HOW TO SHARPEN AN AXE - The Rooster Method - Newfoundland Loggers Axe

[@terrillschneider3778]

I have used this on my Plumb Scout Hand Axe that Dad gave me when I joined Boy Scouts many years ago It’s still a beauty And I just dug my old True Temper 24” axe from the shed and used it on it too Now we’re ready to celebrate our 70th birthdays with our kids and grandkids in two weeks here at our home in Michigan Love your videos God bless your family

[@johnreynolds5594]

I have a double-faced Carborundum stone exactly like that one, still in the box, that I inherited from my father. He was a woodworker, whittler, and chip-carver, and could put a surgical edge on a tenpenny nail. I think he'd be shocked by the sandpaper method, but he'd sure want to try it. Thank you for this.

[@mikhailkalashnikov4599]

Because you never know when after chopping down a tree you might want to take a break and shave. That's a beautiful axe you got there. 👍

[@garymitchell4719]

Great job man........ love the sound of the abrasives doing their job too. Thank you- technique I've not used but tried it on my little wood chopper and the result was much better than I expected.

[@zeroa6]

Amazing axe, amazing mirror polish finish! Thanks for sharing!

[@kyle_noseworthy]

thanks for watching!

[@1mataleo1]

Exactly what I was looking for. I just bought a Hultifors Hults-Bruk Ekelund Hunting Axe and I needed to know how to properly maintain its beautiful edge. Thanks, man. I’m going to give this a try once I put it through enough use.

[@briankeevan8134]

Awesome video. Thank You for taking the time to record & post this. Extremely helpful. Kindest Regards from Alabama.

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Thanks Brian! I appreciate you watching!

[@famasmaster2000]

Just a pleasure to watch the entire transformation...a great way to spend my Saturday morning and a cup of coffee. I see you really like that stone. My home town !! Very cool. You can find them all over Niagara Falls at garage sales. Seems like it was a right of passage to live in Niagara. Every man must own one !!! Lol. Im going to keep me eyes peeled for ya.

[@blakeburton1728]

I really need to sharpen my axe. I'll put use to this method!

[@cclemoyne4033]

Tried it, and it works like a charm. Thanks

[@TheGreywulff]

This is a really good video ! Thank you so much for sharing your skill with us.

[@strandymusic]

Recovering from a broken leg so have time to surf KZbin... I'd rather watch your videos than watch movies... Really nice filming with the close ups and giving time to refocus, excellent content and so well delivered with your dialogue and enthusiasm!!! Just ordered my first wet stone and sand papers... Looking forward to my first mirror edges... THANK YOU!!!!!

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Sorry to hear about your leg my friend! Very much appreciate your kind comments about my videos. Being held in place with your leg does provide the perfect opportunity to learn whetstone sharpening! ;-)

[@strandymusic]

Thank you. And i'm well underway watching ALL your videos! (BTW, what are your two motorcycles?)

[@tazblink]

I am pretty good with my hands but one skill I never mastered was sharpening, I was ok at it but not great and really sucked at axe sharpening. When I found the rooster method a few years ago I became a axe sharping master in 5 minuet. This is just an amazing way to get that perfect convex edge every time and so easy. The edge holds up also because it is convex. I noticed that Rooster himself is giving credit to the other method called like the perfect or ultimate sharpening method but he shouldn't. The other method put the foam on a hard surface and sand paper over the foam. Rooster took it to the next level by taking the foam and sand paper to the axe and made a huge jump in sharpening performance and ease. I don't know him but I wish he wasn't so modest and just take the credit he deserves because he has made my axe sharpening frustration disappear. Thanks for sharing this video I tell and teach all my friends this method and they love it also.

[@kyle_noseworthy]

haha Craig Roost is a good man, and he certainly knows his stuff!

[@thomasbuston820]

Follow Axe Junkies on fb 👌. Rooster = Master

[@MrThenry1988]

I have a 5 gallon bucket of axe heads found as deep as 18 inches under ground. I've been hanging them. All seem to be great steel. Good show.

[@mikerobbins5049]

I love your axe restoration and sharpening video's. Taught me some things.... Thanks

[@Killboy351c]

I think this one might just be my favorite one you've done. Such a good job brother! I always learn a thing or two from the sharpening vids too

[@kyle_noseworthy]

thanks so much Ryan! Surprised that you like it so much!

[@geoffrey8722]

This was the best video I have ever seen ... madden/summerall commentary....

[@TheGoodoftheLand]

I pretty sure when I looked into the edge I could see my soul! Great job! ....... How is the leg feeling?

[@kyle_noseworthy]

leg is SORE, but healing! I'll get there! :-)

[@texasnewf]

Good job on the sharpening ! I've never taken an axe that far but why not.. I do it with knives...

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Its well worth it my friend!

[@jetskidude78]

Nice, I'm working on a double bit found on the ground with similar pitting. I remember getting so frustrated with sharpening but now it's relaxing. Happy New year hope the legs mending up ok.

[@kyle_noseworthy]

sharpening is very relaxing once you get it figured out! Thanks for watching bro! Good luck on your project! Leg is doing well :-)

[@scotmetcalf2745]

Ok Kyle first off if you find the right gal (yes I did 36 years marriage probably longer then you been alive ) it would impress them,Lol. So that is one sick edge!!! Very impressive so I have an axe that's in need of a new edge. So when you say rasp all I can think about is one used for wood that has a very aggressive profile. Really enjoy your videos and they way you explain the process. Thanks for your hard work

[@Biglandtrapper]

You certainly put a edge on that one, nicely done....

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Thanks William!

[@marktong6755]

Life hacks: put a tiny bit of metal polish on a strop and strop ur knife. Even better mirror finish

[@I-OT-AVAVA-OT-HA-VAYA]

Great video, Kyle!

[@coleschank5469]

beautiful restoration! you the man!

[@kyle_noseworthy]

haha thanks Cole!

[@dasklingenspiel4089]

Great job, but does it make sense to have such a fine edge on an axe? Eventhough its a konvex doesn´t it chip when chopping?? Learned a lot from your videos btw thank you!

[@cliffordwright1603]

Great video and advice so informative. Thanx what compound did you use

[@lettingthebearout7528]

Oh my god. My Dad had that same Carborundum Stone and box in his garage back I the day. Takes be back. 50 + years ago.

[@TheMasonator777]

Just a suggestion, it would be nice to see a credit on the music, just so we could go seek out the artist if we like their work. Nice work on that edge!

[@iantweedie4060]

Since you are the edge wizard, would you recommend a heavily convexed axe edge if so how would you properly sharpen it

[@geico1975]

I've been working on a Harbor Freight Axe for a day or so, trying to thin the edge down wish I had a bench grinder though, been doing it all with Rasps/Mill Files, I've noticed one side was a lot thicker than the other, guess that's why it's so cheap, like $12, it's getting there though.

[@iscariotproject]

really good video learned alot thank you for sharing

[@pauldrowns7270]

I'm still debating over my putting that much polish into a strictly functional edge (I use what I build) but my gracious, what a beautiful final result! The texture on the bit is a great feature, and makes me think that I should start considering rusting and pitting as an opportunity. Like the rooster method. My 1/4 sheets become 1/8s before they become 1/16s. Why chase the burr???

[@kyle_noseworthy]

I certainly use my tools as well my friend, but I like a nice polish! super quick too with the rooster method! I like a good quality pitted look :-)

[@driftingcowboy78]

Great restoration! I'd like to make a strop (or maybe) like you have, any suggestions on what type and weight of leather works best? Thanks

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Hey Jon! Strops are excellent. I prefer a paddle strop as seen in the video. The weight of leather makes no difference whatsoever, but you want some with a milled surface, so it isn't too rough and grainy!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Great restoration job. Almost too nice to use...almost, but the ancestors who used the axe new would not be happy to see it sit on a shelf

[@kyle_noseworthy]

that's exactly right Mark! Too nice to use, but too nice NOT to use!

[@WAVETUBE84]

That's a very old beauty. It has plenty of use left in it... I agree with you: it is not yet the time to mount it on a wall.

[@stephencresswell4760]

That metal polished up very quickly. Has the axe lost its hardness? Most of my axes would not polish up like that for hours.

[@4StringSling]

Hey Kyle great vid thank you! After about 600 grit my edge started getting duller. I can't work out why? Perhaps my angle was wrong? Does it have to be exactly on the sweet spot the entire process? I really can't tell if I am or not.. something you learn with experience I suppose. Is there a specific degree angle it should be at to the edge? Also the burr I originally created was gone by 600 grit are you suppose to have a burr the entire way through the process?. If it disappears has something wrong happened? Thank you for any help and tips you may have!

[@kyle_noseworthy]

How do you know it started getting 'duller'? A 600 grit edge will feel really grabby and sharp to your touch; a 2000 grit edge will feel smoother and less sharp, but if you have done things right, it will be much sharper.

[@4StringSling]

@@kyle_noseworthy It was blatantly duller like super dull. I must have been changing the angle as I was going and rolling the edge over

[@4StringSling]

I don't understand how you can maintain the same angle whilst having the axe on your leg? Experience I suppose

[@superodfx]

Kyle do you have a video sharpening a knife with convex blade?

[@StevePilgrim2013]

Great lesson in sharpening. For contrast in 2017, consider a video about sharpening really small blades - e.g. SAK or GEC or Schrade Old Timer. Just a thought.

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Thanks for that suggestion Steve! I certainly will do that. I have a few SAK's that need sharpening!

[@SWhite-hp5xq]

Please add in the description the names of the tools you are sharpening, and any relevant videos you’ve made too. (This will keep people viewing your content as a bonus)

[@IamNemoN01]

You should wipe your edge with a cloth before going to the clean leather strop, because it's easy to transfer honing compound from your sharpening strop to your clean leather. Iwasaki wrote that he would always get a better edge on rainy days because there is less ambient dust in the air. So he always saved his sharpening for rainy days. That says A LOT about how dust can effect your edge! For this reason, when at home, I sharpen my blades in the bathroom after a shower - and it makes a noticeable difference! When out in the wilderness, saving your sharpening for rainy days helps to pass the time when you can't do much else - and you get a better edge on your blades.

[@ReasonAboveEverything]

Best method in my opinion.

[@redcanoe14]

Good job! I would like to see this axe in action. Because this axe is badly pitted, the edge will need to be re-ground after a period of time. I have a few old axes that are similarly pitted, I used rust converter on them to inhibit further rusting (makes them a blue-black kind of colour).

[@kyle_noseworthy]

If you watch until the end of the video, there is a link to watch this axe in use..

[@redcanoe14]

Thank you, you did a great job on this 'old timer'.

[@cabotbluegill]

Its a great meathod for sure

[@davidgaylord2035]

is this the hatchet you sliced open your leg with having to resharpen it

[@kyle_noseworthy]

nope! It isn't!

[@laneramsey1473]

Keep an axe nice, and treat it with respect, and it will last a lifetime.

[@DeanO]

That's a sharp axe my friend

[@kyle_noseworthy]

She cuts well!

[@lorisb1513]

That's a beauty.

[@SurvivalRussia]

Well done :)

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Thank you Sir!

[@stevesrt8]

Nicely done sir! Subbed.

[@censusgary]

You sharpened that axe mirror-smooth and razor-sharp there. Of course, that edge is so fine that thr sharpist part of it will get knocked off the first time you chop something with it.

[@larrycasaletto2331]

Just because it's been polished does not mean it's a weak edge edge geometry has more impact on durability the the edge finish.

[@jdhed1601]

I see a lot of those videos trying to learn but nobody ever says for how long to do each. I can get an edge that looks good but still couldn't cut butter.

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Sorry you're having this trouble my friend. No one says its, probably, because it's so variable! You'll need to sharpening with your most coarse grit until you have created an apex. This step is crucial. If you don't create an apex, even a fine wire burr on the edge, then you will never achieve a sharp edge. Hope that helps!

[@beerhunter272]

Great job bud. You can impress the ladies by shaving their legs. lol

[@imemovengeance]

How did it get textured like that? Made?

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Rust!

[@RustyGlovebox]

Great job on honing the edge of that axe. I bet that axe will just fly through a tree. Have a great 2017

[@kyle_noseworthy]

She sure does! Thanks Rusty!

[@rumpeltv1080]

Is that how mirrors are made? :-O

[@minor0confusion]

looks great, blade radius isnt consistant tho, thats a bad thing..... maybe work on the edge rather than the appearance next time

[@boomerwithbadhip2603]

I assume this from video you shot before your injury. ATB

[@kyle_noseworthy]

You are correct my friend! thanks!

[@renita1231]

Keep this one away from the leg. To sharpen an axe is one thing, keeping the edge is another. Cheers RH

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Yessir buddy! Thanks!

[@censusgary]

Why is it called the Rooster method?

[@kyle_noseworthy]

A guy name Craig Roost came up with it, or atleast made it popular

[@royjones59344]

happy new year and nice axe. hope your leg is healing well. cut my extensor tendon a few years ago when i got careless so i know what you're going through.

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Happy new year to you Roy! My leg is doing well. Sorry about your injury. tough stuff

[@morganhughes3601]

I have the same carborundum

[@strandymusic]

PS. Saw this video prior to the first on axe restoration and noticed your motorcycle in the first scene of video #1. Broke my leg while forced to do a radical swerve riding my KLR 650. Someone pulled out from the intersection where a city bus was loading passengers blocking my inside lane as I was passing the parked bus... The bike and I missed the derelict car but laid down the bike when my leg broke as I touched down my foot out of a reaction the the radical swerve I made. Lots of lessons here... Keep sharp on that bike! :)

[@cosmicbilly]

I never understood why anyone would polish an axe head to a mirror finish, unless it was a wall hanger. You spend hours polishing, and after the first swing into wood, the nice polish is scratched up.

[@oldyellerschannel4676]

WRONG! You are SO wrong...about "the ladies" not caring I mean. ;) I am one of "the ladies" and it is I who does all the sharpening around MY home. We have a small collection of swords, axes and beautiful Henckel kitchen knives, which I cherish, and since I want to keep them all beautifully sharp and gleaming, I have been watching lots of sharpening videos, and learning lots of new things. I think I have finally figured out what stone my father used to use to sharpen our kitchen knives... one of those Corborundum Stones like the one you had. All I could remember was that he would sit in a chair in the kitchen, sharpening knife after knife, with this huge grey stone in his lap. He never put oil or water on it that I ever saw, and the knives...we always complained that they were TOO sharp, as you always cut yourself doing the dishes after the sharpening was done. It seemed like you only had to be near the knife to slice your fingers! And I love the sound of the knife sliding across the stone, it's rather soothing. So I just wanted to say my piece, and thank you, and ALL the people who have taken the time to share their knowledge with the rest of us. It's rare to find a video about sharpening axes, compared to knifes, and it's important to know these things. That's a beautiful axe! And thanks again!

[@reesestalion833]

When you said rasp it confused me for mean a file

[@marcmartens4831]

Very interesting, 👍s up

[@imemovengeance]

Or from rust?

[@rowanfernsler9725]

No doubt it can put a great mirror edge on it

[@RustySpur]

Rasp?

[@stevehuffman7453]

learn to sharpen properly, and you won't have to spend hours or days or longer removing a dam burr. Pull the edge on your stone or file away from the edgr with your file/rasp you get a burr. Push edge first on the stone/file/rasp towards the edge: no burr. Or if you get a burr you could just dry strop the dam thing, or do like the lumberjacks of old, and just use it. First or second strike will remove the burr...

[@chrisblack2625]

No! You don't use a wood rasp on metal, it tears it up.

[@billastell3753]

I'm pretty sure it was a file not a rasp he was using but depending on your background some folks may call a file a rasp if they are not woodworkers.

[@davidgaylord2035]

one side u sharpen from toe to heel and on the other side you go from heel to toe

[@EliteHunting1911]

That axe head is titillating

[@Realryancurry]

I was gonna write a mocking comment but instead I’ll speculate you have learned a few things since this vid. Kinda funny now isn’t it?

[@kyle_noseworthy]

Why don't you spread your immense knowledge to your 4 subscribers...

[@panama-canada]

The stone doesn’t do anything. File is the only tool taking away the material.

[@lelandmiller312]

Oh, metal is tough rust look bad

[@janivoutilainen2610]

Probably the best sharpening video of axes ever. If you have time, drop by at the Finnish axe enthusiasts page to see some of that sweet sweet axeporn 😂 facebook.com/groups/KirvesharrastajatSuomi/

[@hesehali5042]

I want to shave my balls with an axe

[@londiniumarmoury7037]

Could shave a Sasquatch with that.

[@kyle_noseworthy]

YES, you're right! I actually did that and it worked perfectly! check it: images.app.goo.gl/59aS1X2z6dTKXcU59

[@codyscottthomas]

What two morons would actually give this video a thumbs down?

[@ghw1985]

Scott HamHax I think you answered it, two morons

[@Reptiliancentaur781]

Axe snobs that think axes should never ever be this sharp otherwise they are "unsafe".

[@teddahrable]

The Anonymous Reviewer I was out on a large, group canoe trip this summer and my canoe partner asked to borrow my hatchet to clear a spot to pitch his tent. I gave it to him, and he brought it back minutes later, asking me to use it for him because, "It was the sharpest ax he'd ever seen and he was scared to use it."

[@panama-canada]

Use the grinder man. 10 seconds and you’re done!

[@dragosd8992]

It is good for people who don’t necessarily have a grinder. I’m happy I finally found someone who does this without a grinder because it’s too expensive for me

[@WAVETUBE84]

Bad AXX!!! ....sharpening.

[@BOOSTEDLASER]

badly made axe