Axe sharpening problems

[Phaestos]

I know this isn't an unfamiliar sight on this section of the forum, so apologies

After some helpful advice, I decided to tidy my hatchet up. Its a husky, and while I love the thing, the finish on it was far from the best I've seen. That said, it is my first and only axe, so I'm probably talking out of my behind.

My method of sharpening/tidying/polishing was wet and dry on a mousepad on a block of wood. Well I got the first two right, but the last kinda evaded me, so I settled for a plastic chopping board with the carpet rubber underneath to keep it in from sliding around the work surface. I worked up through the grades of paper with a stropping motion: 120, 240. 400, 600, 1200 (courtesy of Clas Ohlson) till it was mirroring my ugly mug back at me. Ive stropped it within an inch of its life, with smurf poo and just plain leather.

The edge looks flawless and im rather pleased with it, especially considering how it looked to begin with (no pics sorry). But it only just slices paper, and just tickles the hairs of my arm. Strange thing is, the heel and toe are razor sharp, but the bit isn't. Should I be happy with it as it is, or is there some fundamental trick I'm missing? Might the shape be an issue? Looking straight at the bit, the head bulges in the middle and slopes towards the heel and toe. I assume that usual.

Kinda stumped here guys...

Cheers

 

[Biker]

Could you be lifting the eye end of the head and rolling the cutting edge effectively dulling it on the wet and dry on the end of each stroke?

I'm sure more experienced minds than mine could advise you, I'm just quoting from my own experience after I discovered I'd done the same. Muscle memory has it's cons as well as it's pro's.

Good luck.

 

[Phaestos]

Could you be lifting the eye end of the head and rolling the cutting edge effectively dulling it on the wet and dry on the end of each stroke?

I'm sure more experienced minds than mine could advise you, I'm just quoting from my own experience after I discovered I'd done the same. Muscle memory has it's cons as well as it's pro's.

Good luck.

That is possible, although I was trying to make sure that didn't happen. Then again, the bit itself is really quite convex, so wouldnt a slight roll help?

 

[Biker]

That is possible, although I was trying to make sure that didn't happen. Then again, the bit itself is really quite convex, so wouldnt a slight roll help?

A slight roll would work if you can be sure you're polishing only the face, but the closer to the edge you get then you could end up just rounding it over, taking off that sharp edge you just created. It's a fine line and like I said I'm no expert. I tend to use a leather strop with flexcut yellow paste and keep the strop quite tight and let the tool bend the leather partially as I press it into the leather on the strokes. This method works for me, whereas the mouse mat method for me makes the tool's cutting edge depress too far into the neoprene/foam creating a tight radius over the cutting edge and losing it too easily.

I hope what I wrote above makes some sense.

 

[Shewie]

I used to struggle to get a good edge on my axes, I found this vid from Ben Orford last year and I've been getting much better results since ..

[video=youtube;AKJhhz-643k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKJhhz-643k[/video]

The marker pen really helps to gauge what you're doing at the start. I finish off with the ceramic side on my DC4 but still apply the pen line before I do it. Give it go and see how you get on.

 

[Phaestos]

I hope what I wrote above makes some sense.

Makes perfect sense. I'll try that when I get home. I have a real issue getting the smurf poo onto the strop sometimes though. If the edge looks fine will i just be ok with the strop, or should I head down then back up the grades of paper again?

 

[Phaestos]

I used to struggle to get a good edge on my axes, I found this vid from Ben Orford last year and I've been getting much better results since ..

[video=youtube;AKJhhz-643k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKJhhz-643k[/video]

The marker pen really helps to gauge what you're doing at the start. I finish off with the ceramic side on my DC4 but still apply the pen line before I do it. Give it go and see how you get on.

Literally found that last night It did help alot with getting a moderately sharp edge, but still not shaving sharp. I cant afford one of those whetstones, but I did whip up a wooden spatula with some fine wet and dry on it that got me to the point i am now

 

[Lister]

Literally found that last night It did help alot with getting a moderately sharp edge, but still not shaving sharp. I cant afford one of those whetstones, but I did whip up a wooden spatula with some fine wet and dry on it that got me to the point i am now

+1 on the video, i find i can get the my axes sharping sharp quite easy, if you're having problems, you could knock yourself up a jig with a few batons of ply, a nut and a screw.

 

[Phaestos]

Just checking here, I want to be moving the towards me, right? as if stropping? Rather than cutting into the stone/paper as I would with a scandi ground knife?