a small tree that can be dropped in one minute with a Swede saw.
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I figger it's more a matter of having a new toy out for some fun but yeah, I'll grab my loppers, machete, woodsmans pal, bow saw, brush hook, pulaski, etc for trailbuilding before I'd take a hawk sized blade.
 
I use the Lansky version of a diafold for quick touch ups and also steel the edge with a knife spine.

Pipe Hawk is plenty good for clearing branches.
 
As long as you keep your hawk out of the dirt and rocks a quick touch up with the smooth side of a 2 sided puck should work for you. The diafold would work well, too. If you are going to be grubbing in the dirt, a file might be called for.
 
Haha man you guys have no idea how many stores i went to this week looking for a lansky puck, it seems like nowhere i visited carries them. As far as the idea of me chopping down redwoods with my tomahawk we will have a chainsaw and a felling axe as well, i figure the hawk will be more useful when it comes to limbing smaller stuff and processing wood for the fire. Seems as though the initial edge i have on my trail hawk is crap, would there be any issue with using some 4" smiths diamond stones in the meantime before I can find a puck?
 
Pretty much any sharpener will work. The puck is just handier than most for what you're doing. I usually use 8" oilstones that have been retired from knife sharpening duty to touch up after filing and grinding. An edge is and edge is an edge. As long as you're using the stone/ file/ whatever correctly there shouldn't be an issue. The size and shape is generally just a matter of what's most convenient to use for a particular blade. The only exceptions would be blades that curve inwards and serrated stuff, both of which I tend to avoid because they're a pain to sharpen.
 
Yeah I've never sharpened an axe head before, only knives so well see how it goes. Gonna be keeping a sharpie handy during the process because i really have no clue the proper way to work a convex edge with a flat stone.
 
Ordinary 'axe file' will more than satisfy anybody that swings an axe. These things have a very blunt profile, even the daintiest of them. An axe is quite different from the purpose of a knife. If shaving with yours is the primary goal then find an old car leaf spring to practice on.
 
MattPatches said:
Yeah I've never sharpened an axe head before, only knives so well see how it goes. Gonna be keeping a sharpie handy during the process because i really have no clue the proper way to work a convex edge with a flat stone.
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I usually just pull the platen and sharpen my axes on a belt sander with a 120 grit belt. If I need to shave with it I'll run a pass with a 240 grit belt.:) This will give the edge a nice convex shape. I then run a duofold on each side to remove the burr and to give the edge a nice microbevel. The edge angle is not as important as with knives but figure on @ 40 degrees inclusive for making feather sticks and trimming brush and trees, and something less than 90 degrees for chopping wood. I think I read somewhere someone liking a 50 degree inclusive (25 degrees each side) for an all around ax.
 
I usually split the angles by eye. Start with 90, split it in half to 45, then split that in half to 22.5. If I was using something like an old mousepad and sandpaper to get the convex edge, I'd glue it to a stick and use it like a file. I always sharpen with the edge with a belt or strop, never into the edge. Sit down and set the hawk handle between your feet with the edge facing away from you. Draw an imaginary line down the center of the head through the edge. Take your sharpener at 90 degrees to the edge, split the angle twice, and start sharpening.
 
i use a traingular file, and a coarse scythe stone then a fine natural scythe stone ,water from nature it self!
 
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