Preferred Tool For Sharpen Your Axe ????

[Witterings]

I already had a bastard file for getting rid of nicks / rough edges and recently bought a Lansky puck hoping to get a slightly better edge but I can't say I get on with it .... it may be that I haven't clamped down the head so I'm not getting enough pressure but I've been left pretty underwhelmed but that may be down to my technique.

 

A while back I bought a decent Whetstone for my kitchen knives and I've never had them so sharp, I'm tempted just to buy another cheaper Whetsone (wouldn't use and expensive'ish kitchen knife one for axes)  but thought I'd see what others use / prefer before I did.

 

Alternatives I'm looking at .... some cheapish diamond stones as an axe doesn't need quite the refined edge a kitchen knife does and they tend to cut / get the job done quicker.

Have never tried one but have seen loads of great reviews of the Fallkniven sharpeners for knives so was looking at the Fallkniven DC4 for axes.

 

If you google best axe sharpeners the Work Sharp cpmes up repeatedly

 

Lastly the one that's possibly the simplest to use the Fiskars XSharp although I've always been quite hesitant about the "pull through" type sharpeners as they eat metal ... although this claims as it's ceramic rather than metal rollers it doesn't.

 

Be good to hear what others get on with although I think I'm awful tempted with just getting a Whetstone as they've worked so well for me with knives.

[Rough Hewn]

Double sided whetstone.
Can get them from the pound shop or any hardware store.
Leave it in a bucket of rainwater.
I use the same stone for drawknives.
[emoji106]

[Steven P]

I have a file for the dinks, a stone and a Fiskars Xsharp. I was dubious about the Fiskars but on their axe it is OK, dead easy to just quickly run the axe through it a couple of times without a big sharpening set up needed. Not had much luck on the hand axe with it yet, the blade is a different angle and it needs a bit of work to get it to match the XSharp, having said that, the knife side works well in the kitchen too.

 

Can't go wrong with a stone and a file, does the lawnmower as well

[Silverhooker]

File for dinks and a stone for finishing, very relaxing job. I enjoy sharpening.

[Dbikeguy]

Belt grinder in the workshop for the major work, slack top puts a lovely quick edge on it, then a puck for the final dress work. Worth persevering with the puck it’s small and easy to move around for field work if you test something other than wood with the axe.

[openspaceman]

24 minutes ago, Silverhooker said:

File for dinks and a stone for finishing, very relaxing job. I enjoy sharpening.

It was always stone to hone and file to sharpen but last time I felled with an axe was 1983 and I cheated for all but the last 10 blows for the camera.

[mtt.tr]

Not that it helps, but i have a sizeable belt linisher. Finish with a diamond

[sime42]

Gransfors axe stone for me. It's not cheap, like all their stuff, but I reckon it should last a lifetime, unless you're an old school lumberjack. It's got a course and a fine side. Once you get the knack of it you can put a lovely edge on an axe, and polish the cheeks if you want to as well, (improves cutting due to less friction). Quite therapeutic to use if you've got the time.
If the axe is really blunt then a file to start with is good.
I've had some success with peening knicks back in before. If the edge is otherwise quite good except for a knick or ding or two. It's quicker to push the metal back into line with the rest of the edge rather than removing loads of edge metal to get it all aligned to the low point of the dent. (If you follow what I mean).

[doobin]

Angle grinder and a ceramic sanding disc on a backing pad. Cuts cool and won’t blue the edge. 

[Witterings]

2 hours ago, Dbikeguy said:

Belt grinder in the workshop for the major work

 

1 hour ago, mtt.tr said:

Not that it helps, but i have a sizeable belt linisher. Finish with a diamond

 

39 minutes ago, doobin said:

Angle grinder and a ceramic sanding disc on a backing pad. Cuts cool and won’t blue the edge. 

 

This isn't a criticism at all in case anybody takes it the wrong was but instead is me trying to learn but wouldn't all of these create heat which then softens the metal / tempering so it's not so strong in the future???

 

Certainly something power driven that doesn't weaken a blade for the future would probably be my preferred.