Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Threepoint]

Yes I file or belt sand the angle finer not a fan of grinder to work on a cutting tool. As far as how much to take off? That is kind of hard to tell you over the net. I am 57 , l was taught to sharpen very young by my Hillbilly dad and uncles. I free hand sharpen. And like knives there are a lot variables. I would say that if you bevel back 3/8th to a 1/2 on the harbor freight axes you would get a decent edge. On a double bit axe with good steel I may bevel the cheeks back close to an inch, double bits are felling axes pure and simple on a rough use hatchet of questionable steel I may only bevel back a 1/4 inch same with a tool for splitting.
This were the Harbor freight hatchets are great they are cheap enough to practice on . Look at the handles close before you buy it , go slow and cool the metal often .
I have reprofiled axes with a file before too. The U.S.A. made Vaughan hatchets are as good as they get , if you can reprofile and sharpen but come with virtually no edge they are 1085 high carbon steel.

Thanks, great info!

I have two felling axes and a hatchet handed down from a great-uncle's farm in NC. They are easily more than 100 ys/old. The handles have gotten so loose over the years, I have to soak the heads in a bucket of water before use. I have another hatchet and a half-axe that are 60 ys/old.

I've thought about rehandling the felling axes, but maybe that would just ruin the antiquity!

Guess I shouldn't keep using them to cut tree roots, either.

Next time I'm at HF, I'll pick up their fiberglass-handled (felling?) axe. :thumbsup:
3.5 lbs. Fiberglass Axe

 

[California]

Next time I'm at HF, I'll pick up their fiberglass-handled (felling?) axe. :thumbsup:
3.5 lbs. Fiberglass Axe

The negative reviews on that one aren't complimentary. Two pages of 'head fell off'.

 

[bcp]

The negative reviews on that one aren't complimentary. Two pages of 'head fell off'.

And I've been using one for 10+ years of root chopping with no problems.

Bruce

 

[California]

And I've been using one for 10+ years of root chopping with no problems.

Bruce

Sounds like that is one of the rare cases where the extended warranty would be worth it. Just in case it takes a couple of returns before finding a good one, worth keeping.

 

[Threepoint]

Sounds like that is one of the rare cases where the extended warranty would be worth it. Just in case it takes a couple of returns before finding a good one, worth keeping.

If we're talking about the same axe, the website says it has a Lifetime Warranty.
http://https://www.harborfreight.com/35-lbs-fiberglass-axe-61159.html?_br_psugg_q=axes+26+hatchets

Maybe they mean the lifetime of the axe.

 

[plumberroy]

First off even with name brand axes and hatchet I want to look at it before I buy it . I looked at a rack of Kobalt hatchets at Lowes once . 3 of the 4 the heads weren't straight with handle and the 4th the grain orientation of the handle was terrible . House handles is the only place I will buy axe handles on line . As someone who has made their living with tools I find at least half of bad reviews on tools are user error . There are reviews on the 3.5 axe calling it sharp :laughing:
here is a fun project with a harbor freight axe I looked at 4 axes on the rack and only one was acceptable . this is what I started with
2.25 lb fireman's hatchet

after sanding and reshaping the handle reprofiling the edge and cutting the spike off and smoothing it out

 

[Code54]

JB Weld it instead of Mig perhaps.

 

[California]

Bar magnet - HF's sometimes-free 'Magnetic Tool Holder' - cut down and mounted on the HF Qhitch. It's about 3/4 its original length and seems slightly less strong, but more than sufficient for holding clevises, pins, clips. Welding wasn't a problem. Those linked comments mentioned the arc being pulled aside by magnetism, but I didn't notice that.

Recommended!

 

[lostcreekranch]

Bar magnet - HF's sometimes-free 'Magnetic Tool Holder' - cut down and mounted on the HF Qhitch. It's about 3/4 its original length and seems slightly less strong, but more than sufficient for holding clevises, pins, clips. Welding wasn't a problem. Those linked comments mentioned the arc being pulled aside by magnetism, but I didn't notice that.

Recommended!

View attachment 613928

That's a good idea and opens up to lots of similar ideas. Thanks.

 

[PhysAssist]

Just do it! they aren't magic but they are worlds better than doing without.

True that- we bought ours in 2011, when they were on sale- with the coupon off too, and it continues to serve us without any issues or trouble, despite my beating the absolute H-E-double hockey sticks out of it.