Ax Sharpening?

[xman23]

I just purchased a 18 inch kindling ax and maul from Snow & Nealley. Both are very sharp for now. I've done a search for sharpening instructions. There were descriptions of filling and wet grinding, etc. How and what do you guys use to dress the edge of your tools?

Thanks for any help
Tom

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I use a grinding wheel or a file and if you want the ax really sharp, finish with a wetstone.

 

[smokinj]

How do you like that Snow & Nealley?

 

[CTburning]

I used to use a craftsman single axe to do 95% of my splitting. I would split on the ground, miss, hit rocks, pound on it with a sledge and generally flat out abuse the axe. I would also break an axe every year but it's a craftsman, just trade it in for a new one. To put an edge on it quickly, I would run it across the belt sander and then you can use a file or stone to make it super sharp.

 

[TreePapa]

I cheat w/ my old craftsman ax. I use an angle grinder (I clamp the ax to a work table).

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[billb3]

whetstone

my all-time favorite was the pedal grindstone in my grandfather's basement.
Wish I had one today.

 

[LLigetfa]

I coarse grind it with the angle grinder and then remove the grinder marks by going over it with an axe file.

 

[SWNH]

Tormek. I like to shave with my axes

 

[Marty]

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/Fspubs/99232823/page15.htm

 

[Hakusan]

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/Fspubs/99232823/page15.htm

What he said.

 

[xman23]

Jay, I will give them a try this weekend, they look and feel good. Nice weight, large handle end to stop it from slipping thru your hand. I spilt 2x framing scraps for kindling. It's kiln dried and free from any dumpster just after the frame goes up.
I was looking for a quick easy sharping tool. Anyone use one of those knife sharpeners that you drag down the blade?

 

[Cluttermagnet]

Hand held rotary grinder, single cut flat file, maybe a whet stone to finish up (optional).
Large bench vise as a holder.

 

[xman23]

I asked Snow and Nealley, this is what the said.

Please use a dry stone/sharpening stone you can get from your local hardware store.

I found this Fiskars ax sharpener on Balley's. This is what I was looking for.

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=78616984&catID=10341

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=78616984&catID=10341

 

[Hakusan]

S&N reply is understandable. Power grinders can change the temper of the steel and make it soft. I use stones to hone my axe. If you keep you axe in good shape, using a stone is quick and easy. You only need files if the axe is damaged.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

S&N reply is understandable. Power grinders can change the temper of the steel and make it soft. I use stones to hone my axe. If you keep you axe in good shape, using a stone is quick and easy. You only need files if the axe is damaged.

Indeed, a hand- stone is best. But when rehabilitating tools used by others, I have resorted to single cut files and even a grinder on occasion. The blades in question do not seem to have softened noticeably. The old foot- operated grinder wheels were much better for this, no doubt. BTW the file and grinder were used more to correct overly wide shoulders than to achieve a better edge. This method was used to take a crappy camp hatchet I acquired used and upgrade it from mediocre to one of my most prized and effective tools for fine splitting and shaving punky wood. I have gotten several good tools as abandoned by family members, hand me down, gifts from neighbors, yard sale bargains, etc. No, I wouldn't take a grinder to a Fiskars, but then I'm too cheap to buy one new, anyway. ;-)

 

[dougstove]

My grandfather had a wonderful foot-pedalled grinder wheel with a small water reservoir encasing the bottom side of the grinder wheel.
The water kept everything cool, to avoid ruining the temper of the steel.
Sadly, after he died, it disappeared from his barn before Dad and I could recuperate it.

 

[Gooserider]

My father used to have a neat grinder in his machine shop, I think it was called a "visible grinder" - small vertical shaft motor spinning a large diameter narrow wheel - I'd guess 8-10" diameter, 1/4" thick. The wheel was full of radial slots. This gave a see through effect as the wheel spun, kind of like looking through the blades of a fan. The unit had a pretty strong light shining down on it from above, and you held the tool to be sharpened up against the bottom side of the wheel - the slots encouraged air flow that kept stuff cool, and you could actually see the edge as you were sharpening it by looking down through the slots... Not sure what happened to it, but it was a neat tool, never seen anything else like it.

Gooserider

 

['bert]

I have used a blending disc (flap disc) on a air grinder to sharpen axes and lawn tractor blades. Seems to work well and leaves a very smooth finish unlike a grinder.