Until I read the "how-to" below I thought I knew what I was doing when sharpening my axe. It was watching the "underhand log chopping" competition at the WoodFest at St Asaph that made me realise what a properly sharp axe could do: impressive, but alarming because the competition axes were so sharp.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/index.php/Skills-General/How-to-Sharpen-an-Axe.html