How To Peen a Scythe Blade
After many hours of mowing and honing, the metal at the edge gets worn back to where the metal is thicker. At this point the whetstone will no longer be able to restore the acute angle required for a sharp edge. To resharpen your blade, you will then need to peen the cutting edge, to draw out and thin the metal at the edge, so that it is thin enough for the whetstone to be effective again. There are many different styles of peening; not just one. The peening technique that I personally prefer and recommend, is described in the Peening Manual that I wrote, included in the Peening Kits. For a sense of what is involved with peening, see the video below.
I don't carry peening jigs. I don't like the results. I prefer to teach people how to use a narrow anvil right from the start. For the same price as a good peening jig, you can buy a great hammer & anvil, and be set for life, and then pass the tools on to the next generation. For more info on peening see blog.
Special Note for Bush Blades: Bush blades are not usually peened. Instead they are sharpened by first honing them with an artificial wetstone followed by the natural whetstone. They are also honed at a steeper angle than a grass blade. Hone the bush blade in the field, as you would the grass blade, but at a steeper angle. I like the blue Bregensers for bush blades. When the bush needs sharpening, hone it as in this video, but with the Styria artificial stone, followed by a natural stone. If you can imagine a spectrum of edges, with a razorblade at one end, and a hatchet at the other; the grass blade would be closer to the razor, and the bush blade would be closer to the hatchet. So the edges are treated and shaped accordingly.
