My first axe!

[Ed]

More importantly using it and the staining it picks up from the wood ect will actually help protect the metal from moisture. And give the axe character.

And they do go some funny colours.... I was using my GB mini to do veg the other night and after the onions my mini was nice shades of electric blue fading to black.... It went a bluey/purpley colour once when I was carving wood, but i can't remember the wood.... that looked nice

Ed

 

[Gary]

Try sweet chestnut - it almost blackens the blade!

 

[sargey]

you finally got an axe ed? i thought you didn't use those heathen appliances?

cheers, and.

 

[Ed]

sargey, I've had the GB mini for over a year now and I think its a wonderful tool to replace a knife and it an be pressed to heavier tasks but thats about it for me as far as axes go.... any serious chopping, felling, coppicing or general woodmans work I'll stick to my 100yr old (and still doing its job) billhook thank you very much.


Ed

 

[bushwacker bob]

FELLING with a bill hook :super: :ekt:


.....Jacks gonna love that

 

[Ed]

.....Jacks gonna love that

..... he's the one who explained to me how it was one ;-)

Ed

 

[ScottC]

I got a nick yesterday so I was up all night sharpening it, I can't seem to get it to it's original sharpness and it currently cannot even slice a piece of paper. Do you think I should buy a finer grit stone or is there some tips/tricks that you can enlighten me with to make it sharper.

I have been using a 1000/6000 combination Japanese Waterstone.

Thanks

 

[Adi007]

Are you sharpening it in little circles on the stone? I find that a hand held small DMT diamond stone does the trick. I can get an axe shaving sharp with either the fine or coarse stone doing little circles across the edge.

 

[ScottC]

I have been sharpening it the same way as my knife, as described in Mears Bushcraft. I do not particuarly want to invest in another stone as I'm pretty skint at the moment and am saving for another piece of kit. Has any of you achieved a razor edge with a waterstone rather than a diamond with the same technique as Adi or even a different technique??

 

[Adi007]

I have been sharpening it the same way as my knife, as described in Mears Bushcraft. I do not particuarly want to invest in another stone as I'm pretty skint at the moment and am saving for another piece of kit. Has any of you achieved a razor edge with a waterstone rather than a diamond with the same technique as Adi or even a different technique??

You can use the exact same technique ... hold the stone and make little circles across the blade.

http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/yxboken/bok17.htm

Make sure the stone is well lubricated with water.

No problems! :biggthump

 

[Ed]

I sharpen axes using the 'wet and dry paper + mouse mat' system and it works a treat. I find it really helps in keeping that convex profile on the head. I work to a very fine grit then finish with a strop (home made from razor strop fungus).
Though the min is shaving sharp after i have done this, it still doesn't seem as sharp as when it came from the factory..... so don't get too disheartened.... remember they will have big industrial buffing wheels to get that edge poping sharpness on them in the factory..... that probably helps


Ed

 

[JakeR]

I never noticed that, when i buy a knife i can usually make it sharper. I suppose i dont own an axe. But my Billhook came from Axminster with a very dull edge and huge machine marks down the bevel. That took a while to get to a workable edge!

Scott, I know it can get addictive or whatever but perhaps if you got some sleep you would do a better job!!!

Cheers,

Jake

 

[Jack]

FELLING with a bill hook :super: :ekt:


.....Jacks gonna love that

Ed has seen the light and uses a hook that is the same as one of mine.......they are both over a century old!


And remember;

You never actually own a billhook. You merely look after it for the next generation.

Jack.

 

[MartiniDave]

"You never actually own a billhook. You merely look after it for the next generation." unless its a Bulld*g which you'll wish you didn't own!

Dave

 

[JakeR]

And remember;

You never actually own a billhook. You merely look after it for the next generation.

Jack.

Isnt that Patek Phillipe? I see you read National Geographic!! lol, i like that saying but the first time i read it i was so out of it it took me a while to actually figure out what it means!

Cheers,

Jake

 

[Jack]

Isnt that Patek Phillipe? I see you read National Geographic!! lol, i like that saying but the first time i read it i was so out of it it took me a while to actually figure out what it means!

Cheers,

Jake

It funny you know, my Father always quotes that to me everytime I eye up his ships clock that he has above the fire, it is a solid brass one and is from a merchant ship from the early 1900's...........always had my eye on it!......one day, maybe!

 

[ScottC]

I sharpen axes using the 'wet and dry paper + mouse mat' system and it works a treat. I find it really helps in keeping that convex profile on the head. I work to a very fine grit then finish with a strop (home made from razor strop fungus).
Though the min is shaving sharp after i have done this, it still doesn't seem as sharp as when it came from the factory..... so don't get too disheartened.... remember they will have big industrial buffing wheels to get that edge poping sharpness on them in the factory..... that probably helps


Ed

Tell me more about this 'wet and dry paper + mouse mat' system, how do you make it?

 

[bushwacker bob]

try this link(if I've done it right)
http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=842

 

[Justin Time]

Bob, you missed out a backslash after the colon:
http:/www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=842
instead of
http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showthread.php?t=842

 

[ScottC]

cheers guys