I got a new machete that came very dull. Decided to get out my old coleman hatchet also which was never sharpened. Took a old file, cleaned it w a wire brush, and started to file away on the hatchet and machete. Hatchet is getting pretty damn sharp, machete is sharper but still pretty dull, taking some time.
So I bought one of those round sharpening stones on ebay. Will be using it on the hatchet. Can I use this on the machete also, after I file some more and get it pretty sharp? I understand that some people prefer their machete to not be really sharp, but Im having fun seeing how sharp I can get it.
I sharpen my machete on a 80" belt sander, it does a decent job I haft to be careful not to get it too hot. My axes I use a combination of belt sander, knife grinder and Whet stones. my axes are sharpe enough to shave with. I have a collection of temberframe tools. The ax's I refer to are broad axes.
Im not sure how I would sharpen the machette further after using the file. I am hoping I can use something like the round sharpening stone used for axes/hatchets. I would like to get it really sharp too.
I just use my bench Carborundum in the same way as I would for a knife. I just use a longer draw across the stone. I mean that the blade has less forward motion than sideways movement/draw. My machete will shave.
Doesn't matter what it is made of. It just has to be abrasive and the grit harder than the blade.
I never try to put too fine an edge on a hatchet or machete because they are rough work tools. A fine edge will not stay fine for very long hacking and chopping.
Whoa, do yourself a favor and take that $6 coleman hatchet back to the store. "Coleman camp axe" is the poorest quality "axe" I have ever seen. Do a quick youtube search and you will see someone taking 4.5 minutes to chop through a dry 4" limb AFTER sharpening it and user is worn out. (It doesnt help that he is using his forearms to swing it either).
Everything out there is an upgrade from a coleman axe.
Well, there may be better ones, but in my opinion coleman has some okay items and this hatchet has worked for what I do. Ill wait till it breaks :thumb:
bill,
Yes this is what Ive heard - that u dont want too fine an edge on a hatchet or machete, but I also see (via youtube) that some people prefer to sharpen as much as they want..
But thanks for the clarification.. I get confused w all these opinions and methods of sharpening.. (anything more abrasive than the blade :thumb
Yes this is what Ive heard - that u dont want too fine an edge on a hatchet or machete, but I also see (via youtube) that some people prefer to sharpen as much as they want..
But thanks for the clarification.. I get confused w all these opinions and methods of sharpening.. (anything more abrasive than the blade :thumb
Earlier when I said my Machete will shave that is only the part of the blade closest to the handle. Look at this Youtube video on machete use and how he Modded his and why.....
Tweeking the machete thruout the day is easy with a file. If you really need to "get down on it" and really sharpen a dull machete, I clamp it to a table and use the file with 2 hands. You can 'take care of business' that way. Sharpening stones are for knives, not yardwork tools!
For around $40 you can buy a 1"x30" belt sander from Harbor Freight. These are excellent tools for sharpening or re-profiling knives axes and other tools. If you take the backing plate off from behind the belt and it is easy to put on a convex grind or to resharpen a convex grind.
Easiest way to sharpen an axe or a chisel for that matter is with an angle grinder and a diamond blade. Use the grinder for shaping and rough edge and finish it off with a stone or whatever if you want it perfect. Trick is to do it quickly and smoothly without letting it heat up too much. Just a grinder edge is quite sharp with little tiny abrasions which makes it all the meaner. A pass or two on one side of the machete at low speed will put an edge on guaranteed. But I'd probably only do that if it was real dull or chipped.
my hatchet made by craftsman is junk now. I dug up three roots with it and its about to come off the handle. time for a new one.. any suggestions on what to get?
Fiskars, Gransfors Bruks, or these look too sweet for $50 http://www.garrettwade.com/swiss-army-axes/p/04D04.11/
I used to have a redwing camper's but I sold it. Kinda large for a true camper and it was $60 at sears.
BTW, removing roots is a good way to dull any axe. Use a Silky hand saw or the like and use the axe edge conservatively.
I dont see how a saw would get into the ground at the roots like I had to. The hatchet worked good.. and its still sharp, as I sharpened it just before I used it today.
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