Gear guide
Best Sharpening Stones for an Axe or Hatchet
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
A camp axe or hatchet is usually sharpened with a hand stone moved over the edge, the opposite of a knife on a bench stone. The usual tool is a puck: a round, dual-grit stone held in the palm and worked in small circles, coarse side for a dull or nicked edge, fine side to finish. The US Forest Service ax manual prints the edge as about 25 degrees and slightly convex, so the aim is to keep that shape, not to grind it thin. The picks differ in abrasive (silicon carbide, corundum or diamond, where the listing names it), in the grit pair, and in what they travel in. Grit numbers here run from 150 to 1200 as printed, and makers do not share one scale, so read them as the coarse and fine side of one stone. This guide compares six pucks and one diamond file by stone type, grit, wet or dry use and the pouch or sheath included. The same stones are listed for machetes and hatchets. Wear gloves and eye protection, and keep your fingers clear of the edge. Everything comes from the listings; nothing here was tested.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Stone type | Grit | Use | Pouch or sheath | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sharp Pebble axe puck, silicon carbide 150/320 | Silicon carbide puck | 150 / 320 | not stated | not stated | - | Amazon |
 SHARPAL 181N diamond file 325/1200, leather sheath | Diamond file | 325 / 1200 | Dry | Leather sheath | - | Amazon |
 Angerstone axe sharpener 180/320 with leather pouch | Corundum puck | 180 / 320 | not stated | Leather pouch | - | Amazon |
 NedFoss axe puck 180/600 grit with nylon sheath | Puck, abrasive not stated | 180 / 600 | not stated | Nylon sheath | - | Amazon |
 THRWCLUB axe sharpener 400/1000 with leather sheath | Puck, abrasive not stated | 400 / 1000 | not stated | Leather sheath | - | Amazon |
 Honoson 2-piece axe puck set, 240/400 grit | Puck, abrasive not stated | 240 / 400 | With or without honing oil | Flannel bag | - | Amazon |
 Lansky Puck dual-grit axe and tool sharpener | Puck, abrasive not stated | Dual grit, not numbered | not stated | not stated | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
If you just want one
- Closest match for the jobSharp Pebble axe puck, silicon carbide 150/320Made of silicon carbide: the abrasive is named in the listing, which several pucks here do not do.
- Most for the money on paperTHRWCLUB axe sharpener 400/1000 with leather sheathTwo grits, 400 and 1000: the listing gives 400 for initial sharpening and 1000 for a finer edge.
- Most complete listingSHARPAL 181N diamond file 325/1200, leather sheathMonocrystalline diamond electroplated on a stainless steel base; the listing names axes, hatchets and machetes.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · Sharp Pebble
Sharp Pebble axe puck, silicon carbide 150/320
See price on AmazonA dual-grit silicon carbide puck: black 150 grit side for dull edges, green 320 grit side to finish. The listing describes a large disk held in the palm; no pouch is mentioned.
What the listing offers
- Made of silicon carbide: the abrasive is named in the listing, which several pucks here do not do.
- Color-coded sides: black 150 grit for dull edges, green 320 grit to restore slightly dulled edges.
- Listed for axes, hatchets, machetes, lawnmower blades and other tools, held in the palm and moved in circles.
Limits to know
- No pouch, sheath or case is mentioned in the listing.
- The diameter and thickness are not stated: the listing only says the surface area is 40% larger.
Pick 2 · SHARPAL
SHARPAL 181N diamond file 325/1200, leather sheath
See price on AmazonA double-sided diamond file, not a puck: coarse 325 grit (45 micron) and extra fine 1200 grit (12 micron) monocrystalline diamond on stainless steel. Used dry, with a leather sheath that doubles as a strop.
What the listing offers
- Monocrystalline diamond electroplated on a stainless steel base; the listing names axes, hatchets and machetes.
- Both sizes are stated: coarse 325 grit is 45 micron, extra fine 1200 grit is 12 micron.
- Sharpens dry with no oil or water, and the cowhide sheath can act as a leather strop.
Limits to know
- A flat file with a handle, not a round puck: it does not sit in the palm for circular strokes.
- The listing gives no length or width for the sharpening surface.
Pick 3 · Angerstone
Angerstone axe sharpener 180/320 with leather pouch
See price on AmazonA dual-grit corundum stone: red 180 grit side for dull edges, white 320 grit side to finish, in a leather pouch with a snap that attaches to a belt.
What the listing offers
- The abrasive is named: corundum, fired at high temperature according to the listing.
- Red 180 grit side for dull edges and white 320 grit side for slightly dull edges and finishing.
- Leather pouch with reinforced stitching and a rivet snap that attaches to a belt or waistband.
Limits to know
- The size of the stone is not stated anywhere in the listing.
- Wet or dry use is not mentioned, and the brand is not an established sharpening name.
Pick 4 · NedFoss
NedFoss axe puck 180/600 grit with nylon sheath
See price on AmazonA dual-grit puck, 180/600 per the title, 3.15 x 3.15 x 1.2 inches, with a wear-resistant nylon sheath that goes in a pack or on a belt. For hatchets, axes and machetes around camp.
What the listing offers
- Dimensions are stated: 3.15 x 3.15 x 1.2 inches, the thickest puck with a stated size in this guide.
- Comes with a wear-resistant nylon sheath that can go in a backpack or be tied on a belt.
- Coarse side for badly worn or nicked edges, fine side to touch up, per the listing.
Limits to know
- The grit numbers appear only in the title, and the abrasive material is not stated.
- The listing does not say whether to use it dry, with water or with oil.
Pick 5 · THRWCLUB
THRWCLUB axe sharpener 400/1000 with leather sheath
See price on AmazonA round dual-grit stone with the highest grit numbers among the pucks here as printed: 400 for sharpening and shaping, 1000 for a smoother finish. Comes in a leather sheath for a pack or belt.
What the listing offers
- Two grits, 400 and 1000: the listing gives 400 for initial sharpening and 1000 for a finer edge.
- Round shape described as easy to handle and move over different parts of the blade.
- Includes a leather sheath that can be packed or attached to a belt.
Limits to know
- No coarse side: 400 is the roughest grit, so a badly nicked axe will take longer than on a 150 or 180 side.
- The abrasive material and the size of the stone are not stated in the listing.
Pick 6 · Honoson
Honoson 2-piece axe puck set, 240/400 grit
See price on AmazonTwo identical dual-grit pucks, 240 coarse and 400 fine, each about 3.15 x 3.15 x 0.8 inches, with one flannel bag. One for home and one for the pack; the listing says they work with or without honing oil.
What the listing offers
- Two stones in the pack, each with a 240 grit coarse side and a 400 grit fine side.
- Each stone measures approximately 3.15 x 3.15 x 0.8 inches.
- The listing says the stones can be used with or without honing oil.
Limits to know
- Only one flannel bag for the two stones, and no belt sheath or leather pouch.
- The abrasive material is not stated, and the brand is not an established sharpening name.
Pick 7 · Lansky
Lansky Puck dual-grit axe and tool sharpener
See price on AmazonLansky's round dual-grit puck for axes and other blades, listed for use in the field or in the shop. A widely sold puck, but the listing gives almost no specifications.
What the listing offers
- Dual-grit design named in the title: a coarser and a finer side in one puck.
- The listing says it works with all types of blades and axes.
- Described as usable both in the field and in the shop.
Limits to know
- The listing does not state the grit numbers, the abrasive or the size of the puck.
- No pouch or case is mentioned, and the bullets are short on detail compared with the other picks.
More gear for the choose your stones stage
- Best Whetstone Sets: Multi-Grit Kits With Holder and Flattener
- Best Whetstones for Japanese Knives: Which Grits and Which Stones
- Best Whetstone for Beginners: One Stone That Covers Most Knives
- Best Sharpening Stones for Pocket Knives: Bench and Pocket Size
- Best Diamond Sharpening Stones and Plates for Knives
Stone and Strop chooses every product independently from what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission from the links above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.