Axe sharpness?

[Jacknife]

How sharp should an axe be?

Does it HAVE to be razor sharp to cut at its best?

Would sharp, but not paper slicing sharpness be acceptable?

Would a razor sharp axe dull quicker?

Does it depend on the intended use?

I'm not talking about splitters obviously.

Your views please.

 

[bushwacker bob]

yes.
to all questions

 

[tomtom]

the sharper the axe the easier it will make your job, i read, i think in nessmuk, that loggers would sharpen there axes a couple of times on each tree they cut as it would reduce the ammount of cuts they had to make over all if they kept it touched up.. becarful not to make the edge to thin though, because of the heavy work required of it if it is to fragile it will be easily damaged.

 

[Jacknife]

becarful not to make the edge to thin though, because of the heavy work required of it if it is to fragile it will be easily damaged.

This is what I'm wondering, obviously sharp is good, but does there come a point when you should trade sharpness for durability? The thinner the edge in theory the sharper the edge I would say.
I'll have to do some field tests when the weather warms up.

Thanks for your views.....any more?

 

[Fiddleback]

The bevel you decide to use is very important on an axe head also. A convex grind is appropriate IMHO. It will get stuck less and also be stronger at the edge. YMMV.

 

[OldJimbo]

My hatchets and axes are sharp enough to whittle fuzzies with - and the bevels polished.
What's also being asked is the angle of the bevel. Best to keep to an angle which would be that if you used a large enough stone or sanding pad to just miss the metal at the eye. I normally sharpen initially on a belt grinder and hold the axe so the belt just touches the metal at the eye as well as the bevel. This keeps everything lined up. If that makes any sense...

 

[capacious]

Your axe should be just sharp enough to shave feather sticks, but no sharper than that. If it were any sharper, the edge would be too fine and it would blunt rapidly when you're chopping anything. And it needs a convex bevel. Thats what I reckon anyway, but I know someone who reprofiled his gransfors to a flat bevel as an experiment, and has never looked back. I can't say I'd be inclined to do that though........

That's my 2p as it were,

Jake.

 

[pierre girard]

I use a flat bevel. I keep my best hand axe and my best felling axe - razor sharp. To sharpen them, I use a razor stone. Takes a lot of time. My other axes (I have 7 or 8 hand axes, and about ten felling axes, some of them, double bit) - less sharp. To sharpen them, I use a foot powered grindstone.

PG

 

[mrostov]

Way back when I originally put a convex bevel on my Norlund with a sanding block. I now keep it sharp enough to shave hair with 1"x3" EZE-Lap diamond pocket hone.