Welcome to Axe General! Ask questions, share pictures, projects, purchases, knowledge, etc. Learn which profile will work best for your application. What do you carry, and how does it suit your needs? What is your preferred handle length/head weight?

Sharpening edition:

A sharp tool is a safe tool. You can have a shaving sharp axe with very basic tools. A bastard file will remove large chips, allow you to alter the profile and geometry of the axe, and most of the time will leave you with a tool sharp enough to chop effectively. Splitting axes can be maintained and kept sharper than they need to be with a file.

Sandpaper and a flat sanding block can achieve a razor sharp edge simply by following the existing bevel angle starting with 220grit and stopping at 1000 grit. You can continue with higher grits if you wish to achieve a mirror finish. Stropping with an old leather belt loaded with green polishing compound will remove the burr and create a microbevel that will aid in edge retention. Stones also work exceptionally well and are preferred by many. Japanese stones cut very quickly but wear down at an extreme rate. Arkansas stones are pricier but will last a lifetime.

A sharpening puck is great for quick edge touch ups in the field. A basic toolkit that takes up minimal space and can fix everything aside from a broken handle would be: 2 sided puck (250 and 1000 grit), 6 inch bastard file, strip of leather, 2 metal step wedges (should the head become loose).

Links:

>USFS "One Moving Part" PDF download links

https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/php/library_card.php?p_num=1823%202812P

>USFS "An Axe To Grind"

https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/htmlpubs/htm99232823/page02.htm


>Literary References Short List

https://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2012/03/axe-books-and-books-about-axes.html

>Introduction Into Re-profiling An Axe

https://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/08/grindingre-profiling-axecontinued.html?m=1