Which Axe - Chopper or Splitter?

[foxclan Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close foxclan]

My Uncle Scrooge, had welded a piece of windmill pipe onto an axe head as a handle for my Dear Auntie Fay to use to split Mallee stumps.
She would then load the steel wheeled barrow with split stumps along with kindling.
After pushing it back to the outside kitchen to stoke up the wood fired stove, she would then prepare his breakfast and coffee.
This stove was kept going all day, nearly every day. Summer and Winter.
She was a great cook and Baker.
The smell of that old outside kitchen is one of my childhood memories that will never leave me.
Now that saying about being "As fit as a Mallee Bull" doesn't mention the poor old girl jarring the crap out of her hands chopping wood to feed the "So Called Bull"
If Dear Auntie Fay had an axe with a composite handle, well I reckon she would be still chopping today.

I like the look and feel of the Fiskar X27 Split and chop with this unit.
Like the Estwing products also.
Cheers
Troy

[Tonytbts Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tonytbts]

For the BEST sharpening of any edged tool other than scissors, chisels and planes, get yourself a bench grinder fitted with a "multi-tool" linisher attachment. Remove the flat steel plate that lies under the sanding belt ( or rotate the multi tool so that the plate is on the underside). Fit the multi-tool so that the belt spins towards you.

Grab one belt in each grit from 36 up. Buy extra 400 grit belts. You should be able to get belts from 400 grit down at most serious hardware stores. Get onto the web (Sandpaper man) and order some 800 and 1200 grit belts.

Now practice sharpening an old kitchen knife on the slack belt. You can face the edge either with or against the direction of spin, but at the start try with the spin. Go through all the grits to form the edge into a very slight curve (rather than the bevel you will get on a stone). Keep away from the very tip of the knife because it is easy to burn the steel. Use a light touch - do not press down into the belt with any real force. Support the blade on the belt with your fingers. Take care to not grind off the ends of your fingers. When you feel the blade getting too warm to touch give it a dunk in water, but that should be infrequent. Once you have a decent edge at 1200 grit, sharpen the tip as well, and then strop the edge on a bit of leather glued to a flat stick. You can rub a bit of cutting compound (black) onto the leather to speed up the stropping. The edge should be the best you have ever experienced. You can maintain it with just the strop.

Now to get back to this thread - do exactly the same process for your axe. You will be able to get it to shaving sharp after the stropping stage.

Be careful until you get the feel of the sharpening process. Be even more careful if you are not accustomed to using a REALLY sharp axe.

YMMV, Tony

[Geoffury Find all posts View Profile Close Geoffury]

Here's some pics of the Estwing camping axe.





Compare of old VS new

[Spilsy Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Spilsy]

Something Different - http://www.vipukirves.fi/#!products/cee5 - Has anyone tried these?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_s3Ci1Dl0s

[Retreads Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Retreads]

Great concept if you are after a splitter and have a spare tire with you that you don't mind damaging. Cant say I would like to use my spare tire each time to split the wood though. A good idea if you have a fire pit or fireplace at home though. This might be just the excuse I need to buy that outdoor pizza oven....