Easy Axe Sharpening Vise

This is made from a salvaged steel angle 1" x 1" x 1/8", 5/16"-18 T knobs, 5/16"-18 x 2-1/2" carriage bolts with the round heads cut off, pronged tee nuts, a strip of aluminum, and foam padding. I screwed the bolts into the T knobs and epoxied them in place (I could not locate T knobs with a screw long enough). The pronged tee nuts went under the 3/4" thick workbench top. This holds the axe head securely and allows me to unscrew the T knobs and remove it when not in use. The aluminum strip prevents steel-to-steel scratches.

Some styles of axes may need a 1/4" thick rubber strip under the poll to tilt the head forward.

Axe sharpening vise

Please exercise great care in sharpening axes. Use cut-resistant gloves (top right corner of picture) and a guard on the file. There is no guard shown because this axe is not sharp yet.

Another axe sharpening aid is a bevel gauge, as shown here:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/publications/fs_publications/05232810/page18.cfm