Which edge for wood carving?

[mrcairney]

I've been stalking Robin Wood's posts lately, as I'm keen to get started on some spoon and kuksa carving and the man knows his stuff.

I'm also quite tight and I'm not prepared to spend £80 on a GB carving axe when it might transpire that I don't have aptitude for such work.

A budget axe with decent steel is the Husqvarna 576 I believe and there's the even more affordable Bahco, so would be a good choice for the frugal chancer.

I've seen posts that suggest that although the steel and temper is good on certain budget axes, the edge will need a bit of work bringing into line for carving. Helpfully, I've found this, which outlines the choices available in the GB carving axe:

http://www.greenwood-direct.co.uk/default.cfm/loaddoc.260

Which bevel will I need for carving? Is it a simply if you tool with the right hand, go with a right bevel, if you tool with both go with the double?

Also, is edging an axe with a flat bevel the same as adding a scandi to a knife?

Cheers!

 

[luckylee]

hi mate i hope all is well, you no the files i spoke to you about not only will they be good for wood work they wood be perfect for this, not the rasps lol, the ******* file and second cut those ones, when it comes to sharpening your axe, you need to use a rocking motion, not like on a scandi, as the edge of the axe is convex, oh i just thought you have done your sword peasant haven't you, well the edge of the axe is similar to that bud, you can take the axe to the sand paper the same way as you would of for your knife, but it sounds like you need to re profile so go with the file first, then go to the sand paper, i hope this helps, i bet there is a tutorial here some where on the subject mate.
take care.
lee.

 

[mrcairney]

Hi Lee, great stuff, specially since I found that link with the no-handlers. Score! I was going to pick up a bstard and a second anyway, so no time like the present! I converted my Svord to a convex so I'm used to maintaining that. Though I reckon carving axes actually need a flat grind?

 

[luckylee]

Hi Lee, great stuff, specially since I found that link with the no-handlers. Score! I was going to pick up a bstard and a second anyway, so no time like the present! I converted my Svord to a convex so I'm used to maintaining that. Though I reckon carving axes actually need a flat grind?

hi mate i'm not sure on the flat grind thing but all my axes have a convex on them, but maybe the dedicated carving axes have a flad grind, what grind does the gb carving axe have?

 

[luckylee]

hi mate i'm not sure on the flat grind thing but all my axes have a convex on them, but maybe the dedicated carving axes have a flad grind, what grind does the gb carving axe have?

have you seen these, i think they are the gransfors brucks wildlife and a few of the other range, but they have turned them into carving axes. http://www.greenwood-direct.co.uk/default.cfm/loaddoc.263

 

[mrcairney]

It's seems after further digging that Robin Wood favours the double bevel: http://greenwood-carving.blogspot.com/2010/07/which-is-best-axe-for-carving-bushcraft.html

Wille designed it to have a slightly longer bevel on the left side to help control carving and they used to come that way it now comes either completely flat on the left like a side axe or with an even bevel. Out of the two I would favour the even beveled one as the flat sided one tends to dig in a little and be more difficult to carve concave areas.

So that should be much easier to sort out

 

[mrcairney]

I like those sexy axes Lee, but I want to pick up something affordable just in case I turn out to be useless.

 

[mrcairney]

Picked up this Brades axe. Don't know the number, but it's a 2lb (all in) and I think it's a Kent shape? Dunno really. Hope it'll be carve worthy, only cost £15 and it'll be nice to restore it.



Now it's arrived I can see it's a 311 Number 2, Steel Poll Hatched. Checked it out in the Brades catalogue from 1951! http://cl.ly/9Crb

 

[Ian S]

Yup, Kent pattern and rather unused - the length of blade between the edge and the eye is good, and the cutting edge is only slightly curved.

Give ita good sharpening, and you'll have a very competent tool for most hatchet work, including carving.

Cheers

 

[mrcairney]

i think my bum looks too big in this after sharpening. I really think it needs to be much more acute...



granted that's a close up shot, but when compared to a GB grind:



Back to the grind stone, as it where...

 

[Ian S]

Looks pretty good to me - give it a try on a piece of wood and see how it works.

The edge angle looks quite low, but your axe is quite thick behind the cutting edge. This may well be an advantage for a carving axe - lots of weight forward. A Gransfors carver is quite thick behind the cutting edge for this reason.

Cheers

 

[mrcairney]

Hi Ian, I did and it didn't produce the cut I was expecting (so far as you can expect from an axe). It really opened up the wood with a fat cut. I think I'll bring it back a little further and see. After all, it's over 50 years old! The cutting edge is much thinner than the rest of the head (obviously) so I'll try and bring it into line with that

 

[Dazza76]

Gränsfors Bruks axes are superb. You won't go far wrong with them.