Yes, You Can Shave with an Axe. Here’s How to Do It.

Chris in How To

8/13/15

[updated: 1/5/21]

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You’ve seen it. Old movies, Looney Tunes cartoons, vintage black and white photos that at least look real. An axe is, after all, a sharp blade, and apparently, you can shave with it. Mike Warren set out to see how it all works.

Of course, an axe and a razor are two very different types of tools, and first, he need to grind an entirely new bevel on the axe, from about 40° to 10°.

This renders the axe to fragile for splitting tasks, and you’d have to apply the original angle again before using it for its intended purpose.

After that, it’s all about pulling the skin as tight as possible, and staying careful. Mike says it definitely worked…But.

Though it’s a little nerve-racking wielding a sharp edge around your face, there’s a zone you get into mentally that is actually quite relaxing. Shaving with my conventional razor (a standard 3 blade razor with disposable heads) normally takes less than 5 minutes, whereas axe shaving took an 1 hour and 20 minutes. Extra care needs to be made with such a large blade, as I cut myself on my jawline and on the chin. Both cuts were small but could have been avoided by taking a little extra time, and by ensuring the skin was stretched very tight. I’m glad to have experienced the rugged technique of shaving with an axe, but don’t think it’s a method I’d try again anytime soon.