Maybe a little OT, how do you sharpen your ax?

[Gary Fowler]

A large, double cut file to take down the nicks and get the bevel right, then a fine cut file to finish shaping followed by a few passes with a red, DMT "stone" frequently dipped in a bucket of water. It's almost sharp enough to shave with when I'm done with it. Light limbing with a sharp axe is one of life's great pleasures.

Man you are too much OCD for axe sharpening. If I got finer than 180 grit on my tiger paw disk, then I would think that was super fine. I don't plan on shaving with my axe, in fact I dislike shaving with my razor more than about twice a week.
I take a little time to put a shaving edge on my kitchen knives but never my axe. I only use it in the dirt anyway when I need to cut something that I don't want to put my chainsaw into. I find that limbing with a chain saw is much safer than an axe and so much less energy expended which I have less and less of each year. Those glancing blows with an axe can be deadly to the legs anyway and since an axe is always used unsafely (always chopping toward you instead of away from you) it is best left in the shop.

 

[bindian]

Actually, checking for rock nicks on the prop of an airplane is standard pre-flight. Th eprop can pick up stones from the runway. A friend of mine has 18"of prop break off over Baja California and thought the engine was going to be torn out of the frame. He got it shut down and glided to a safe landing.

Autually, you can check for nicks on props anytime. When I did an 100 hour inspection on the engine, filing prop nicks is part of the program. Your buddy is very lucky the broken prop didn't yank the engine off it's mounts. Then your weight and balance goes bye bye.
Brandi

 

[k0ua]

Angle grinder with flap wheel to get the gouges. Finish with an "axeView attachment 393422" file.

Same here.

 

[Ford850]

When sharpening tools like axes, garden hoes, lawn mower blades, etc. I always use the sanding pad disk (Tiger Paws)for my 4.5" grinder. They remove the metal just about as fast as a grinder disk but don't heat the metal up like a grinder. You can get them in a variety of grits but 100 grit does pretty good for me.

I do the same. After the first time I used one of these, I could not believe how much easier it was to put an edge back on tools and blades. I figured the disk would wear out fast, but if you buy a quality brand they last for years. If anyone doesn't have a flapper/pad disk, you should try one.

 

[bcp]

Autually, you can check for nicks on props anytime.

Checking for nicks:





Bruce

 

[k0ua]

Checking for nicks:

View attachment 393614



Bruce

That man's are as big as church bells. :shocked:

 

[orezok]

Autually, you can check for nicks on props anytime. When I did an 100 hour inspection on the engine, filing prop nicks is part of the program. Your buddy is very lucky the broken prop didn't yank the engine off it's mounts. Then your weight and balance goes bye bye.
Brandi

I prefer to check for nicks prior to takeoff, not after crash landing because the prop broke! :laughing::laughing:

 

[bindian]

Checking for nicks:

View attachment 393614



Bruce

Looks like a FAA Mx inspector. Awesome photo.
hugs<<><><>>Brandi

 

[square1]

Second picture: you should be using eye protection!

 

[Baby Grand]

Man you are too much OCD for axe sharpening. If I got finer than 180 grit on my tiger paw disk, then I would think that was super fine. I don't plan on shaving with my axe, in fact I dislike shaving with my razor more than about twice a week.
I take a little time to put a shaving edge on my kitchen knives but never my axe. I only use it in the dirt anyway when I need to cut something that I don't want to put my chainsaw into. I find that limbing with a chain saw is much safer than an axe and so much less energy expended which I have less and less of each year. Those glancing blows with an axe can be deadly to the legs anyway and since an axe is always used unsafely (always chopping toward you instead of away from you) it is best left in the shop.

Heh-heh. Yeah, I guess I can see why you'd say OCD. But I enjoy using an axe for limbing small branches. For me, it's less about strength (when sharp) and more about precision and planning. Have to keep the axe on the other side of the tree from where your body is. Don't get much oportunity to do it - usually use the saw, too. A sharp axe is a safe axe, and I do enjoy sharpening one. Putting a good edge on an axe, a knife or a scythe and donig it quickly, is something I really don't think about - I just do it out of habbit. Same with sharpening a saw chain.
For cutting anything in the dirt, like roots, I use a mattock or an eye hoe, never an axe. Yes, the mattock and eye hoe get sharpened, too, just not to a very fine edge. But they are seeing a lot less use, since I got the backhoe.