Posted: 7/8/2007 3:07:33 PM EDT
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What is the best way to sharpen a hatchet? My mom bought me a bunch of "outdoor-ish" gear for my Bday and she gave me a cheap-o hatchet. It isn't very sharp at all. What is a good/cheap device to sharpen them? Also why we are on the topic ... could someone point me in the direction of a good multi-purpose knife sharpener that isn't really expensive? I would just be sharpening my different pocket knives/fillet knife/fixed blades. |
| Get a brand new 'bastard' file; Nicholson, made in USA is best. Rub a piece of blackboard chaulk on the file before you start and it will last longer. Don't sharpen the edge, sharpen the whole front 1" as one bevel. Hatchets are waay more dangerous than an axe, they bounce and your other hand gets in the way. Blood runs out of a hatchet wound so fast you won't believe it. |
I use a file and a vise to hold the ax. If nothing else get a used BoyScout hand book. It well show you how to sharpen an ax as well as knives. The book has many other usefull information. (I have about three different hand books) Hope this helped!!! PITA45 
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Use the gatco system for knives. All my knives are damm near razor sharp. www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=GA10003 |
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Honestly, the best way is to put a real convex edge on the axe. A Craftsman 2 X 42 inch belt sander is the easiest way to do this. Once you learn how to convex an edge, you won't look back. Convex edge will last longer and is WAY easier to sharpen and keep sharp. I have a piece of crap Gerber hatchet that came with a beveled edge. Spent literally 10 minutes in the garage and it is actually a usefull tool now. Good luck. |
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If you want to use it to throw and stick then you want it razor sharp as it will split the grain and stick in to it. If you really want use it as a hatchet then you want a shearing point on it. That would be one that is a convex edge with a flat on the very, very edge of the blade. It will shear the wood and not have a tendency to stick. A simpler way to do what I mean is to use a bastard to get it shaped, flip and use the mill to remove tool marks, and then one pass with even pressure with the mill perfectly perpendicular to the blade giving it a squared, thus two shearing edges, edge. It seems counterproductive but it really does make it cut better removing the sharp point and leaving two edges, but two edges are better than one...;) |
+1 on the FILE!