Sharpening a felling axe

S

steve4765630

Joined
Jul 16, 2005
Messages
67
How do you guys sharpen your felling axe? I have a double bit that seems to take an edge very well with a fine file. I'd like to use my wet stones, but they don't seem to do the trick. Have you encountered any techniques that really work well? If so, divulge your secrets.
 
Got a belt sander. Didn't look back.

Once you have one, you'll never understand how you went so long without one.
 
Couldn't a belt sander heat the bits up? If so, you might not be doing your axe a service (Satori probably knows how to use his exactly--I'd screw up my axe for sure).

I recommend a rasp or file.
 
A belt sander can indeed hose a heat treat; I've never burned a whole edge (yet) but I still burn knife tips every so often when I'm in a hurry. Make quick passes, keep water handy, and don't wear gloves. If the edge gets too hot to touch cool it down before continuing. Your hands will burn long before the edge does.

Steve - what brand of axe? What kind of steel/heat treat? What kind of stones do you have? Do you keep one edge fine and one edge coarse? The more that you tell the fine folks here, the more that they will be able to tell you.
 
Axes are generally soft enough to file so you shape the edge with a coarse file and then sharpen them with a coarse and then fine hone and finally finish with fine buffing compond.

-Cliff
 
I'm a good freehand sharpener. I start with 80 and 120 grit manmade stones, then finish with a Spyderco sharpmaker for a savage sharp edge.
 
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