How to Sharpen a Hatchet or Axe to a Scary Sharp Edge!
2018 ж. 15 Қаз.
2 166 742 Рет қаралды
In this video I show a way to sharpen my axes. It becomes scary sharp and can shave hair off your arm no problem.
This hatchet I am sharpening is a plumb hatchet made in the USA. It has a lovely hickory handle and boiled linseed oil finish.
I used sandpaper to sharpen the axe/hatchet as I thought it would be helpful to people who don't have any appropriate sharpening stones. This make it easy to get into.
If you are inexperienced in axe sharpening or a complete beginner this draw filing type method can really help get more consistent results without using a jig as you have more control.
Hope this helps feel free to ask any questions and I hope you enjoyed.
And always wear the safety flip flops in case you drop the axe on your toes!!
🤣
if that doesn't cut it a hi-vis should do the trick
Ehhh Aussies and kiwis don't worry about safety gear hahaha they're silly like that
@@JakeFromSedrowoolley but how are people going to know if their a tradie or not , its free advertising
Kiwis are direct descendant of the Hobbitt- feet like petrified leather- Krieckey!
From a lot of experience, its not just about how sharp you can get it, its about what you plan on using it for. For example, if you want to "split" firewood, you want a wider cut angle on the head. You dont want the axe head to cut, you want it to split. Now if you are sharpening a felling axe, then you want a shorter angle and sharper blade. I hope that makes sense.
Ya, the thicker axe pushing the log apart easier with force to split it and the a thinner sharper axe will cut deeper into a tree because the force is more concentrated at the blade and with a thinner head less friction and can glide further into the wood.
@@kayden5238 Ecactly. Good breakdown.
Even a felling axe should not be really sharp. They are not made of high grade steel for a reason. A file is the only tool required and making the angle shallow on any axe will seriously hamper its ability to clear chippings when cutting cross grain. I would only put a knife edge on an axe with various grades of sand paper if I needed to get the required time to get paid for a You Tube video.
Finally someone who know what their talking about. Why don't more of us do these. There seems to be a lot of videos made that work for the person using them but not for (or expanded enough to include exactly the styles you've just explained)
Ace bandage, I was planning on putting a lot of that Information in and explaining the different edges for different uses. But the video had already gotten way longer than I thought it was going to be. To put all the information into a video I feel comfortable to explain it would have taken me an about an hour. I do plan do do a sharpening series one day putting everything I know into and axes will be type of tool I explain. But since I haven't made a video for a while it might take me a while to get to it. This particular axe was sharpened this way for carving and delimbing/chopping green wood. Both tasks that can benifit from a more refined edge and finer edge angle.
Completely low tech, no fancy tools, realistic and achievable by anyone. No waffle, distracting music, god bless ya ... Is a ripper!
If you color the edge with a sharpie between grits, you can use it as a guide coat and be sure you got through the scratches of the last one
Nice! Thank you for that!
Always a great trick ESPECIALLY for those using GRINDERS and heavy files or rasps to start.... using those methods You're taking a lot of material of the blade and I mean VERY QUICKLY!
We used to use engineers blue in college for seeing if your piece is flat, I totally forgot about this technique, thanks!
I'd rather just use my eyes than waste sharpie
now thats some smart ass shit there thanks for the tip!
That's the aussieist thing I've ever seen just a bloke with some sandpaper and paitance sat in his shorts and flip flops worrying about other people cutting themselves on the way past. I loved every second of this good job feller
Why are you wearing flip flops?
@@mrdaveyjones5432 why wouldn't you be.
*thongs
Watched one video of a guy making his own log cabin...KZhead now believes that I am a lumberjack
You know you want to build that cabin! 😂 now you can sharpen the tools
KZhead is telling you something! Listen to it!!
I'm a woman from the good 'ole USA, and I say that shine is beautiful!!!!! I have definitely learned something today! That was cool to watch!!
Have you been scared? You are pleased by the shine, enlightened by his tutorial, and impressed by the presentation but he was promising scary.
@@65csx83 what is this comment
I reckon you're single. A dog at home with you? Some chickens? Maybe a horse? 😆
Very nice. My Grand-dad was a stickler when it came to his tools. His axes, shovels, garden hoes, were always sharp, oiled, and ready to go. Makes a difference. And I agree---a well worn, maintained hickory handle does feel good in the hands. It's important.
Me too..
My grandfather taught me to sharpen ax heads the same way. He also taught me to use regular old paraffin wax to dip the cutting edge. That would preserve the entire edge till the ax was used again. Great video. Thank You
Thanks for the paraffin tip!
another great tip cheers!
Wow, I really don't ever comment on videos, but damn, I'm impressed!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed.
Sweet! I’m gonna try this.
Let me know if it goes well.
My constructive tip is this : when striving to make a solid clampdown on my axes, i always will make wedges . Between the bit and the bench really helps to stop movement.
@@scottshobbyz5416 Sharp is easy, it will chip/roll EASY.
this is inspirational and one of my favorite videos on KZhead that I've watched many times. Thank you for your gentle voice and mesmerizing worth ethic and calm attention to detail. I'd love to listen to you tell stories around a campfire.
I'm about to try this one out . Great idea thanks for sharing .
No worries hole it works out for you.
Wow man !! Thank you for teaching me this . Guess I found my.mission tomorrow
Outstanding! Thanks very much for your patience in showing this!
Fine work M8! Cheers & thanks for sharing! I now have ANOTHER project for this weekend :)
No worries, thanks, good luck and have fun :)
ScottsHobbyz ll
Thanks for taking the time to share with us the way you sharpen that bad boy
No worries :)
Mateeeeeee i have OCD and that polish steps was orgasmic . Nice job
I would not put much stock into the 'It's too sharp' comments Scott. There is a lot of misinformation out there and some just like to cast shade to boost an ego. A tool that is properly sharpened makes all the difference. If they actually worked with them, they would have the same opinion. There are only three things that dictate your sharpening: The intended task of the tool, The ability of the tool to take and hold that edge and finally it's your ability to put it there. If you're good with the last two points, the first is a no brainier. By the way, lovely axe mate. There is something very special about tuning up old tools. That one is a keeper. All the best, Ben
Thanks. I am kinda surprised how many of those comments I am getting. I think most people just use them for splitting wood these days or chopping tree roots or something. Which would make sense not to make it too sharp. And yeah it's a lovely axe alright.
Good job Scott, one of my favourite sayings from the bushmen past was, it's got to be sharp enough to shave a mouse asleep 👍🇦🇺.
Helps to start with a great axe!
G'day mate, and greetings from Las Vegas, NV USA! Great job! Good, easy to follow instructions and lots of good common sense! Keep the posts coming my friend! God bless and take care...
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed.
One other thing to do... Wax the head. It will cut better and rust less. Car wax works just fine. It will help to keep the pitch off too. Beautiful edge!
Thanks. Yeah I forgot to oil the head on camera. I have seen wax used on saws but not axes. Sounds like a good alternative. Especially if putting away for storage.
Will that work for mower blades too? Ty
LamBeau Leeper, I just responded to your other comment, I put the answer there. But good luck and have fun :)
@@LambeauLeeeper what? Why would you? Just smear a thin layer of oil on the blades before you put it in storage.
A good way to get rid of the micro burrs and hone the final edge is to wipe it with Isopropyl alcohol. Then wax it. I use a thin layer of car wax.
I’ve sharpened a lot of tools but not with this setup. Really impressed. I will use it from now on. Thanks
I find it makes it easier to get the angle. The more ways you try the more of a chance of finding something that works for you. You can use stones and files too whilst doing this. The sandpaper was just to show you didn't need much equipment. And whatever you do just don't walk away with it clamped there. I made that mistake with something in a vice once.
I can relate when he said it’s like a meditative stage sharpening tools. I’m a joiner and I find this sharpening my chisels and plane blades. 😀🇬🇧
Yup! It's a contemplative activity.
I find deep relaxation on the toilet.
Hi Leothelion, Honest question what is a joiner?
@@xPumaFangx A joiner is someone who knows all (or most) the joinery techniques of woodworking and can make cabinetry, furniture, and other things.
xPumaFangx hi friend. Agent orange is right. My full title is a carpenter and joiner. In Greta Britain 🇬🇧 we call ourselves joiners for short . But a joiner makes the, lets say stairs, windows, doors or furniture and a carpenter fits them. To obtain our title of carpenter and joiner we have take a 2 yr apprenticeship that teaches us both building and fitting of joinery. Going back to sharpening. Most joiners have their own workshop. Mine is no bigger than a 6x4 meter shed. When I have something on my mind I often get my chisel roll from the van and spend a half hour to an hour sharpening. It helps me meditate. Gives me time to think. Hope this helps.
Good to mention the bit about the burr. Most people don't understand why an edge seems sharper on one side than the other. Getting that part reduced or removed is the key to any good sharpening regardless of angle on any edge be it axe, knife, planer blades or whatever. As a retired person on limited income I could never justify buying one of those Ken Onion special belt sharpening systems but got one for Christmas from one of my sons. It's the kind of gift that keeps on giving a long long time! Now I keep every edge I own in tip top shape. It's good for all but the final stropping unless you buy a leather belt that fits the machine like I did. I put just a hint of black abrasive compound on the belt then finish the edge in under a minute. No matter the angle I can then duplicate your hair shaving and paper slicing demos. I never get tired of keeping not only my tools sharp but tune up tools, knives, axes, scissors, etc. for my four kids, friends, and even couple good neighbors! Your hand axe is a carbon copy of my prized WWII surplus axe I bought at a garage sale many years ago! It's equally good to keep wood handles of tools in tip top shape with that linseed oil as well. On thing, I usually daub a light coating on the new the newly exposed bare metal as well as lightly soak the leather scabbard that covers the edge when not in use. I also wipe down and rehone/oil the edge after use, specially if cutting green wood! All these measures make your edges last even longer! Nice detailed video & thanks for the effort!
Cheers. The model of hatchet I have here is called the 'Plumb Dreadnought'. Quite a nice piece. It is a shame that these days everything just gets thrown out or left to rust and rot. Then a new tool is purchased. I have learnt that it can be quite a joy to look after your tools and keeping them in top shape also means they are much more fun and easier to use. I haven't tried the worksharp systems yet. One day I will pick one up. Seems like a neat little tool.
Boiled linseed oil rubbed on the axe head will dry & form a protective coating until it is rubbed off during use. Raw linseed oil won't cure & will remain tacky. I've read that it's also great for mold growth.
You know I heard that you put linseed oil on once a day for a week... once a week for a month... once a month for a year... and once a year for the life of the handle... just a FYI... GREAT video....
Yeah i have heard that one. No harm in trying. I tried once with something and forgot about it after a couple days lol. This axe i got from a friend who looked after it. So it already has a nice build up. So it is probably at the once a year phase. Once you get the handle like that it is amazingly comfortable on the hands.
M
Nice Job! looks awesome! I know what I'll be doing tomorrow!
Thanks so much for the info You got straight into and didn't talk a lot about the same thing over and over. You have shown me a way that I can afford to do it.
I’ve watched enough lumberjack competitions to know that aussies are amazing choppers so I’d listen to this man about keeping axes sharp
Lol.... Is this a joke?
THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION,, I AM NOW GOING TO SHARPEN ALL MY AXES & CHISELS & FAVORITE KNIVES THANKS TO YOUR VIDEO.
Top job mate. You've inspired me to sharpen my axe and knives this weekend, easily and cheaply. Thank you kindly
this is the best axe sharpening tutorial I've seen, cheers!
Wow thanks. I hope it's not the only one you have seen ;)
Beautiful! Thank-you! From England.
I just this afternoon finished sharpening a camping hatchet. I thought it was ready to put away with my gear until I came across this video. Now Im going to try this technique and REALLY sharpen it. Thanks for the excellent tutorial.
Will have to try this on my axes,hatchets,and Tomahawks.
Nice! Great to see a fellow Aussie doing a no fuss, no bull dust sharing of bloody useful info. good onya mate!
Love this guy - he goes on about Safety and then you see what he has on his feet! Ho Chi Mihn sandels / flip flops / call 'em what you will but safe they are not!
When I was a kid in the bush, still in primary school, it was my job to chop up all the firewood for our wood stove in the kitchen. A trick my father showed to help keep the axe handle tight in the axe head was to, every now and then, stand the axe, head down in a can with some linseed oil in it. The wooden handle draws the oil up into the head and helps stop the wood from shrinking and becoming loose in the head. You don't need much oil - just enough to make contact with the end of the handle will do the job. As for the shaving tip to test sharpness, don't do what I do when sharpening kitchen knives. Being the master procrastinator that I am, I put off sharpening my knives until there isn't one sharp one left in the knife draw, then I sharpen them all in one go. Depending on your point of view, I'm either blessed or cursed with very hairy arms and legs, so by the time the job is completed, I look like an old mangy dog! For some odd reason, the sheilas don't go for this look.
I have heard of that trick. One of my axes may need that but most are tight already. I know what you mean with sharpening. Sometimes I don't sharpen mine because I have been doing everyone else's and can't be bothered. I don't usually do the shave test as much now. Unless showing off. Phone book paper is my go to now. And the 3 finger test. I remember when I was starting to get competent at sharpening. I had done a bunch of knives and my arms were all patchy with bald spots. My friend was all like, what's wrong with your arms. Also damn I though the mangy dog look was in. Must be the problem
ROFLMAO
Still a novice when it comes to sharpening my hatchet, but after watching your video I have a lot more confidence. Great tutorial!
Same here too, I tried sharpening my BK2 a while ago and I’ve completely messed it up, there are sharper spoons in my drawer than my ‘self-dulled’ Becker, I’m really pissed off at myself for it. This video has given me the push to try again, with fresh sandpaper, and patience... lots and lots of patience!!
as someone who has sharpened blades a lot let me give you one piece of advice about axes: get a good one from the start, putting a good edge on a garbage axe is never worth it, trust me, touching up an edge that was good at some point, takes less effort and lasts you longer.
Great video, thanks for this! First time axe owner awaiting delivery today and after watching this I've got no doubts I'll be able to keep it shaving sharp without spending a ton. Thanks again!
Depending on what you use it for, you might end up snapping that razor sharp edge off.
My grandad gave me his old axe when I moved to my own house, he said it hadn’t been sharpened or used in over 45years and he got it in 1928. Very rusty and the handle was no good so I resorted it, it was the first axe I resorted. I now do it as a hobby. Been doing it for 3 years now and the one thing I could never get right was to get it sharp like this and now I can 👍 thank you 🤜 🇬🇧
When you restore it, what do you use on the axehead to protect it from rust? I’m finishing my first axe restoration.
Socrates458 I curious about that too.
14:45 You are describing my hatchet. - LOL I am going to give it to my Grandson who is a Boy Scout so I'm going to put it into shape for him. Thanks for sharing this video showing me how to do that.
Haha thanks. Depending upon the condition of the edge you may have to grind a bevel onto it. The hatchet i had here alreay had an established bevel. If using hand tools using a file like i did here works. But if you have loads of steel to take off then a belt sander with a fresh 40-60 grit belt works great. Then finish up with files and sandpaper/stones.
@Shukin Andjivin Normally I would but he lives 1000 miles away.
Straight forward HOWTO. No extraneous or non relevant bits. Good job on the video and the axe sharpening.
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed.
Straightforward how-to would be "same as anything else". But you don't want to do that to an axe or it stops being a good axe and becomes a crap knife. No knocks to the man in the captain's chair, it's a great vid still, just throwing in my unsolicited 2 cents
@@sluttybutt what exactly do you not want to do to an axe? Sharpen it?
@@sluttybutt A sharp hatchet is a must for any work that is not splitting wood. For example I carve spoons and bows and the first step is always the axe work. It would be VERY dangerous with a dull axe!
Douglas E Knapp, carving and cutting green wood are where a razor sharp axe really shine. It would glance off a lot if even semi dull when carving. Also would have to cut at larger angles which makes a mess of the piece.
Thank you. I' gotta go get sandpaper and sharpen the axes and hatchets out here.
This side to side technique is new to me. I have always either circled or used the stone from the direction of the base, out towards the tip. It is a complete novelty to me and I am about to have a go at replicating. Using no lubricant is new to me too. I have always wet my wet/dry sandpaper or used a stone with oil or dishwash detergent (a fad I went through back in the '90's). Having just done up all my tool handles over the past week, it is now time to start on the metalwork; so this video suggestion was good timing, thanks to youtube!
Thank you for your video now I know how to sharpen my axe. I never knew the steps until now. You have been very helpful. God Bless you and your family and have a great day.
Thanks, glad it helped.
Impressive! Going to use this method! Thanks for sharing. Great job ! Hello from Texas.👍
Thanks. I hope it works out for you. Also files and stones work great in this set up and if you already have them they work out cheaper than sandpaper. Just make sure the stones are flat.
Love the 'safety-sandles' you have on 😂
Osha approved
Looks like a really cool thing to do to chill out on a Sunday afternoon...probably before cracking open a beer! Thanks for posting. Great to see
I used to spend ludicrous amounts of time with stones, working my way up through the grits... This method of yours is excellent, if you have loads of sandpaper and time - and don’t get me wrong - t’s always good to know the many ways a thing can be done, especially the most basic, so you know how to do it when resources are limited. For the less patient, drop $50 on a cheap 1x30 benchtop belt sander and throw another $15 down on a set of belts in all the grits from 80 to 1000 - start on whatever low grit you need to, given the condition of the blade, work your way up. Your axe will be equally razor sharp and beautifully polished in a tiny fraction of the time - about 5-10 minutes - less if you do it frequently. The “flexy” section of the belt is perfect for achieving a convex grind on an axe bit, as you want that slight curve toward the edge to keep it strong. For flatter grinds, you can use the flat platen. I sharpen everything on my 1 x 30 belt sander - love that thing. Belts are super cheap, too - you can get a full set on Amazon for $15. I also got a 1x30 leather stropping belt, with compound, which is the final step for the mirror finish. That system makes sharpening almost anything super fast and easy-peezy. I sharpen way too many tools, way too often to spend a ton of time on it - which used to mean I ended up having a lot of dull tools. I was amazed how inexpensive and fast the belt sander method has proven to be. Those machines are so cheap, you could easily buy several of them and have them set up next to each other with different grits ready to go. The belts are also very easy to change, so I just swap them out, as my workbench space is limited. To each his own. Great video. Keep up the good work, mate!
@Robbie Spil I just got a super basic 1/3hp 1”x30” belt sander on Amazon. I believe it was about $52, two or three years ago. There’s no brand name on it - it’s green - lol. Some of them have a side disc sander built onto the right side. Mine is just the belt. You can get much nicer ones… Rikon makes a good one, and I will probably get another higher quality one, eventually, as this one is noisy, but it gets the job done. For the small amount of money you pay, it’s amazing how much knife and tool sharpening and just grinding of any sort you can accomplish with one of them. Great entry level grinder for knife making, as well. You go through the belts quicker because they’re shorter, but they’re also a waaay cheaper than 48’s or 2x72’s. The offerings change all the time. I just find the most belts with the most grits for the least amount of money in a set on Amazon whenever I get close to running low and spend another $15-$18 to re-up on a whole ton of belts. Enjoy!
Johnny Rockets, I have a 1x30 but don't often use it for sharpening. I wouldn't touch these (good quality and condition) old antique axes to a sander unless it needed a bevel cut in. I had never actually used sandpaper for sharpening an axe before this video. It was just to try a method which hopefully people with no tools could replicate. I usually use files then stones, then strops. But I do use sanders on things I need to reprofile (not often knives though) just did an adze the other day on my 4x36 sander. Cut a relief bevel in behind the cutting edge bevel. It came out awesome. Doing it by hand would have been hard work as it was in real bad condition to start with.
Been doing that way for years 1x30 Try some diamond compound on your leather strop. 1 micron is fine enough. Restaurant chef knives are 5 minutes tops and anything else that needs an edge. On the axe, why? They won’t hold that edge past the first few chops anyway and they are sticky
Man, that's impressive! Thanks for showing us your process.
No worries glad you enjoyed.
I just love those cool Aussie air-cooled safety shoes sport!
This was a GREAT video man... I'm a 3x state champion axe thrower. I ALWAYS kept my 24" double bitted razor sharp as well. I would shave my face just to prove it to people but this brother here is in a different world with his! I'm gonna have to step it up 🤘🏻
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this info. My boys and I have been struggling with sharpening our hatchet and axe. I'm looking forward to testing this method out!
I’ve never sharpened using paper, looks like fun…thank you brother!
I spent a few hours sharpening my knives and I don't think I've ever seen one you could shave with 😮. Awesome!
Hey Scott - great video - I see you know what you're doing! Very therapeutic! Good to see a man looking after his tools well. I restored a hammer belonging to my father (maybe his father's) and the handle came up a treat with oil and grinding the face flat again. Came up almost like new but with at least 70 years family history. I know you appreciate that. All the best, Rob
Very cool. I have a few of my pops old hammers to do one day. There definitely is something therapeutic about it.
I mounted my strop on a 30" piece of oak, gluing the smooth side to the wood, and cutting a handle on both ends.
I tried that, but my trousers kept falling down.
One of the best sharpening videos I've ever seen - and I've watched quite a few! Good job.
Thanks glad you enjoyed :)
Obviously never seen Burrfection.
great job,its such a versatile tool and a pity more people dont know just how useful these can be,well done indeed.
Talks about safety while wearing flip-flops. LOL I love it! Good video!
Thanks. Yeah most Aussies are probably a little too layed back in their sheds or home safety wise. Not uncommon for people to split a couple bits of wood in them either.
Yea. I have had that very accident but due to my impatient my blade never became scary shop. But it still hurt like hell
G'day Scott, nice job There was a saying the old bushmen had about their axes , it's got to be sharp enough to shave a mouse asleep ! 👍🇦🇺 .
Or a beaver.......🙉
Thanks mate I needed to know how to do this and now I know . Thank you for sharing your knowledge 👍👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️🇦🇺🇦🇺
Just found a great old axe head buried on my property and this video will help me to restore it. Thank you good sir.
what an interesting find, If only that axe head could talk!
Thank you for sharing your wisdom , I greatly appreciate it , this reminded me of how my father(rip) would sit an spend hours on his blades and stuff . I want to thank you for tha refresher course enabling me to understand tha sharpening process . These lost arts are especially important in these uncertain days , I'm glad to see so many "old school" guys sharing their necessary knowledge with generations that have no father to teach these important skills . You are greatly appreciated. And your ax is absolutely amazing , I could see tha mirror finish , you should b proud 👍 God bless & God speed 🍃 🌹
Thanks. It's not quite a mirror finish. More like a high grit satin. I wouldn't call it a lost art. Sure I am told a lot less people percentage wise know how to sharpen. But there is way more information than ever about it. Available to anybody who wants to learn with the internet. Or who is able to buy books. Thanks for the comment.
Man ,that baby lok's sharp! when I was in the forest service we sharpened our Axe's and Mcleoud's with a file and then put tape to keep the edge for the next work party or fire!.Thank you for the great video!.........
That's a good idea. So then the next crew knows it is ready to go.
I used to do the same thing when I was a smoke jumper in the Pacific Northwest fighting wild land fires
I used to polish blades with polishing compound and a fabric bench grinder wheel, gets blades that are somewhat sharp to beyond reasonable levels, but this looks so much nicer on the blade
AMAAAIIIIZING SHARPNESS, I WILL DO THIS TO MY HATCHET I LONG FORGOTTEN IN THR GARAGE, THANK U SIR FOR SHARING UR IDEAS, VERY VERY 👍🏾!!!!!
Nice job with that, and a good, clear video. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback
Appreciate the job, understand its limitations.. I will stick with my flap disc/stone job for splitting firewood.
Yeah this edge it a waste of time for splitting wood. But I would never take a flap disk to this lovely axe. My cheapy ones yeah.
@@scottshobbyz5416 But that edge can split a round with enough precision to make the lengths/pieces of wood necessary to build a near exact scale model replica radio controlled warbird like a P-51 Mustang or a Focke Wulf FW 190 etc.. Wing struts, spar, airfoil shape and all... Those type of kits are typically laser cut in a factory and sold in a box... That blade is nothing short of beautiful... Definitely going to implement that technique on one of my own carpenter's axes someday soon. I lost my Arkansas stone set a short while back so I've been simply grinding with stones in my Dremel or dye grinder tool attachment for my compressor and then sanding with disks to do a full sharpen.. Gotta make up some of those sandpaper blocks for touch up work.. And give the full process a go sometime.. Most of my axes and knives are used for throwing for sport in the back yard type deal.. The actual tools get treated nice on the other hand.
Depends how long you want your axe to last . Sharpening carefuly removes less material and preserves the edge .
Sharpened my HF hand ax on a drill with 6" sanding pad with 120 grit. To my utter surprise, it was shaving sharp, even without stropping. Great temper too, you could see the color change near the cutting edge. Had that little ax 20 years, and it's still my best.
Wrong.
That was an awesome master class in how to get a bloody sharp axe with no bs involved. Thanks heaps mate, gonna hit the shed and dig my bugger out and give it some love. Cheers brother and all the best.
I found a similar axe in my garage when I bought my house. Wondered how hard it'd be to fix it up. Gonna give this a try
Howd it turn out?
Awesome video. Exactly the kind of help I need because I'm one of those folks who doesn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on sharpening stones. Thanks for the super clear explanation and the demo.
No worries glad it helped. A file used with the draw filing technique is great if you have a lot of steel to remove. Then refine to desired result.
You could also pick up a two sided stone for 5 bucks and get a decent polish on. Bit more convenient than this method
That's freaking Scary Sharp, Thank You... Great Video
Cheers
Very down to Earth video. Thanks for producing/editing/uploading this! Really enjoyed the watch and skills you have provided. :) Cheers!
I enjoyed your video, thank you 🙏 for taking the time to do it. I’ve had a hard time with my 2 axe heads. Ones a Mann, the other I forgot but both have a convex edge that’s hard to sharpen. I’ve actually used my angle grinder to get them somewhat ready for hand sharpening. I’m gonna try your double sided tape 💡 I like it.
The method from the video should be good if you aren't used to doing it. But over the long run it becomes more expensive to continue using the sandpaper. Wranglerstar had a great axe sharpening video where he did a convex edge if you want to keep it that way. Can't remember what it was called though. If they have an insanely thick and steep convex like a lot of cheap hardware store axes then you will have to take a lot off either way. Just make sure not to let it get too hot. If using power tools.
All axe's are worthy of love and a good sharpening brother
@@JakeFromSedrowoolley nobody said otherwise so what’s your reason for stating that?
Enjoyed the video, as you did just for the fun of sharpening something.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed.
Greattt job my friend !!!! That was scary sharp !!! I loved the wide bevels.keep up the great work !!!
Job well done, Sir ! Thanks for sharing. I`v had an Estwing hatchet that has accompanied me on many camping trips since the early 1970s, I sharpen it the same way....
That’s a really steep angle for an ax I love a well maintained tool. All tools. 👍👍👍
My goodness I wished I was this good! That amazing work at sharping and the finish is beautiful
Thanks. Just watch some videos to learn what to do and practice. You will get better.
Nice work, thanks for sharing!
Very impressed I'll be sharpening my tools when I get back to France 👍🏻🇬🇧 from the uk
Good luck I hope it goes well for you.
We used to use Brasso, in the military, ... (took forever, but the results were amazing), ...
The Military did a great favor for BRASSO among others $$$
I always listen to Molly Hatchet, “Regrinding the Hatchet” album whilst doing this.
Molly Hatchet & "whilst" in the same sentence??? High kudos my brotha!! 😎
I have a beautiful plumb double bit that was my grandpas. It was the first axe I ever used as a kid.
They are beautiful axes. A friend of mine had or has one. I can't remember if he sold it. Interestingly the double bit axes never really took off in Australia. Apparently the wood was too hard and they would bow at the eye of the axe. I don't know if they ever made a thicker one.
That is one sharp axe :)You are right about people not looking after their gear I go round the council kerbside clean ups and pick up old furniture to restore have come across a few good old tools I have restored great upload thanks
I can get my hatchet so sharp that I can shave with it. I might use a small worn scrap of emery to polish up the sides, but a reasonably fine sharpening stone will do. The stone I use was given to me many years ago because it was worn like a swayback horse, but it works perfectly for my axe, my hatchet, my cane knife, my adze and any other none-precision tools. You are spending a fortune on emery which is not necessary. Neither do you need a clamp, or work bench. The job can be done perfectly well with just two hands, a stone and some water or hoof and horn oil. Neat's-foot oil in other words. Water works fine, but neat's-foot suspends the stone dust and metal powder off of the stone, so you only need a small amount of it, and it is less likely to drip dirty grindings, as water does, on your hands etc.
Bloody sharp! Nice vid thanks for sharing
Cheers
That is awesome, love the oil, geeze the edge I love it. Thank you
I have no axe to grind! Thanks for the coating info. You're a big help and encouragement.
cheers, glad you found it helpful.
I really enjoyed this no-nonsense, informative and concise video. Will have to try that technique on my Tommy axe tomorrow. That denim sushi looks yummy, by the way. Thank you.
When I was kid growing up late 60 s and 70 that's all I wanted b b gun s pocket knives an hachet s and the woods god to go back there again god bless American 🇺🇸✌
I grew up in the 80's I also played in the woods and build tree forts with just ax and knives loved the time my brothers and friends had spent camping and playing in the wild . great times.
Sounds like fun :)
Life-changing. Seriously. Thank you so much!
Thanks. Life changing might be a bit much though. If you are new to sharpening them sandpaper is ok to start with but is more expensive over the long run. Files are great if you have a lot of steel to remove at the start and don't want to use power tools. I use a draw filing technique as it is easier to control the angle.
@@scottshobbyz5416 This is how new I am: Bought an ax to process wood around the campground. Didn't realize it was DULL till I was camping and tried to use it, so....yeah...life changing, lol. Still chuckling over that one.
I learned something new. Thank you.
i have many hatchets . many . none of them are that sharp . but they will be soon . thanks for sharing .
No worries. I would just recommend doing it on one that you only intend to use for green wood or for carving. Those tasks you do see a benefit. Still have to maintain them to keep them in top shape though. You get rapidly diminishing returns refining the edge like this for general wood processing. Maybe 400 grit max for that kind of thing.
If given 8 hours to chop down a tree, the first 6 is spent sharpening the axe
I have heard that one. I would prefer to use something a bit coarser if it takes that long to sharpen though lol. This took me about 30min including messing with the camera. Took a bit longer if you include cutting sandpaper and finding clamps.
I spend 69 hours sharpening my axes
Abraham Lincoln said that. Shame he couldn’t of gotten a Stihl chainsaw and cut the tree down in half an hour.
@Ed B Fake news.
@@scottshobbyz5416 i was looking for how long it took you. Pretty good for that kind of result with rudimentary tools
Great stuff! I will put this method to use right away. Bought a well-known manufacturer's axe the other day and at home when I removed the sheath I found the blade was completely dull. The times we live in..
That's a lot sharper than I usually bother with for an axe or hatchet, but you surely have made a great old tool look good and function beautifully!
Thanks. It sure does work well now.
Good one Scott, i just use a flap disc on a battery grinder. That works great and takes 30 seconds
I don't put this much effort into my general working axes. Just the ones I treasure.
@@scottshobbyz5416 I can dig that
@@terrysmith7740 flap discs going through the grit grades thats the way. Finish with wet and dry. You really have to love your axe for this dedication.