Axe Care

Protection

Protect your axe from rust damage by lightly oiling it after each use. Steel, wood, and leather needs a thin coat of oil or wax to stay beautiful. An axe should never be put away wet. Keep a synthetic cloth saturated in linseed oil or beeswax stored in a zipper-lock bag in your field kit.

Sharpening

A sharp tool is a safe tool, so keep your axe sharp. Regular sharpening with a Wetterlings grinding stone will keep the cutting edge working efficiently and help retain the functional shape of the edge. Our stones are made from stone quarried near our Storvik factory. They can be used with oil, water, or saliva.

Carrying

A tough, full grain leather sheath comes with every Wetterlings axe. Carry your  sheathed axe in a pack with confidence. Snap the sheath around your belt and your axe is readily accessible.

Storage

Axes are to be stored dry and in a cool place – not too warm, not too cold. Proper storage temperatures are 5 to 20 degrees Celsius (40-70 degrees Fahrenheit). Try to avoid soaking your axe. Deep, repeated wetting and drying or improper storage can cause the handle to become loose and the tool unsafe. Temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) can make wood handles fragile.

Safety

Always use safety goggles and steelcap shoes when chopping wood. Never strike one axe with another one.