‘Tis the season for many to begin lighting up the wood stove and pulling from the seasoned firewood stash. Starting the winter with a full inventory of dry and prepped wood is a comforting feeling. While being prepared is important, the cold season can be challenging and unpredictable. Sometimes the snow shows up earlier than we expect, sticks around longer than we had hoped, or better yet, both.

That is why part of being prepared for winter means that your axes and wood-splitting tools are serviced and sharpened. If the unexpected happens and you find yourself out in the snow felling a tree or digging up a snow buried log, you’ve got shave sharp tools to help make the difficult task easier.

How To Sharpen Axes And Wood-Splitting Tools

Axes and wood-splitting tools are often considered to be the blunt-force workhorses of the mindful DIY’er but are a revelation when they are properly maintained. Moderate free-hand sharpening skills result in smoother, less taxing cuts all day long that save the back and yield cleaner cuts. A single touchup has proven to cut chopping time in half and yield cleaner, more consistent results for more aesthetically pleasing cuts while removing the physical burden of knots and burls.

For more tips on how to sharpen other tools with your Work Sharp, visit Extreme How-To