How to sharpen axes

An ax is a tool that accompanies a man in his life for millennia. These products are known stone, bronze, iron. Nowadays, the ax is used to make various designs of wood, for harvesting trees. This tool consists of a metal blade, which is rigidly attached to a wooden handle. Of course, over time, any blade will become blunt. How to sharpen an ax correctly so that you can use it effectively?

Sharpening an ax at home.

Ax and device

The main details of an ordinary ax:

• metal blade;
• wooden ax;
• metal or wooden wedge.

General view and name of the parts and parts of the ax.

The blade of the tool is made of quality steel, which contains more than 0.7% carbon. It is tool steel of various brands. Steel containing various impurities (phosphorus, oxygen, sulfur) has a much shorter service life. The tool from quality metal is marked with letter A.

Axes Species:

1. Multifunctional.
2. Universal.
3. Cleaver
4. Lumberjack.
5. Tourist.

The butt of multifunctional products can be made in the form of a pickaxe, nail puller, hammer. They do an excellent job with small amounts of work.

The most common type is the versatile ax. He is also called carpentry. The chopping part of the ax is characterized by a straight shape. They are used by professional joiners and carpenters, home craftsmen. Joiner's and carpentry tools differ in different angles of sharpening.

Cleaver is a special heavy ax. With it, they chop firewood. His blade looks like a wedge. It usually does not get stuck in the wood. Long ax handle significantly increases the impact.

Types of axes.

The lumbering variety is lighter, indispensable when cutting trees in the forest, when cutting branches from the trunk. The usual weight of such a tool is more than 2 kg. But there are also lightweight specimens, weighing 1-1.5 kg.

Tourist hiking hatchet is lightweight and compact. It is used in nature during hiking and picnics for preparing fuel for a fire, for setting up a tent.

How to sharpen an ax?

This product is indispensable when performing various works in the country, with the construction of buildings, greenhouses and greenhouses. Any instrument loses its sharpness over time. How to sharpen an ax yourself? For proper sharpening you can:

1. From a piece of tin, from a different material to make a pattern.
2. Choose a sharpening angle.
3. Run on the template cutout.
4. Attach it to the blade.

The device is a carpenter's ax.

The sharpening angle of a construction ax blade is usually 20-30 °. Carpenter tools sharpened at an angle of 35 °. The sharper it is, the less effort you need to apply when doing any work.

But at a low angle, the tool is able to dull very quickly and bind in the workpiece.

Therefore, the axes are sharpened at an angle of 35-40 °, logging axes - at an angle of 25-30 °.

You can manually sharpen an ax, you can use an electric sharpener for this operation, which is a rotating circle. For proper sharpening you will need:

• ax;
• device with a pattern;
• grindstone;
• lapping paste;
• special device for setting and editing the circle;
• marker;
• protractor;
• glasses and gloves.

The order of work with the use of elektrotochila something like this:

Sharpening an ax - forming a burr.

1. The machine must be installed on a solid and fairly flat surface.
2. Check abrasive wheel for flaws.
3. If necessary, sharpen the working circle with a special grinding stone until the surfaces are completely flattened.
4. To update sharpening at the same angle, you need to paint the surface of the blade with a black permanent marker.
5. The product being sharpened is fixed directly against the grinding wheel.
6. Blade must be lowered to the circle.
7. To fix the established angle of sharpening.
8. Manually make 2-3 revolutions of the working circle.
9. Remove the ax from the machine and check the cut remaining under the marker layer.
10. The procedure is repeated until the correct angle is found.
11. Fix the tool and sharpen until all irregularities and scratches are removed.
12. Leather circle sharpened spread paste.
13. Polish the blade by moving it along the surface of the circle.
14. Apply rust protection to the metal part.

Special tools for sharpening axes can be bought manually. Smith´s 50118 sharpener has proven itself very well. For a few pulls, it makes any blunt ax sharp. It is completely safe to use this device. As an abrasive, it uses elements of premium carbide. The set includes a special brush for cleaning tools. It is stored in the handle.

The simplest device used for sharpening by hand is an ordinary abrasive wheel. You can use the bar. To perform this sharpening you will need:

The angle of sharpening the ax.

• brush (preferably metal);
• metal rust protection agent;
• emery cloth with different grains;
• protective glasses;
• polishing paste (RA-70);
• vice;
• file is fake;
• whetstone (SP-650);
• machine oil.

Operating procedure:

1. Use a metal brush to remove rust from the blade.
2. To grind a surface of an edge at first large, then a small skin.
3. Polish tool with paste.
4. Lay the product on the table in such a way that the tip hangs over the edge. You can secure the ax in a vice.
5. Sharpen it with a chamfer file.
6. Remove metal chips and dust.
7. Continue sharpening double-sided stone in circular motions. The bar must first be treated with liquid. It can be water or engine oil.
8. Repeat the operation on the other side of the ax.
9. Treat the blade to protect it from rust.

Some useful tips

1. To measure the angle of sharpening, use the protractor.
2. Abrasive wheel to reduce its temperature should be periodically moistened with water.
3. After each pass, the ax should be immersed in a container filled with water.
4. It is possible to work only with a tool with a well-fitted ax.
5. When chopping wood, you need to put a piece of wood under it.
6. It is not recommended to leave the ax on the ground.
7. Do not chop metal objects.

An ax in any house, especially in a village, is an indispensable thing. This tool has passed through the millennia, almost without changing its appearance. Change only the materials for its manufacture. You can sharpen an ax at home with the help of simple tools and fixtures. Do it under the power of any home master.