the best axe sharpeners

The Best Axe Sharpeners

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Axes are essential tools that come in handy when you need to cut, shape, split, and chop wood. However, if you’re using an axe that’s dull it makes your work a lot harder. Therefore, you will want to keep your axe sharp with an axe sharpener to help keep the tool performing well.

If you’re looking to get the best axe sharpener available to purchase today, you have come to the right place! With the axe sharpeners flooding the market, I’m sure you need some help finding the best one for you. It can be overwhelming to try and figure out what you need on your own since there are so many options. 

I have reviewed several axe sharpeners and rounded up the five best axe sharpeners that will offer you the best value and quality. Read through each tool carefully so you can pick the right one to help make your work easier!

Before we begin, let’s go over why it’s important to keep your axe sharp and the different types of axe sharpeners. 

Dull Axes Are More Dangerous Than Sharp Ones

So you may be wondering how is a dull axe more dangerous than a sharp one? I understand it’s a little confusing because of course handling a sharp object seems to be one of the more dangerous things you can do. To start with, the main reason why a dull axe is more dangerous than a sharp axe is that it requires the user to use significantly more force when cutting, chopping, splitting, etc. 

A sharper axe uses edge geometry to make a cut while a dull axe uses force. A sharp axe will often “glide” through materials without much effort. A dull axe, on the other hand, is clumsier and less user-friendly.

For example, a dull axe blade can just bounce off of the wood you’re cutting. This can cause it to go somewhere else – such as your leg. Not only is it a safety hazard but it’s also going to take you longer to complete the job that you’re working on. Sharpening can be a tedious process, but a sharp axe will quickly make up for the time spent sharpening with how quickly you’ll be able to get your work done.

Different Types Of Axe Sharpeners

There are three primary types of axe sharpeners: stone, electric, and file sharpeners. Each type has a specific method for sharpening and there own pros and cons. All three types are effective and will sharpen your axe easily.

Stone sharpeners are arguably the most versatile option, but a lot of people consider electric and file sharpeners more efficient. The option that’s best for you is going to depend on your needs, stone and file sharpeners are the more affordable options, but electric sharpeners require the least amount of effort from the user.

Stone Sharpeners

Stone sharpeners, also known as sharpening pucks and whetstones, are useful for all types of axe edges. It doesn’t matter if you hav a dull axe or one that’s already sharp, you can use a whetstone to shape the axe blade into premium condition!

There are three categories of stone sharpeners:

  • > 1,000 Grit – this grit is coarse and are commonly used to sharpen rusty and chipped axes.
  • 1,000 – 3,000 Grit – sharpeners with this grit are finer and used to sharpen axes with dull edges.
  • 4,000 – 8,000 Grit – stones with this grit are used to smooth axe blades that are already sharpened and just need refined edges.

As an added convenience, a lot of stone sharpeners are dual-sided. For example, the stone may have 1,000-grit on one side and 3,000 on the other.

File Sharpeners

File sharpeners are thin and long sharpeners, typically between 8” – 12”. One end has a handle or grip and the other has abrasive strips with densely set ‘teeth’. They are really useful for sharpening axe heads that are scored, rusty, or dull.

Most file sharpeners have two different levels of abrasiveness: one side of the file is coarse, while the other is fine. Before you begin using a file sharpener, you will want to think about whether you want a straight edge or a rounded bevel edge:

  • Straight edges file sharpeners feature sides that are completely flat. Kind of like a triangle. There are best for detail work and carving.
  • Rounded bevel edges sharpeners are slightly curved. They provide more support for the cutting edge, making them perfect for chopping wood and cutting. 

You sharpen with files by moving in one direction. Usually, the direction that you’re working in is away from you. To help you better understand, the handle of the file should be closest to you.

Electric Sharpeners

Electric sharpeners are motorized tool that are powered by electricity. To use an electric sharpener, all you have to do is plug it in and turn it on. There are a wide variety of different electric sharpeners out there that range in power, size, and weight.

Just like stone and file sharpeners, the belts on electric sharpeners have different grits:

  • Coarse grit sizes like 120 and 220
  • Medium grit sizes like 1,000 and 3,000
  • Fine-grit belts like 3,000 and 6,000

Electric sharpeners are the quickest way to sharpen axes, this is because a machine works more efficiently than a person.

The Best Axe Sharpeners – Reviewed 

Below are the best axe sharpeners available for purchase today.

Smith’s 6-inch Diamond Sharpening Stone

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The Smith’s 6-inch Diamond Sharpening Stone is an affordable sharpening stone that can be used to restore the edge of the blade on your axe. It’s a basic sharpener but don’t let that scare you off. It that can help you get your axe sharp again quickly. However, I would like to note that it does lack some of the more advanced features found in other sharpeners.

The stone comes in two pieces: one side has coarse diamonds and the other side has fine diamonds. The coarse side is meant for sharpening your axe initially, while the fine side of the sharpener is supposed to be used for finishing touches on your axe or maintenance work. This makes it super easy to use and convenient, this is because all you have to do is flip over the stone when you’re finished with one side. The stones aren’t particularly large, both measure to be about 6 inches long. However, I would like to mention that they’re wider than most other sharpeners.

What I don’t like about this sharpener is that it doesn’t have any angle guides. Angle guides are somewhat common in other sharpeners and a nice feature to have. It does take some getting used to since you have to hold your axe at a consistent angle. 

Unlike other axe sharpeners, which usually only use water as a lubricant, this axe sharpener needs oil applied occasionally while it’s in use. Fortunately, its smaller size means that applying oil won’t be difficult. One advantage of this sharpener though is it needs less lubricant, this means there’s less of a chance of making a mess.

SHARPAL 103N All-in-1 Knife Multi-Sharpener 

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The SHARPAL 103N All-in-1 Knife Multi-Sharpener offers you three sharpening spots. It allows you to change it for every tool you have. This means you can use this sharpener to sharpen both single and double-beveled blades.

The best part of this is after you’ve achieved the sharpness you’re looking for, you can turn the tool onto the other side to hone and polish your axe or even eliminate burrs. This way, your axe lasts a long time and performs as well as when you first got it.

It comes with three different angled slots which allows you to sharpen tools that have single or double bevels. I would like to mention if you’re looking for something that can sharpen a lot of different things then this is a great option to consider. You can sharpen amower blade, scissors, knives, axes, a pruner, a machete, and even hedge shears. 

Work Sharp WSKTS-KT Knife and Tool Sharpener

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The Work Sharp WSKTS-KT Knife and Tool Sharpener is a pretty versatile tool that can sharpen not only axes but also scissors and knives. This tool comes with a one-year warranty. This sharpener has belts that are easily replaceable and comes with premium abrasive belts so you can sharpen as much as you need, coarse (P80), medium (P220), and Fine (6000). 

You’ll be happy to know that the abrasive belts won’t damage or burn blade steel during the sharpening process. It also comes with precision sharpening guides to provide fast, easy, and consistent results. 

The Work Sharp WSKTS-KT is intended to be used by both hobbyists and professionals alike to sharpen all kinds of blades, dull or not. I would like to mention that this sharpener is much heavier than some of the other sharpeners I looked at but I added it since it can still be used easily by anyone.

Wrapping Up

There are the best axe sharpeners! We hope this buying guide helped you find the best axe sharpener for you! Do you have a favorite axe sharpener from this list? Do you own an axe sharpener already? If not, are you considering purchasing one now? Please feel free to leave a comment; we would love to hear from you! 

Did you enjoy this article? Check out some other articles I have written: 

About Brianna Goulet

Brianna is a freelance writer who covers home decor, DIY projects, and tool reviews. She’s written for a variety of sites on these topics. She's originally from Massachusetts but she's currently living in Florida.

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