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olddogrib

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My better half has bestowed me with the perfect early Valentine's gift, a Wetterlings Large Hunter. Nothing says true love like an axe....remember Jack Nicholson in Stephen King's "The Shining"? I must confess that being an avid outdoorsman for all of my 50+ years, that I was stunned to discover in the owner's pamphlet that you're never supposed to sharpen an axe with a file. Who knew? Live and learn, I suppose!
 
Congrats! That's awesome!

olddogrib said:
I must confess that being an avid outdoorsman for all of my 50+ years, that I was stunned to discover in the owner's pamphlet that you're never supposed to sharpen an axe with a file. Who knew? Live and learn, I suppose!
Click to expand...

WHAAAA????
 
From the Wetterlings web site -

Sharpen
It is important to keep the axe sharp for safe axe use. If you grind it often, it is easier to remain the shape of the axe, which is important for the function. You preferably use the Wetterlings grinding stone. It is made of sandstone from a stone pit near the factory. The stone gives best result with oil, but water or saliva works well too. To use oil also decreases the risk of rust.
If you are chopping hardwood, you might want to rounden the bevel more to make it less fragile.
There are thousands of books written about this if you want to learn more.
 
Now that I think about it...I don't usually "sharpen" an axe with a file. I use a file to shape and/or save an axe, and "sharpen" with a stone.
 
Congratz to your new axe! Your wife really seems to love you.

I never thought about resharping my axe with nothing else than a stone for the skythe. I never heard about anyone who sharpened theese tools with a file... Electric sharping machines are often used here in Germany. I never did that.

Kind regards
 
"Now that I think about it...I don't usually "sharpen" an axe with a file. I use a file to shape and/or save an axe, and "sharpen" with a stone. "

Good point.
 
The warning might just be a safety thing added by their legal department. Easy to jab a finger while filing an axe. OTOH honing should have the same risks.
 
Nice gift you got there. She sounds like a keeper. I have that same axe and it is very handy to carry around. I'm sure you'll love it even more after you use it.
 
I like to use a single cut file for shaping. A round wet-stone for sharpening. I do not like the feather edge left by a file so only use a stone on the bit face. Never have and never will use power tools. Many different types of timber here so will often just back the edge off a little for more protection.

This a good thread. Because of so many variables there will many so many different opinions.

regards...Frank.
 
Foxx,
To answer your question, they claim that files and emery wheels leave grooves that will increase the risk of steel breakage at the edge. Wetterlings recommends water cooled grindstones or diamond hones. I'll defer to the Swedes when it comes to lumberjacking advice. I own some nice knives and keep them razor sharp, but I suppose there's a significant difference in the optiimum edge when the funtionality is chopping as opposed to cutting/slicing.
 
I don't think its true at all. Files have been used on axes for hundreds of years. I could see a GB being problematic because they temper them very hard, but wetterlings are usually a bit softer. Like I say, its contrary to hundreds of years of experience and trial & error. I would bet a good deal swedish lumberjacks in American and Canada filed their axes.
 
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