Peening (hammering) of scythe
Peening, hammering, tapping, or sharpening a scythe – depending on the region, you may encounter different names for the same technique. Basically, it involves shaping the blade of a scythe with a ham...
Peening and honing with a whetstone
If a scythe is to serve its purpose – mowing grass – it must be perfectly sharp. The first requirement is that the scythe is well peened. This means that its blade is hammered and narrowed to a razor edge using a hammer and anvil.
This makes the blade of the scythe extremely thin and perfect for cutting grass, but it also means that it quickly becomes deformed and blunt during mowing. For this reason, it is necessary to sharpen the scythe every few minutes with a whetstone to restore its blade.
Honing a scythe with a whetstone
For easy mowing with a scythe, it is necessary to sharpen the scythe every few minutes with a whetstone. Good to know before you start: Safety! To avoid ending up in an unstable position, hold the...