I've got an axe to grind.

piccini9 · Post by **piccini9** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 2:43 pm

Well, a hatchet really. That guy making the tsuba got me thinking about sharpening stuff and "polishing my soul" so I started with this li'l chopper.
Not done yet, but I'm having fun, torturing myself with files stones and sandpaper.

Machete is up next when this is done.

Post by **DerGolgo** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 2:52 pm

Disturbing mental image of you fussing over Danny Trejo with files and sandpaper...looking at him, I'd guess that might way be his usual beauty treatment, though.

Also, +1 on the sharpening fun.
Is that a before or in the middle picture? Will we get an after picture?
I don't have such nice weapons or tools to fuss about, my bowie knife has been unused for so long I didn't have to sharpen it in a decade. But sharpening scissors that previously wouldn't cut paper is good fun. A nice, clean, precise cut afterwards, that's a nice sense of accomplishment, some fodder for the soul. Well, a little snack.

piccini9 · Post by **piccini9** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 3:00 pm

This pic is "during", it was painted black and a little rusty, and dinged up when I found it.
I'l post better pics when it's done. Will also probably be making some kind of sheath for it.

Post by **DerGolgo** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 3:19 pm

Rust you say?
I've seen steel items on which the stainless stamp was more wishful thinking than evident fact, but if it was painted, that would make some manner of sense.
You gonna put it in oil? I guess the sheath wouldn't be the appropriate container for that.

piccini9 · Post by **piccini9** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 3:33 pm

Oiled leather sheath maybe?

Post by **DerGolgo** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 3:40 pm

I admit that was my first idea, but then I considered where you would be taking that thing, into the woods in all likelihood, and I wouldn't think that messing about with the oil under such circumstances would be desirable.
Since you'd probably give the thing at the very least a nice polish after carrying it into the wild in your sheath and returning home again, a separate container would seem the logical and not particularly impractical idea.
One could finagle it so that the sheath rolls up into a compartment of that or clamps onto it so that the two will ever be at each other's side.

Zim · Post by **Zim** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 3:57 pm

A well-sharpened cutting implement is essential to getting a job done right. You can use a dull knife much like using an undersized allen wrench to loosen a bolt. Yes, it might work, but it's sloppy as hell, and will fuck up the bolt.

I've been using a rather dull chef's knife recently, only to mash onions and slowly saw corned beef (St. Patrick's was Saturday, so kiss me). After a sharpening, it was like... a hot knife through butter.

I just ran the knife through a sharpener, but have had a more satisfying experience graduating grits on stones.

Sisyphus · Post by **Sisyphus** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 4:01 pm

I had it explained to me once that the key to a sharp edge is making sure you grind both edges at exactly the same angle. What that angle is depends on what the tool is. Kitchen knives are, IIRC, 30 degrees.
Your average machete, make a couple passes with the grinder and call it good.

Mk3 · Post by **Mk3** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 8:18 pm

I had it explained to me once that the key to a sharp edge is making sure you grind both edges at exactly the same angle. What that angle is depends on what the tool is. Kitchen knives are, IIRC, 30 degrees.

ehh depends on the tool. You definitely want to preserve the original angles with a keen precision, or you'll pay for it, unless you have a damn specific reason in mind for changing it. 30deg is the older standard, and quality implements are frequently at that measure, but that was originally based on the ease of producing a 30deg angle by hand, more than it being necessarily the best for the job. that said, it persists because when sharpening at home (ie by hand) its still the easiest angle to produce.

Piccini, not to dig on your project, but if you ever use that hand axe again, your going to cry. I know from experience.

Groove · Post by **Groove** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:58 am

Lots of good stuff here Pete:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forum ... chet-Forum

piccini9 · Post by **piccini9** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:04 am

Mk3 wrote:
Piccini, not to dig on your project, but if you ever use that hand axe again, your going to cry. I know from experience.

Nah, I'll be OK. It's gonna be an exercise in wabi-sabi/beausage...

Bigshankhank · Post by **Bigshankhank** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:36 am

piccini9 wrote: Nah, I'll be OK. It's gonna be an exercise in wabi-sabi/beausage...

Well, I guess if you can completely trust your partner, a little ax-based fetish play could be fun.

Whiskeywrist · Post by **Whiskeywrist** » Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:54 pm

my Fiskars hatchet (UNIVERSAL! FOR EVERY USE! ONE TOOL FOR ALL POSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES!) gets a moderate deburring with the Leatherman's diamond file, fireside after whatever day's abuse I throw at it.

I think mirror/soul revealing polish is a ways down the road, but a noble goal, for sure.

Pete, if you can muttonchop yourself with that bright and gleaming thing, I think you'll have immediate demigod status...

piccini9 · Post by **piccini9** » Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:37 pm

Whiskeywrist wrote:my Fiskars hatchet (UNIVERSAL! FOR EVERY USE! ONE TOOL FOR ALL POSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES!) gets a moderate deburring with the Leatherman's diamond file, fireside after whatever day's abuse I throw at it.

I think mirror/soul revealing polish is a ways down the road, but a noble goal, for sure.

Pete, if you can muttonchop yourself with that bright and gleaming thing, I think you'll have immediate demigod status...

I did not know that Dr Bronner was making cutlery.

I also got this beauty last week, had a big divot on the top, like someone was chopping rocks, but I worked it out with a file.

Login

I've got an axe to grind.

I've got an axe to grind.