Tuesday, January 28, 2014

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
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2 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 25, 2017 at 12:43 AM

    thanks

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  2. UnknownApril 12, 2017 at 8:03 PM

    Sharpening an axe is very different and riskier than sharpening your regular knives. In such cases, I make sure I always wear thick protective gloves and avoid sharpening the axe in my lap (which is dangerous, to say the least!). I have friends who have angle grinders and I periodically ask them to use them in order to keep my axe in tip-top shape. Also, make sure when using a hand file to secure the axe so it doesn't move or fall. Likewise, whetstones can be used for minor sharpening. For more information and tips, see this awesome page: http://backpackingmastery.com/skills/how-to-sharpen-an-axe.html

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