Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire I've got an axe to grind.

I have ruined edges on machetes, knives, bayonets, etc. as a boy before I learned not to use bench grinders.

I wish that I had my grandfather's big old foot-pumped grindstone with a can trickling water. That was slow and cool. They are out there, but cost a bit these days,

I would slack belt sharpen on a 2X72 grinder but that's no help if you don't have one around. I prefer a convex grind on the edge but as long as it's sharp I can live with it.

I got the impression he was leanin more towards the electrical plug n play remedy. If he's bustin wood off the back porch you got the cure for sure. On the side of a ridge a 1/2 mile from the truck maybe not so much.

Sanding pad of 120 grit on a 4.5" hand held grinder does a very good job.

This

quench often

I have to deal with Mesquite stumps, below grade, on a pretty regular basis.
......all of the traditional niceties are reserved for a Norlund I bought in Canada in 1975 (that still wears it's original handle) and a coupla' favorite hawks.

......a WORKING axe, that's used almost daily ? ....Hand grinder and a bucket of ice water,....maybe finish on the belt sander.

GTC

Yep, got this ax back in the 70's, held up well. Changed the head once and two handles, its hung in there real well. (smartass emoticon)

If you like I can help you get a handle on it.

Sell you the original albino moose....

After a file (Grobet are best I've found) I turn the belt on a sander inside out and put some lapping compound on it and use the slack section for a smooth nice cutting finish.
Same with a Dynabrade if one is handy.
Lord I am lazy.

Handy hint, use water not oil and your stone will be a lot easier to carry around."

I carry mine slipped into an old white cotton sock.Because I like oil.

+1 for the belt sander method. Get a scarey sharp convex edge on it. Much more durable.

I always used oil but decided to try water when I got a new stone for my axes from Amazon. For the difference in mess I will keep using just water on this stone. So far it is working great.

Why not a WorkSharp with the tool attachment?

Work Sharp

I started using water on the stone years ago. A little liquid dish soap helps to keep the stone's pores open.

Thanks for the replies.
I went the file and stone route.
I got it pretty sharp. With a little more stone work it'll shave hair offa me arm!



Cause I don't want to spend a buck thirty iffin I ain't gotta.
And I needed it sharp yesterday!

The trick in all this is once you get it sharp, keep it that way. Sort of like a professional meat cutter steeling a knife all the time. Keep one of those round stones in your pocket. When you feel the edge starting to dull, spit on the stone and touch up the edge. You won't have to grind/file so often.

Dull axes are much more dangerous than you might think. My grandfather was a lumberjack and you could just about shave with his limbing axes.

+1

Works like a champ on a hatchet. Might be a tad unwieldy on a full-sized axe. Sharpens scissor/shears etc like new as well.