How to Sharpen an Axe Blade

Using a dull axe blade is dangerous and must never be attempted. There are many ways to sharpen a dull or deformed axe blade, and all can be done in a short amount of time. Use the following tips to learn how to properly sharpen an axe blade.

Things You'll Need

• Whetstone
• Water or motor oil

Instructions

1. Inspect the axe blade carefully. The blade itself might be chipped or dented, which requires replacement. If the blade has been damaged beyond sharpening, replace or take to a professional.

2. Clean the blade completely. Remove all dust, debris and rust from the implement. Sharpening a dirty blade can be dangerous and will actually damage the axe even more.

3. Check the sharpness of the axe blade. Look at the angle of sharpness and adjust tooling accordingly.

4. Wet a whetstone completely and start with the medium-grain side against the blade. Motor oil is another common lubricant for whetstones when water is not available.

5. Use long, smooth strokes against the whetstone at the correct angle, away from the body. For every ten strokes away from the body, use one stroke to the other side of the blade to achieve a truer edge.

6. Move to a finer grain whetstone after the truing process is completed to add a very fine, sharp edge to the axe blade.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a metal file to remove any nicks or abrasions from the blade.

• Hold the axe blade up to the light after sharpening. If the blade reflects light, it needs to be sharpened more.

• Add a light coat of oil to the blade to prevent any rusting.

• Wear eye protection and gloves while sharpening an axe blade.

Resources

• Find a wealth of do-it-yourself projects on this organization's website.
• Discover a world of self-reliance type information here.