Taking the Blemishes Out of Your Face, Or The Poor Complection of My Swedish Girlfriend

I've been working on the Swede some.  She had a few dings in her face that I wanted to get rid of.  I didn't want to use the file on it, not because it's wrong, but because I really only like to use the file when I'm getting rid of cheek.

As you can see here, the profile is a wee bit wonky.  Until I test it, I'm going to leave it as is.

Minor blemishes, but still.....

Here it is after I worked it a bit with the Lansky Puck.  It is doing a good job, just takes a little time.

One thing that I can say is that just in the work to remove the blemishes, it really has sharpened up nicely.  This thing is like a razor.  I'm keeping the sheath on it full time because I'm not wanting to lop off a finger.

She has a little wiggle to the head.  As you can see here, it does have a nice wedge, but the wood on both sides has deteriorated.  I'm going to take a wooden wedge that I have and tap it into both sides to see if it will make a difference. 

Beyond all of this, I have removed a little more paint from the head, which has been a bit arduous.

 The most effective way, without immersing it into spirits, is to soak it in a bit of paint thinner and scrape it away with the knife.  I should just splurge and buy some thinner to soak it in.

Again, I got this from Sportsman's Guide for a grand total of about $25.00, with $10.00 shipping.  Not everyone has had the luck that I've had.  The Wandering Thinker purchased one not too long ago and wasn't that pleased.  He said that it looked as though an amateur had rehandled it and that the head was stripped of all paint and rusted.  Buyer beware.  For $25 bones, this is a good deal, but with $10.00 shipping, if you have to return it a few times to get a better sample, you start running into the price range of a Council Tool axe or, if you have to send it back a few times, a new Wetterlings.

If you're considering one of these axes, head over to the BushcraftUSA forums.  There is a thread on these axes.  It'll give you a better idea of what the ratio of good to bad is.

Pax Domini Sit Semper Vobiscum,

Mike, Oscar, Hotel.....out.