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First axe - $100 max budget

300Six said:
Government of Ontario (Lands & Forests Dept) taught us (me, anyway) how to use Nicholson axe files in 1970. Nice enough edge to want to be able to shave may be an ideal (with an axe, and can be done relatively easy enough with more elbow grease) but when you swing one all day long there does become a degree of sharpness that is plenty efficient for the job at hand and does not involve multiple grit stones and all the other fussy stuff that only serves to cut into work time. This is an axe we're talking about, not a surgeon's scalpel or a hoity-toity custom carving knife.
Get yourself a decent quality mill bastard file and practice on some expendable blades. It is a unique and satisfying effort when you can feel and see and read when/how a sharp file bites into whatever you're working on. And you'll be tuckered out long before you manage to ruin the edge or profile on something as thick and durable as an axe.
Electric grinders have done wonders for creating new customers in the axe market; tinhorns and folks with no patience have ruined more heads and blades over the years than darn near anybody else.
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Ok, I have a few Nicolson files laying around and I'll start using those. I have used them before to sharpen my axes and hatchets but never really developed a process for sharpening like I have with my knives. I knkow exactly what you mean about that certain degree of sharpness. A file is much easier to carry in the bush than my belt sander lol
 
Erik,
"Haha you beat me out by 50 cents on that one! I'm glad it went to a fellow BladeForumite!"

I have lost many auctions by less than 1.00 - meaning just me and one more idiot bidding. I always console myself by thinking another axe nut got it :)

Bill
 
00ChevyScott said:
The seller didn't list the weight but based off the size I'm assuming its 2 1/4 lbs right?
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Yeah, looks like a boys axe. I really like the shape of the bevels on that axe. I've only got a couple like that, an old Craftsman and a Warren. Very good multi-purpose axes. I'd be proud to have that axe in my stables.
 
Picked up a handle this morning

7fo8.jpg
 
Following the sap/heartwood junction- does that grain run out before reaching the head? If so, might want to swap that one before you start carving on it.

Good Seymour/Link handles like that can be had picking through hardware stores.

Bill
 
Being a boys axe, maybe OK but that heartwood/sapwood line really candy stripes around the haft and sapwood is thin at kerf- Looks like a lot of twist in that stick.

Bill
 
Are you guys looking at the chatter marks on top?

Or I should say - aren't those chatter marks on top?
 
Top maybe be saw marks but I was looking at how the heartwood line wraps around haft top to bottom.

Again, may be just fine, but I might pick another one if I had that option. Figure and hour or two to hang head and fine tune handle so I get picky IF I have a choice.

Bill
 
lmalterna said:
Top maybe be saw marks but I was looking at how the heartwood line wraps around haft top to bottom.

Again, may be just fine, but I might pick another one if I had that option. Figure and hour or two to hang head and fine tune handle so I get picky IF I have a choice.

Bill
Click to expand...

I see whatcha mean.
 
The marks on top are saw marks. Out of the three, this one looked the best. I may go by the store closer to my house and see if they have any better ones.
 
Sharpening this axe head is a bit harder than the newer production Collins axe I've got. Whew. I'm gonna take a break for a while haha. I've got the bevels wider, now I've just got to work on the edge. It was very blunt when I received the head.
 
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