Axe Sharpening.. 1st go...

[Partickpebbles]

Hi recently invested in a Dremel Hobby tool and today had my first go with the sharpening tool on my old axe.

Got to say am quite impressed, got it very sharp indeed.

I guess that if the edge is razor sharp, then should I assume the edge is weaker?

Cheers

 

[Samon]

I think 'focus' still sell a cheap bench grinder for about £20, had mine for years and ive used it to reshape the grind on my axe and make machetes/knives ready for a fine honing. I used a dremel on some tools years ago and its good but i prefer the grinder.
The edge will be 'weaker' but if its polished and looked after it wont need working with a dremel for a while and if its a standard axe metal it wont be very brittle so wont chip any time soon.

 

[Asa Samuel]

Ouch, all this talk of powertool sharpening is ruining my temper! (Pun intended)

But seriously, high-speed tools like dremels and bench grinders will heat up the metal in a very short time and ruin the temper of the blade which will weaken the metal. If something is really blunt it's much better to buy a low-grit whetstone and take your time with it, stopping every so often to make sure the blade stays cool (Or dipping it in water).

As for razor-sharpness, I find angles are more important as to whether an edge is stronger or not. A blunt blade is dangerous and harder to use so surely a razor-sharp edge is worth a few strops on a piece of leather to keep it that way?

 

[Samon]

If the axe is all snagged shape then a grind is needed, what sort of temperature will remove a temper? Obviously if its baking hot but from a light grind you reckon?

 

[Asa Samuel]

If an axe is so out of shape that you feel a grinder is necessary then I doubt it would be a light grind. I don't know the exact temperature that will ruin a temper but it's a generally accepted fact that grinders and high-speed tools + blades don't mix. If you still want to use the grinder then run it really slow and make sure to dip it in water often. You're probably just better off getting a deccent range of bench stones though.
Check out www.britishblades.com if you want some more info on sharpening or metallurgy.

 

[Ian S]

I have used files and diamond stones to take an old axe-head from won't-cut-warm-butter (ie edge thickness 1mm or more) to a nice sharp grind, but it takes ages. You could easily spend 3 or 4 hours hand grinding an edge.

I now have a Clarkes bench grinder/belt sander and I can do the same job in, say, 20 minutes. Take one pass with the grinder or the sander and feel how hot the edge is, dip it in cold water and do the same again. You have to take care to keep the heat down, but the time saving is worth it in my book.

Cheers

 

[Samon]

I have used files and diamond stones to take an old axe-head from won't-cut-warm-butter (ie edge thickness 1mm or more) to a nice sharp grind, but it takes ages. You could easily spend 3 or 4 hours hand grinding an edge.

I now have a Clarkes bench grinder/belt sander and I can do the same job in, say, 20 minutes. Take one pass with the grinder or the sander and feel how hot the edge is, dip it in cold water and do the same again. You have to take care to keep the heat down, but the time saving is worth it in my book.

Cheers

yeah i think i will water cool it every time it gets mroe than warm from now on, i checked out green petes website and he goes through a tempering/hardening process on there with temperature guides. I dont think ive had the blade way too hot when the blade looked like death after it was used to chop a kids bike in half.. (didnt really want it anymore, but have since cared for it much better)

 

[Partickpebbles]

Thanks for all the comments, found myself now sharpening every blade/knife/garden tool i own!

 

[Highbinder]

AFAIK a soft belt sander would be your best bet, that way you could get rolls from 240 to up 2000 or whatever, and then plain leather to use with stropping compounds. Perfect for any convex edge from what I've seen.

 

[dixienormns]

i only use japanese water stones 800 1200 6000 grit the first time i sharpened my wetterlings axe i wiped the water off the blade an split my finger open like razor blade went across it to much heat with grinding will take the temper out of the steal