Sharpening Mann pack ax

As you drive through Arkansas and get near Little Rock and Hot Springs you'll seen vendors set up along side the road. They are selling everything from antiques to Arkansas stones. I spotted this stone at one of these vendors. It was cut but unfinished on either side but I
could make out some color on this one side. A nice size stone and offered at a good price because of it's condition. So, I bought it, got
it home and began leveling this one side using my coarse Norton JUM-3. When I got it close I finished it off on the fine grit and started
breaking it in. For axes, carbon steel and simple stainless steels this is a good stone. It can work up a ever so fine burr. I wish I had a
coarse/ fine SiC grit stone in this size. DM
 
David Martin said:
Ok, I've taken it through all 5 grits, working up a burr on each and carefully removing it. Took me over an hour.
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I can't see spending so much time with stones on an axe that hasn't even been filed. Assuming the bit geometry was good enough that it didn't need filing, it still shouldn't take that long.

David Martin said:
Here is my hard Arkansas,
a 4"X 8" stone. A nice size stone to work on.
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That might be part of your trouble. Rather than working on the stone you might try clamping your axe to the bench and bringing the stone to the axe. I find I'm able to hone much more rapidly in this manner.

But getting back to filing, it looks like that axe could use a bit of filing. It looks have traces of a small grinding wheel on it. I've never seen an axe come off a small grinding wheel in condition that didn't need some file work.

Lastly, the short toe on that axe will prevent it from being a great chopper without some serious re-working of the bit.
 
David Martin said:
Ok, I've taken it through all 5 grits, working up a burr on each and carefully removing it. Took me over an hour. Here is my hard Arkansas,
a 4"X 8" stone. A nice size stone to work on. You can see it has veins of pink in it at the lower center. This ax will slice paper. DM
View attachment 997510
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Looks like a rosy red Washita to me, but I am no expert. Nice find.
 
I have a lot of Arkansas stones, and I used to buy them for the Forest Service. The only ones with a rosy color are Washita, All the hard Arkansas have a off white color.
 
Ok, I'll accept the term you gents are calling it. It is mostly a khaki color.? A good size that I enjoy working on. DM
 
As far as putting the ax in a vise and taking the stone to it,-- I've tried that method and have trouble maintaining a consistent edge angle.
So, for me the method I use works. And the time usage, well, I have to live with it for now. Thank you for these knowledgeable comments. Really with the stone being a Washita at 500 grit my extra fine India would leave a finer edge. That would cut out one stone and save me some time. DM
 
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As for the grinding wheel. This Mann ax was so rusty when I got it,-- I used a wire brush in a drill to remove the rust and then put a handle
on it...? So, a grinding wheel being used on it I wouldn't know about. DM
 
Then as for the toe being short I wouldn't know about. There is a shadow cast on that end of the ax in the photo. Gees with all these
problems I'm very amazed it still cuts so well. DM
 
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