How to Make Stone Axes

Search an outdoor area for large solid rocks about the size of a small refrigerator with very small grains. Avoid rocks that are very porous, are rough and easy to scrape, or that are filled with cracks. For best results, look for large rocks with angular sides.

Find a rock about the size of a grapefruit that is made from stone similar to your source rock. Raise the rock above your head and bring it down at a slight angle along the straightest leading edge of the larger rock. Repeat this process until a shard of the rock breaks free that is roughly 3-inches in diameter.

Locate a rougher piece of rock like the kind you avoided earlier. Look for one that is large enough that you don't need to hold it or one that is part of a larger rock. Choose one end of the ax head rock to sharpen further. Select the one that is already the sharpest.

Hold the ax stone at a roughly 30-degree angle and drag it repeatedly over the rough rock. Always grind the two rocks together in the same direction, not in a scrubbing motion. Do this for approximately 5 minutes and then turn the ax rock over and grind the other side in the same manner. Repeat this process until the shape of the edge appears flattened and is becoming sharp.

Change the angle of the ax stone to roughly 45-degrees and continue grinding each side for an additional five minutes. This adds a slightly better cutting surface to the very edge and improves overall sharpness.

Hunt for a stick that is roughly 2 feet long and 2-inches in diameter. Avoid rotted or severely bent pieces. Remove any branches or stubs that make holding difficult. Place the stick vertically on a piece of rock and hold the ax head at the top facing down. Take another piece of rock and lightly hammer at the ax head to begin splitting the stick. Stop at approximately 6 inches through the stick.

Turn the ax blade so it faces perpendicular to the stick and slowly wedge it down into the gap in the stick. If there is too much resistance, pull the pieces of stick apart to make a wider gap.

Wrap one end of a long shoelace or other type of sturdy cord around the stick approximately 1-inch below the lowest point of the ax blade and secure it. Draw the cord up over the top of the blade once and then around the stick once. Repeat this until there is only about 2-inches of cord remaining. Tie the end securely to the stick shaft and verify that the glade is tight inside the shaft and doesn't shift.

Sharpen the blade for a few more minutes at both the 30 and 45-degree angles to ensure that it is still sharp after cutting through the stick, or to make it generally sharper.