HELP: My Axes Are Not SHARP! What to do from here?

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Well it's true guys, my axes are not very sharp at all and never have been. I have a Lansky Dual Grit Oil Stone that is 120 grit and 600 grit. If the axe is quite blunt after a lot of use I'll take the coarse side of the stone to the bit first, otherwise I just work the 600 on it. After that I use a block of wood and make a few passes over it to strop it/remove the burr and that is it.

The end result is not very satisfying, I want to get them very very sharp.

Do I need to purchase a finer stone to then move onto or do I need to get a leather strop and some compounds? Or do I need both??!

Your wisdom and experience is greatly appreciated here so that I can buy the right tools from the beginning an not learn the hard way.

In regards to a strop would you suggest a paddle strop or a stropping block?
In NZ most of the strops available for purchase are designed for knifes and are very thin but there are a few that are much wider which I could imagine would suit an axe edge better. So what width would you suggest is best for stropping an axe?

These wide strops are crazy expensive for some reason, for example the 'Brommeland Gunleather 8" Double-Sided Leather Strop' is $75USD for me in an NZ store but the same product on Amazon from a US dealer is $45USD. That leads me to my next question, I have seen a bunch of videos and such of guys just using a piece of leather clamped to a bench. I couldn't tell if compound was used or not though. Is that really sufficient? Even if so, Iv'e had a hard time finding leather believe it or not, only from upholstery stores and that stuff is so thin.

Sharpening stone direction: I always thought that you pushed the stone into the cutting edge; I also did this with my knifes but now am rather confused as I watched a couple of Knife sharpening videos and they exclusively did it the opposite way..?

For example this 'Sharpening Master' holds the edge of a knife away from himself and using the push pull technique only applies pressure as he pulls the knife back towards himself.



I have been doing the opposite on both knifes and axes. Is my method wrong?

Finally, what about the circular motion with the stone, is that effective? I usually start with that and then finish by only pushing the stone into the axe cutting edge. Am I a rubbish sharpener or am I lacking in the right tools to get a razor sharp axe?

 

Thanks Curt I'll take a look. And yes An Ax to Grind is a national treasure

 

Continuing on the direction issue here is a video of Bob Kramer who is certified as a Master Bladesmith by the American Bladesmith Society..He does the opposite direction then the previous 'Master' that I posted? How can two masters have opposite techniques/methods? Am I unveiling here that there is no right or wrong way to take a stone to a bevel? It is becoming to seem like a preference or perhaps simply how they were taught?

*Sorry I know these are knives and not axes but the principles are the same.

 

I will take some photo's in about 12 hours as it is midnight here right now.

So 3 examples I have a Plumb which I have been doing a fair bit of filing on that's at 27.5 currently but I'm trying to bring it down to 25 degrees for a splitter. A Brades that is at 22.5 degrees and a new GB for contrast that is also at 22.5 degrees. All of them get sharp enough on the 600 grit stone to do work but its underwhelming to say the least, can't push cut paper for example. I'm definitely using more energy and more swings to get the job done than is necessary due to its lack of sharpness.

I'm thinking I need a finer stone to then go onto or a leather strop perhaps?

 

Thanks for the input boys.

Does anyone follow Vintage Axe Works? He has a website and other social media but I mainly follow his Instagram. One of the top restorers Iv'e come across online, seriously cool stuff.

You can see his content here: https://www.instagram.com/vintageaxeworks/ (p.s check out all those heads in the top right video )

But please watch this video..
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrlhfT_BK7j/

He just uses a dual sided puck so essentially what I have and then strops for 5 minutes and the blade is razor sharp.

That is what I am after.

 

I should message him and ask him? He seems to be super busy and backed up with orders so someone is into it.

Doesn't a strop with an ultra fine compound on it simulate an ultra ultra fine stone? If he is doing this then I can see why.

Mate can you please walk me through your method to get it freaky scary shaving sharp with stones? Would be much appreciated. What grits and for how long etc? Lets assume that the filing is done, the bevels are correct..then what? Thank you!

 

Hunting through my fathers shed I found this absolute beauty! Norton India combination stone. Never been used. It feels like the course is in between my two grits on the Lansky stone and the fine is much much finer perhaps 800 grit. Stoked to have this in my kit now. I used the finest side and my axes are now sharper than they have been but cannot still cut the hair on my arm or push cut paper. I used a felt tip pen across the cutting edge and worked my way raising the angle of the stone until it removed the pen ink and a half a degree more and stayed there. Not the result I wanted although they are definitely sharp enough to fell a tree and split wood.

The stone was made in the USA in 1977 says the box.