Ax and sharpening / care

[pk64f100]

I purchased a ax and this is what it is "SOG Specialty Knives & Tools F06-N Fast Hawk Tactical Tomahawk, Black". I really like the way it feels and think I did good but it is dull and want to put a good sharp edge on it since it is more fro SD than chopping wood which I have one for that purpose. Do I treat the blade as a typical knife or should i use mechanical ways to put sharp edge on it since it is really thick metal at the blade. The angle is not like a knife but more triangle. Thanks.

 

[NickZac]

Some axes/tomahawks are not going to be well-suited for the fine edge used on a knife. The steel generally isn't as great, the hardening isn't as great, and often the edge-types aren't meant to carry a super sharp edge in the sense that the grind is for strength. Too fine of an edge and the blade itself may be weakened...and in some cases, you may have to remove a ton of steel to see major results (There are some makers who use steels and grinds in which they can be razor sharp, but these are generally higher-end items).

Do you know what edge type it is? (i.e. double bevel, chisel, convex, V, etc.)?

I sharpen most of my mainstream axes and hatchets with the combination of sandpaper on a wheel, the Spyderco SharpMaker and this product. I flip the SharpMaker upside down, place the most coarse stones non-grooved side up in the underside channels, and use it in the fashion of a wetstone...I never go past medium grit. I use the grooved channels on the SharpMaker stones to finish the points/tips to a sharp point. I mark all edges with a red Sharpie to I can ensure I am making contact with the portion of the edge I intend to.

 

[pk64f100]

Thanks for the info!

I appreciate your time and help. This helps out huge, i will definitely take your advice after I do some investigation on metal type and get some sharpening equip't / materials. Thanks

 

[SuperMag]

I use a puck stone for all my axes and hatchets. Look here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFBImoymbUA

 

[gunrunner]

Nickzak is correct. A file and the a puck or sandpaper is all that is needed on that level of steel. I was looking at these at walmart just today. So I know what your looking at. A good bastard file and two sided axe puck stone is all you will need. It has no weight though. So chopping performance will be low and the edge you achieve won't hold for long. So it won't excel as a knife either. It's pretty much made to be thrown. So don't expect to much. If you polish a turd, you still have a turd.

 

[Sam Salvati]

You could bring it by my shop, A regrind is no problem. Alot of experience grinding to protect the temper.

 

[alucard0822]

I have a couple fasthawks, small, light and cheap. For a chopping or cutting edge, I Use a belt sander with slack to give a nice polished convex edge. It glides through material, but keeps the bit as thick as possible behind the edge to protect it. If I intend to throw it, I'll use a flat wheel or the flat guide on the belt sander to give a flat taper around 15-20 degrees with 80 grit, then a secondary bevel at the edge about 30 degrees, keep the wide taper bevel rough, and polish the small edge bevel, it helps dig into wood, and stick.

You can see both methods here, the M48 has a taper/secondary bevel and sharpened beard for throwing/defense, the fasthawk on the right has a single polished convex bevel for hacking and chopping. Both are shaving sharp, and the edges last a while with decent resistance to damage.

 

[hutchinsonkw]

I use either files or a belt sander. I have the $30, on sale, one from harbor freight and I used the 20% off coupon ontop of the sale price. It is the fastest way to get a nice polished convex edge. I do this on my wood axes though which tend to be tougher/harder metal. Like mentioned before a thinner edge on a axe or hatchet can make the edge brittle so I am a big fan of a convex edge to retain some strength.

 

[NickZac]

I have a couple fasthawks, small, light and cheap. For a chopping or cutting edge, I Use a belt sander with slack to give a nice polished convex edge. It glides through material, but keeps the bit as thick as possible behind the edge to protect it. If I intend to throw it, I'll use a flat wheel or the flat guide on the belt sander to give a flat taper around 15-20 degrees with 80 grit, then a secondary bevel at the edge about 30 degrees, keep the wide taper bevel rough, and polish the small edge bevel, it helps dig into wood, and stick.

You can see both methods here, the M48 has a taper/secondary bevel and sharpened beard for throwing/defense, the fasthawk on the right has a single polished convex bevel for hacking and chopping. Both are shaving sharp, and the edges last a while with decent resistance to damage.

View attachment 101510

I bet your M48 is really nice! The grind looks great. I have a M48 and I HATE the factory grind...how difficult was it to do with yours? It seems like a job you need a sander for given how much metal would be removed on a full regrind from the factory edge. I've wanted to do something with the factory grind for a while...

 

[alucard0822]

I bet your M48 is really nice! The grind looks great. I have a M48 and I HATE the factory grind...how difficult was it to do with yours? It seems like a job you need a sander for given how much metal would be removed on a full regrind from the factory edge. I've wanted to do something with the factory grind for a while...

Thanks, yea, the factory grind kinda sucked. Axes and hawks are actually easier to sharpen on the belt sander than knives, being very broad from edge to heel/spike you can hold an angle easily, just take time and keep it moving so it doesn't heat up, and it'll sharpen or reprofile quick. The M48 suffers from an unsharpened beard, which is stupid, so I ground that in too, the double edged point is vary sharp.

Here are a couple of my heavily used working axes, X15, X27 and brush axe, I'm a Fiskars fan, they absolutely plow through wood with about 1/2 the weight of the splitter and chopper they replaced. Sharpened them early last year with a polished single convex bevel around 50(x15) to 60(x27) degrees inclusive (40 degree inclusive edge on top of the factory relief bevel on the brush axe), felled and limbed a couple trees, split a couple cords, and they sat in the shed for a few months, the edges are still sharp and clean.

 

[coopermania]

I tend to keep it simple when I sharpen a firewood ax or hatchet , I put the tool in a vice and grab a large Bastard file and Draw file it.

 

[NickZac]

Thanks, yea, the factory grind kinda sucked. Axes and hawks are actually easier to sharpen on the belt sander than knives, being very broad from edge to heel/spike you can hold an angle easily, just take time and keep it moving so it doesn't heat up, and it'll sharpen or reprofile quick. The M48 suffers from an unsharpened beard, which is stupid, so I ground that in too, the double edged point is vary sharp.

Here are a couple of my heavily used working axes, X15, X27 and brush axe, I'm a Fiskars fan, they absolutely plow through wood with about 1/2 the weight of the splitter and chopper they replaced. Sharpened them early last year with a polished single convex bevel around 50(x15) to 60(x27) degrees inclusive (40 degree inclusive edge on top of the factory relief bevel on the brush axe), felled and limbed a couple trees, split a couple cords, and they sat in the shed for a few months, the edges are still sharp and clean.

View attachment 101582

I like the re-grind on them too!

I hate the grind on the M48 for the reasons you noted. Its edge isn't even, it doesn't have a nice taper, it comes with a heavy burr, it has that false edge, and the factory edge isn't very strong even for defensive usage. I love the axe tho...a nicer grind would make me love it even more.

I was so unhappy with the grind on the M48 I purchased an Estwing tomahawk and wrapped it myself...I was surprised it was almost the same price since it's USA made. It's a V grind with a slightly convex edge with a longer taper...tho it's grind seems to be more based for utility than defense.

Could I pay you to do a regrind on my M48?