Awww... a topic near and dear to my heart. People have several diffrent ways of doing this, but what I was taught is that
1) the axe doesn't need to be that sharp
2) cleanliness is next to godliness

Put your axe in a vise and with a file, start at the bottom ox axe blade and move along the blade with the file working itself up, very similarly as shapening a steak knife. The important thing is just make sure the axe is sharpest the top 2/3, or where you are going to make contact with a roof.

The 2nd part is I always, always, ALWAYS make sure my axe is very clean. I use a wet dry sandpaper and polish until I can see my own reflection (i wish)

Good luck!!

Interesting.....a person who says he is a firefighter, who loves to extricate, but has no idea how to sharpen an axe???? Have you heard of a little book called the IFSTA manual.....should be in the "bible" just like most things. When i went thru we learned how to sharpen and have been doing so ever since. But then again the bay area is quite a bit different then Pretty Orange County.
If you burn it....we will come!!!!

Olskool's right. IFSTA 4th edition, Page 242 figure 8.21 shows a technique. Doesn't look like the safest way to do it to me, but it is in there along with all the other steps for maintaining axes and other such tools.

Now if your looking for a certain technique to achieve a particular result, then IFSTA's not the answer. As on most things they gloss over a lot of the particulars.

A google search on the subject will pull up a lot of lumberjack related pages. Don't underestimate those guys. They know stuff about axes and chainsaws that would bl*w your mind.
Good Luck!

luvs2xtrak8:

Does anybody know of a book or website

The search term "how to sharpen a knife" will get you 10,500 results (and some of them darn good) at:

http://search.yahoo.com

While the same search terms only offered one result at Amazon.com

Go figure.

I too will point you towards the IFSTA essentials book... along with the suggestion that you practice on some small and cheap objects at home (a pocketknife and hatchet) before tackling the axes at work.

Best Wishes,

Brian
Please no e-mail. Public replies only. Thank you!

Come on, saying IFSTA is my answer for sharpening an axe for roof ops?

IFSTA 4th edition, page 42,
Cutting Edges
Inspect the cutting edge for nicks, tears or metal spurs.
Replace cutting edges when required.
File the cutting edges by hand; grinding weakens the tool.(figure 8.21)

Heat weakens the tool, not grinding.

gawfman - Thanks for the tips, I agree with what you said.

And others thanks for the reference to searches for shapening a knife, not exactly what I was looking for.

Not sure what my screen name and where I live has to do with sharpening an axe?
This message was edited by luvs2xtrak8 on 12-9-04 @ 8:53 PM

luvs2xtrak8,

Step 1:
Before any thing, let's make sure we are wearing proper PPE's (long sleeve shirt, gloves and eye protection).

Step 2:
Put your axe in a vise using a rag to protect the handle.

Step 3:
Grab your file by the handle using your left hand; put your right hand over the top of your file.

Step 4:
Put the top of the file at the bottom of the blade. Using the whole file (top to bottom), move the file towards the top of the blade. The bottom of the file should now be at the top the blade.

Repeat "Step 4" ten times. Flip axe over and repeat "Steps 2-3-4".

Good luck and stay safe,
GM3rd

"No one's perfect, practice makes improvement."

OK olskoolsffd...Ill give ya partial credit on this one...He had it comin....a no brainer...but chill bro...itll be OK
Be......OUT-standing!

I use a chainsaw to vent a roof.
This message was edited by Firebird on 12-10-04 @ 4:01 PM

LOL.....I guess we overlooked that OBVIOUS! LOL.....but it does always look good to have that axe strapped to your waist, and if your gonna wear it, it may as well be sharp! ;)
Be......OUT-standing!

It's also a good thing to have it strapped to your waist when your saw takes a dump or breaks a chain.

Boy, I guess I had it comin again cuz it was a real no brainer. But ya know here in "Pretty Orange County" it's a good thing that we read page 242 of the "bible" and carry 4 to 5 chain saws on the engine :eg:
This message was edited by luvs2xtrak8 on 12-10-04 @ 4:44 PM

having an axe helped save my fathers life. dont forget that any tool, whethere it stays strpaed to your side or not, is always an important tool in firefighting. Lucky for my father, the axe was sharp enough to dig into the roof right before he slid off from 3 stories.......

Proper tool maintance caould mean the differance between life or death!