Axe jig

[Mike Fairleigh]

Just wondering if anyone here has experience with the axe jig?  I've recently developed an interest in axes and have been wondering how good a tool the Tormek is for sharpening these (necessarily) convex-edged tools.

[tonylumps]

Mike it really works good.I did my long handle with the Jig. Now I am a little leary about it I think I put to much of an edge on it One slip and it won't take any prisoners. Had to do my Carpenter Hatchet by hand because of the Hammer head. It came out pretty good.

[Jeff Farris]

Mike,

I use the Tormek on my axes, but do it freehand, rather than with the jig. The jig does not produce the convex edge that is generally preferred on an axe or hatchet.

[Mike Fairleigh]

Thanks Jeff, can you describe the action you use when grinding a convex-edged axe - do you move the tool parallel to the edge, or perpendicular with some sort of rocking motion?

[Jeff Farris]

Thanks Jeff, can you describe the action you use when grinding a convex-edged axe - do you move the tool parallel to the edge, or perpendicular with some sort of rocking motion?

Yes. 






Okay, that was a little flip.  But, in fact, it's about what I do. I work across the stone, parallel with the edge, three or four passes, with the edge off the stone, in effect working the back of the bevel. Then I raise the angle slightly and repeat. I keep doing this until I am up at an angle where the edge is being ground, then I work back down to the back of the bevel. Turn the head over and do the same on the other side. On a typical axe head, I probably work 4 "sections", but don't work at keeping them distinct...in fact you want to make sure you don't work at exactly the same point too often, with the exception of the work right at the cutting edge and (less critical) at the back of the bevel.

[Mike Fairleigh]

Great description, thanks Jeff.  That's exactly what I did to remove a nick that came on one of the new axes I recently acquired, so I'm relieved to know I did it right. 

On a related note, a Youtube video demonstrating some of these kinds of freehand sharpenings would be a really cool thing to see.  The more Tormek-y I get, the more I see the need to get good at freehanding.

[Herman Trivilino]

I assume you are working with the grindstone moving away from you?

[Jeff Farris]

That would be a correct assumption. 

[The Finn]

Jeff, what grit would be good choice for basic axe sharpening?

[Jeff Farris]

220 (ungraded). Axes generally need quite a bit of stock removal, and the steel is fairly soft.

[The Finn]

220 (ungraded). Axes generally need quite a bit of stock removal, and the steel is fairly soft.

Thanks! Just sharpened one medium sized splitting axe. I used jig for the sharp edge and convexed rest with freehand. Results were way better than I expected