- 1). Position the head of an axe or hatchet against a stable object such as a tree limb or log. Place a stake or rock alongside the head to support the axe or hatchet during sharpening. Use a file to sharpen the edge. Move the file back and forth across the cutting edge to create a sharp point.
- 2). Put on gloves to protect your hands while sharpening the cutting edge of the axe or hatchet. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and in a comfortable position in which you feel in control.
- 3). Use an axe to fell a tree or cut larger limbs into smaller pieces. Swing the head of the axe to contact the wood with the cutting edge. Position the head at a 45-degree angle to cut more easily into the wood.
- 4). Use a hatchet to remove small limbs from a tree. Cut the limb from the bottom and not from the top. Avoid cutting into the V shape of the limb to avoid potentially splitting the limb and wood.
- 5). Split logs into manageable firewood pieces with a hatchet or axe. Place a small log on a larger log or prop it against a larger log. Swing the hatchet or axe head down into the end of the smaller log to split.
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