Thread: Axes!

Howdy all!

I'm getting ready for my summer camping season and just bought two new axes. Both are Gransfors Bruks axes and have ready good things about them.

Id love to make this into one of those post your picture threads so lets see those axes!

Also what do you guys use to sharpen your axes?

Your Pics first .

Lol I'm still waiting for them to arrive!

If the only use is splitting firewood,I use a fine mill file,is such a thing as oversharpening a camp axe.

I can't say that I'm into name brand axes, but I used to love those old splitter axes with the hinges. Haven't seen one in years, but they used to work great!

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

If the only use is splitting firewood,I use a fine mill file,is such a thing as oversharpening a camp axe.

I wonder if I can use an Escher to give them a touch up?

Bruno sharpened an ax and finished it well enough to shave with it a few years ago. Don't recall if he used a coticule or not .... but he lives in Belgium so he might have.

I use a large (1" wide) double-bastard file to sharpen axes, shovels, and the like. Having a mirror finish doesn't matter for splitting firewood or clearing brush or such tasks, but you could hit the edge with a single-bastard file to get a smoother finish after the double-bastard. In the event you're unaccustomed to using such files, the best technique is to push the file away from you while it's seated on the material for the cut stroke, lift it off the material and bring it back to you, and push away again--same process as with a hacksaw. Keeping the file on the material while you draw back dulls it and in the end slows the process. It's also handy to have a wire brush or "file card" to wipe off the built up material. In the event I pick up a deep gouge or chip in the blade fr whatever reason, I first use a bench or hand grinder to knock down the material and then finish with the file. If you do go with a file, I recommend hunting at some flea markets, swap meets, or garage sales for a vintage American or German-made piece. I imagine Canada has some good vintage steel tools too, but stay away from cheap modern files if you want something that lasts and performs well. That's a long post, but I hope it helps.

Originally Posted by basil

I wonder if I can use an Escher to give them a touch up?

Only a blue green,if you use a yellowish esher, you will roll the edge for sure on anything more than poplar or pine/fir.
For real dry oak,Hickory,madrone,I find a Charnley used with sperm whale oil to work perfect.

I'm sure you probably know this, but Gransfors have their own stone:

Gränsfors Axe Stone - Lee Valley Tools

They are 180x/600x and while I've never used one I can't imagine they would do anything that similar grit stone wouldn't do. Mind you, while you'll never get a decent shave from one, it might be handy to have one just for the axes...