How to polish an Axe

In this video I show you step by step how to bring an old axe to a mirror finish.

[@waltburnham7776]

I would like to try this on an old double head axe. Can you tell me where you buy the flap wheels and polishing compound and buffing wheels. Thanks

[@joshriver75]

Walt Burnham Harbour Freight (if you have one near you) sells everything you would need.

[@sfarooq1418]

how your address

[@sfarooq1418]

how materials used you

[@gupchupbalkrishna6822]

please send me price of hand grinder.and buf moter set fully please give reply.send me catalog also.

[@Arch3an]

Amazon is a good place as well.

[@mrbikehunter]

I have recently completely restored a couple of broad axes that were very badly rusted i started with a 9 inch grinder and worked down to grinding flap wheels and finally 1200 paper then buffing compound i found the finish you get depends on how much you are willing to sweat and your attention to detail. After all the hard work they are only ever going to be a wall hangers and i keep the mirror finish by spraying it with a clear metal lacquer - Rust Guard - Clear Guard I found it with the metal protecting spray cans at a hardware store here in Australia I spray it on all my shiny wall mounted saws guns and axes sprayed the wife's silver platter over 10 years ago and its still perfect. Keep shining Cheers.

[@dergeneralist7106]

"After all the hard work they are only ever going to be a wall hangers..." that's exactly what I thought of, while watching this video, after so much effort nobody would ever want to use this axe again :D :D

[@mwilson14]

Excellent job getting that mirror finish. This is the best video so far I've found on the subject recently.

[@matthewrkeefe]

I admire the patience and attention to detail involved, but even that beautiful mirror finish can't distract from those flaws in the edge. Of course it's easy for me to be a Monday morning quarterback. Keep up the beautiful work.

[@Xiph1980]

A tip: use different angles for each sandpaper grit size. You can immediately see if you're done getting out the scratches of the courser grit.

[@noonagon1]

Xiph1980 not supposed to when refinishing an axe.

[@abdullahsameddemir8170]

You are supposed to. It makes it much easier without any significant change.

[@user-un5my5bw4j]

@@noonagon1 I agree with you even though everyone has there own way I guess, but I always go in one direction weather I'm sanding wood going with the grain or if I'm sanding metal. Anytime I tried to switch directions I got very poor results

[@olechuga2]

Sir, before a preventable accident happens to you, please anchor your polish-grinder appropriately. Other than that drawback, great job produced and great video overall.

[@CoolGuyCoolFly]

Oscar Lechuga Yeah, that caught my eye immediately

[@olechuga2]

Morgan Freeman Mr. Freeman, thank you Sir. As a side-note, please allow me to congratulate you on your Series involving GOD. Thank you Sir, once again, for your professional work. Enjoyable.

[@alimurtadah9897]

+Oscar Lechuga can't tell if joking or serious

[@robstone5333]

Oscar-do really think he would allow his grinder to vibrate off the bench? Or could you not resist trolling him?

[@LeftTechticle]

@@robstone5333 I think the primary concern is if the wheel catches a long object between itself and the table and the wheel could then propel itself into other objects or the ground.

[@jojojeep1]

When I get bored, or angry, or I just having anxiety, I polish metal things. It brings my mind back in tune, the Ax head Looks beautiful

[@TheN8yoga]

I can understand that peace it can bring. I'm still working on a 10" double bit axe that has over 120 hrs involved with hand filing, polishing the head and the work on the handle. Still a good bit before I finish it out. All the hours are a great escape from the daily rat race. Polish away jojojeep1

[@fredchevalier2333]

Dude SAME

[@dragan3290]

I'm the same! It'srewarding and makes you feel worthwhile!

[@fredchevalier2333]

@@dragan3290 Very much agree!

[@realtaur]

Wow, you Polish people know how to make a Axe shine!!!!

[@dakillah6018]

Polish know how to polish !

[@ernreeders1487]

With each change of grit go at right angles. Makes it easy to see scratches that still have to come out.

[@anthonystokes2068]

This Is the video Ive been looking for, finally, thank you. You do awesome work.

[@dirtymushroom-hollybubba3796]

very nice finish... inspired me to take some of my resto projects to a new level👍

[@keng66]

Merci! I now see where I went wrong I needed to sand more with higher grit paper before going to the buffing wheel. Guess another trip to Princess Auto

[@gatorsworld]

I just can`t beleive the shine you got on that axe Gilbert....your the best and again very patient....SALUT

[@frenchriversprings]

Thanks Gator. Nice to hear from you. Are you at the hospital?

[@gatorsworld]

Just got home today....not the brightest bulb in the house.....CHEERS

[@Nathan-H]

Great Video Sir, Thank you very much for sharing it with us, I just followed your example and but a fantastic Mirror finish on my Becker BK2 and my Gransfor Bruks Axe

[@dennisandrews8485]

That's sweet to be able to finish metal like that. The demonstration was great.

[@rvc6506]

Finally, someone who understands the polishing makes it slide on wood better.

[@XFS540]

+roy childs also for better corrosion resistance.

[@wood4nothing284]

Great job on cleaning up that axe head it looks great Cheers Tim from Wood 4 Nothing

[@tron3entertainment]

I have watched many an axe restoration, but you sir, have "true grit". {:-D

[@frenchriversprings]

Well thank you for the compliment! :)

[@ethan073]

Wow! Thanks for the video. I have never polished anything before and now I know exactly what to do

[@audreyduggan8673]

F nm

[@a.o.647]

At 5:00 you are definitely correct as that happened to me this week! I thought I went over it good enough through 240 grit so when I hit it with 400 grit I found out that nope, all the lines were left and I had to go back down to 120 then 240 to correct it.

[@jwandhistools]

Looks great. Doing the same thing with some brackets off an olds 455. haven't got them quite than shiny. Hard to get a perfect mirror with cast iron.

[@Imightberiding]

Beautiful. Like a piece of jewelry. I imagine it would glide through wood with that smooth mirror polish. The only down side is one would be apprehensive to use their axe when it is so pretty & especially after all the time invested getting it to this point.

[@BusyBasaz]

Most restoration videos on KZbin don't do the mirror polish. I think that's a shame, nothing like a mirror polish on a tool. Good job!

[@zeez3139]

Thanx for sparing us the noise 👍🇬🇧

[@markgrevatt4867]

bloody hell that amazing beautiful work

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

WOW! That thing is almost too nice to use!

[@i4ni2th4a2th13]

AMAZING JOB. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO REPLICATE PATRICK BATEMAN'S AXE. THANK YOU!!!! BEAUTIFUL JOB!!!

[@tutorialwings6797]

Matthew Bruesch Me too!!!

[@carlantaya175]

Really good video I like your method I think your results are fantastic. One thing you can do to tell if you've completely removed the previous grit is always sand perpendicular to the previous grit. Then you can clearly see which scratches are 40 and which 120 ect....

[@a.o.647]

That's a good idea and I've done that myself as well.

[@WolfinWolvesClothing713]

Looks nice. Going to try it with my throwing axe.

[@TheMarsgia]

That is one hell of a polishing job

[@MrJdsenior]

I just watched a video where a guy was polishing ports in a motor head. His point was "you'll polish all kinds of stupid stuff, just because you can". This bears that out a little, although it does have some benefits to cutting, and if you wax it when you put it away, will have anti rust storage benefits, as well, if non-conditioned space, as it will shed water if you have a "rain out" in your garage (reached dew point fast temp drop), which has happened to me a couple of times...then you get to sandpaper EVERY ground metal surface in the shop if you happen to miss the event by a couple of days. MUCH easier to wax the surfaces every once in a while, and for jobs where a little wax transfer on them doesn't matter (non gluing, say), the tables, especially sliding like on a table saw, work MUCH better.

[@frenchriversprings]

Thanks for the comment

[@KurumaDesigns]

That is beautiful! Looks like chrome!

[@Crazyknives]

Woooow 😲 that is what I call Mirror polish 👏👏👏

[@MrSpringThing]

Very well done. going to give this a try myself.

[@tom87pate]

Beautiful job buddy, thanks for video.

[@2dxtreme1]

That's just absolutely amazing

[@jamesharless5357]

Nice job,looks great!

[@joshuap1227]

Great job!

[@Prepared_Suburbanite]

Beautiful work.

[@DirtCheapFU]

Its so... beautiful.

[@frenchriversprings]

Thanks

[@RaindanceBushcraft]

Nice work. I just did my first shine-up of an axe head for my latest axe restoration vids. Lots of work and I didn't get it anywhere near the same finish as you got.

[@audreyduggan8673]

Ñ

[@DJarman89]

excellent video! Thank you for posting!

[@lukiss01]

beautiful job

[@كريمحسن-ف2ح]

excellent work

[@MarioGarcia-ip6qx]

I refurbish Wilton vises , I always get comments from people. " why did you make it pretty?"my answer is why not?

[@daltonhaston]

Honestly I'm going to make mine shine and keep all the little defects

[@a.f.s.3004]

Put a piece rubber inner tube on each corner of the polisher...prevents it from moving without having to bolt it down.

[@ffield12]

Great Job 👍👌👍👌

[@seangalbraith6837]

This is so helpful. Thanks!

[@i4ni2th4a2th13]

YOU LIKE HUGHY LEWIS AND THE NEWS? ??

[@conway8947]

Their early work was a little too new wave for my tastes, but when Sports came out in '83, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He's been compared to Elvis Costello, but I think Huey has a far more bitter, cynical sense of humor. In '87, Huey released this, Fore, their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is "Hip to be Square", a song so catchy, most people probably don't listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it's not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it's also a personal statement about the band itself.

[@lindboknifeandtool]

@@conway8947 incredible reference. Especially on a mirror polishing axe tutorial. 😂😂

[@w1923]

Awesome work

[@themeziccos1603]

Very nice!

[@adamlewis2021]

Thanks for the helpful video. What does "dressing" the buffing wheel mean? Just knocking off the old polish compound with a screwdriver? I've seen other videos where they have a separate buffing pad for each compound, but the dressing method seems cheaper.

[@haroldlight7625]

Great job

[@RichardT2112]

Great job!! Now let's see the handle installation! :)

[@joannekramirez]

Bert here great job bro

[@dream4sandeep]

Nice bro good work lot of experience you have, I am going to try at my old hammer.

[@guyh.4553]

Could you have sped up the process by going from 40 - 80 - 120 grits? And what was the paste you used at the 320 grit before using WD-40?

[@eugenion5340]

how do you protect that mirror polish??? it wil rust if you will let it like this... nice job!

[@ayosurah9154]

that's what i call na MASTERPIECE.

[@gerrymcveigh2624]

very interesting and informative thanks for the video!!!!🍻🌿😜

[@Bowtie41]

Well,JUST GREAT!!!!Now it's too damn pretty to use!Hope you feel happy about yourself!

[@Bredddi]

Can you tell us where you got the polish compounds and specifically what grade each color is. I want to order those

[@The_Joker_]

Excellent job

[@olswole5057]

I just bought a vintage Collins axe head. Would you recommend this polishing process on an axe head with a makers mark? The head is in pretty good shape just minor rust. Could I skip the lower grit sand paper and start with the higher grit. Any advice you have would be appreciated. You did an outstanding job on that axe head, it blew me away

[@frenchriversprings]

+John Robinson It's up to you if you want to polish your name brand axe. An axe always look amazing once polished but having said that, I would never polish my Gransfors Bruk axe. I am proud to own a Gransfors Bruk axe and want to keep it original with the hammer marks on it. It shows that it was hand made. If your axe is in really good shape, you can probably skip the lower grit and start with 200 grit. If you have scratches on your axe that your fingernail goes in, then you definitely need to start with 40 grit. Gilbert

[@sauljapuntich]

+French River Springs Gransfors are drop forged.

[@resipsaloquitur13]

+Saul Japuntich No, they are not.

[@sauljapuntich]

Christopher Long Go visit their forge. It's open to the public. They use trip hammers and drop forging to produce the axeheads.

[@sauljapuntich]

By the way, please don't start an internet argument. Let's be fair and civil so as not to attract the trolls.

[@keithlester9152]

that is sick awesome job

[@reallylovingyou]

nice axe polish..

[@robs5186]

looks good

[@frenchriversprings]

6 hours

[@Maxchiko]

process so awesome, greets from Ukraine!

[@osamabinliftin1981]

French River Springs best video on axe head restoration

[@Exactblade]

good work

[@notmillionaires]

Gorgeous

[@Explorador65]

Felicitaciones es una inspiración. Gracias.

[@chig9357]

nice job

[@beathoody]

great work!

[@ffjsb]

What do you put on the axe head to prevent rust?? Do you just use car wax, or something like BoeShield??

[@aljones238]

Can you get that finish without the Cecil wheel?

[@andydeans1203]

Magnificent Frenchy

[@garyconstant4234]

Lovely job. How long before rust creeps in. Greetings from England

[@kalyan20091000]

Super

[@denisauclair6784]

Belle job encore une fois 😉

[@cholecystokinine]

That is just amazing! How much did that restauration cost? (Just an approximation) Seems like a great hobby

[@hightowerone]

Hello! Nice video. Once you polish metal with all the compounds and you have the finish you want......will clear Rustoleum spray paint stick to it? I'm a little concerned about all the wax. Or is the wax actually all gone and it's just shinny and rust free at that point? Thanks for your time

[@frenchriversprings]

It's pretty much just bare metal that is polished. Paint would not stick very good.

[@hightowerone]

@@frenchriversprings well paint was a bad choice of words. I'm talking about that clear coat polyurethane by Rustoleum. It's made for metal so it prevents rusting. I'm making hand forged pendants. I finish them with it. It works very well. But I've never shined a piece like you did and then cleared it is why I'm asking. If you say it's pretty much a shinny piece of metal I think I'll hit it with alchohol and then coat it. Wish me luck!

[@l8ton803]

Incredible 👍🏼

[@selinazriel2810]

Wow.... Nice....

[@JustifyJustin]

That's a beautiful finish! I wish I had all the tools to do that :/ . Do you need to treat the head to prevent corrosion?

[@alleycat19897]

Will it get rusted? How to prevent rust from ruin your splendid job?

[@Axis.Mundis.]

How would you polish an ax that has engravings? I have a sweet Freemasonic Hatcher from the 30s that could use a shine.

[@user-un5my5bw4j]

Pretty good job on that. I am surprised the keyboard experts aren't giving tips about using different compounds on the same buff but atleast your dressing it prior to loading so it doesn't matter much. I saw you putting small amounts on at a time so I can tell you know what your doing.. I saw the Meguires correction glaze on the bench, that is awful awful stuff, I never was impressed with Meguires compounds in the tan jug but I like their ultimate compound and ultimate polish. Other than that I use 3D brand compounds and polish mostly

[@benjonker5968]

That is soooooo cool.you are an (axe) freak !!!!.......in a good way man

[@josefelix4152]

Awesome!!!

[@peterkolovos3079]

Excellent.

[@davidgaylord2035]

nice job ,where did you buy your flap wheel discs

[@mistanix]

wow, you should do swords

[@TheGloriousLord]

French River Springs will it get rusted over time? how do you keep it from rust?

[@Iamwood1005]

Question now is, how to prevent oxidation and rusting from air, when its kept for display

[@ArturoGarzaID]

How do you keep it like that? Wouldn’t it just get rusted again?

[@corsakias]

Show us the other side of the axe...oiled palm fingerprints are there. I cant polish my metal items without any fingerprint. How can we manage this problem?

[@triplecoutdoor7495]

belle job!

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

I believe if I do this on a rifle I’m planning on re-bluing the bluing would look like something you would see on a extremely expensive over and under shotgun

[@oksouts78]

Hi!!!Nice tutorial videos!! are you a professional blacksmith ,aren't you?

[@brianmeyer6564]

could you please tell me what wheels you use along with the wheel compound and grit thx

[@frenchriversprings]

I used a sisal buffing wheel and a softer buffing wheel. White buffing compound on sisal wheel then green compound on sisal wheel and then rouge on the softer buffing wheel.

[@dr.figvideos3303]

French River Springs Loved the video. Can you tell me which specific Sisal wheels you are using? Just got an axe to work on!