>>180057Continue to file equally on both sides of the ax until the sharpening gauge pattern fits exactly over the edge.
If you are sharpening a double–bit ax, keep one blade slightly thicker for rough work and grubbing near the
ground, and the other blade shaped according to the sharpening gauge. Use the properly shaped edge for
fast, clean cutting.
Now it is time to hone the edge with a whetstone. The honing process finishes and polishes the edge and
removes the burr. Honing should always be done immediately after reshaping with a file. It should also be
done in the field during use and every morning before starting the day's ax work. Natural whetstones are
quarry stones. My favorites are Arkansas stones, which come in different grades. The Washita is my favorite
for fast cutting and the Hard Arkansas is my favorite for finishing. One of the finest finishing oil stones is called
a Surgical Black Hard Arkansas. This stone will put a razor edge on your ax. Manmade stones are usually oil
stones of Carborundum and come with a coarse and a fine side. Other whetstones are called water stones
and use water to float the metal particles out of the stone instead of oil. Always use oil with an oil stone or
water with a water stone to float the metal particles away. Wipe the stone clean of these metal particles
periodically and apply more oil or water. Water stones are quite a bit softer than oil stones and tend to cup
and wear faster. The advantage of the water stone is that it rapidly puts a fine polished edge on your ax.
