In this video I tune up a Hultafors 1.2kg Felling axe. I shape the handle, sharpen the bit and make a leather sheath before giving it a quick trial bucking spruce.
For a 2 3/4 lb axe , it was cutting pretty good. As you will be into spruce and other conifer knots . You probably don't want it too thin . . Maybe 18°primary with a 2mm 25° secondary edge bevel. But the other thing, I would do my best to keep it out of the dirt. Nice work on the handle and Beautiful sheath ! Very Nice 👍👍🪓🪓 One thing I will mention, I do see many people have a rather cavalier attitude toward sticking the toe of their axe in the dirt. When cutting pole size wood the size you have. I cut a bunch of poles,throw them in a stack and buck to stove length on the stack. As the stack gets bucked and split the poles get migrated to the top and the rounds and splits migrate to the bottom. It works Great for keeping the bit out of the dirt.
Yeah id try adding a larger secondary edge and a thinner primary bevel. How you thin the handle is the same way I do it. Good video, hopefully the next edge lasts better
Nicely done on the tune up. I struggle with grinding (and sharpening for that matter) as well. Basically I try and use the grind of any axe I have that I think performs well at any specific task as a guide, and keep grinding till I think I have a close approximation. Best part though, the testing phase i.e. chopping. Keep up the great videos. I very much enjoy them.
Another thoroughly informative and enjoyable watch Trev. Always impressed with your attention to detail buddy. Your channel and contributors are a great source of knowledge, that I'm happy to tap into. Great work, as always mate.
The way I reprofiled my Hultafors was by getting the file as flat as I could to the cheeks, so that every now and again I’d scuff the steel towards the poll. If you do this evenly it should give you a half moon shape of new steel. I then put a convex edge on, which has had great durability. The eventual grind was somewhere between 17.5 and 20 degrees and it made the axe chop a lot better.
I was shown how to put a convex edge rather than a flat grind on a hand plane blade years ago as it is more durable and versatile. It makes sense for an axe too, although many folk recommend flat grinds for axes with a micro bevel.
@@bundufundi Yeah it’s just the very edge of the blade that I make convex. I do it to my axes and bushcraft knives too and the edges last a long time. I’d you’re sharpening your axe with a stone, it will likely develop a convex edge in time anyway.
Very nice sheath good job mate. The Hultafors has a pretty decent steel and mine has a 15 deg flat with a 25-30 deg secondary bevel I experienced no damage in dried ash, beech knots or pine. I would suspect that chip came from on the ground splitting it must've hit a rock or something. I actually bend the blade doing just that and had to hammer the edge back to shape. My other hultafors has a 18 deg grind and I feel like its a more forgiving angle especially if you do a lot of on the ground splitting.
Thanks Sam, I think you are right about the chip. The ground was very soft with leaf litter so I thought it was safe enough but there are always stones hiding out waiting for the unwary. A few months ago I wrecked a brand new chainsaw blade on a stone that had been trapped in the trunk of a tree and then covered in moss. Not happy!
@@bundufundi Don't be shy with grinding it doesn't need to be perfect for it to work. If you screw up a bit don't sweat it, it will be better next time. Its the skills that is more important.
I think I tend to put a bit too fine an edge on my axes too. They do seem to chip. They all require work as they are either old or cheap the ones that I buy. Still jealous of your workshop 😂.
Hey mate, love the 1.2! Easily one of my fave grab-and-go axes. Well shot overview of the build up and as always the sheath came up very well. Is that a new set of end punches? I think you had it cutting well, possibly take the cheeks back further if you want but as you said, for an all-rounder you may not want it too thin. Mine wear a 20° chisel with a small microbevel. Bushcraft Sisyphus, Kevin, Ben and Owen have some good file how to's. Good to see you out there swinging, lovin all these vids👍
Very good video ending with a much more capable tool. Really nice leatherwork. In addition to the excellent filing videos that Kurt mentioned, you might also enjoy SkillCult videos on the subject.
10:18 - the edge went into the soil a bit two times. Could damage the edge without you noticing? Could the steel be burned from the factory sharpening? Might need to file a lot more to get that burnt steel gone. Just some conjecture I know. Nice work; especially on the sheath!
Thanks! I think there is a good chance I hit something in the soil as you say. There is no obvious burning and I didn't notice any difference in temper when I was filing so hopefully not.
Please kind sir, do you still have this axe? I need a versatile felling axe, I'm between this and the Muller Biber-Canada. I just found out, that the spuer thin axe head geometries, are meant for soft wood and the thicker for hardwood. Where I live, it's 90% Olive trees and that's also our firewood since I was born 40 years ago. The Muller Biber-Canada is super thin, probably th thinest cutting profile I've ever seen. I can't find any pictures to see how this Hultafor's head geometry is. Does it work on hard wood ok for you? If anybody has a suggestion, for a good axe at that size would be really appriciated. Thanks in advance
Hello, I still have this axe and believe that it is a good option for a utility axe. If the wood you are felling and splitting is not of a large diameter then this large forest axe / boys axe size should be a very good option. If you are in Europe then the Swedish, German and Italian axes are most likely what you can get fairly easily. The Council Tool Boys axe is very good but is probably not easily available in Europe. I have not tried the Muller Biber axe but if the geometry is very thin then I agree with you that it may not be best for a utility axe especially if you are going to do a lot of splitting. The Italian axes (Rinaldi etc.) also generally have quite a fine profile which are great for limbing work but not splitting. In that case the Swedish axes are a good option, The HB in this video is a very good axe but also look out for a Husqvarna version. I believe that they are made in the same factory and are pretty much the same but can be found cheaper. Let me know if you have anymore questions.
@@bundufundi Thank you very much! I'm in the right path then. The Council Tool Boys axe, in a slightly havier version, but with that exact same head design, is what exactly I'm looking for. I could be ok, even witha Fiskars X15, unfortunately, I can't find any of these 2 axes! You should check out this performance of the Muller Biber-Canada on this video. Probably the best axe I've ever seen. Ben Scott is making all axes look good, but this looks like the deepest cuts, I've ever seen, lietraly like a laser Link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nMFBkb-0WxU.html
