From: goodsoldierschweik@gmail.com   
      
   On Tue, 28 May 2013 06:55:13 +0000 (UTC), alvinj@Example.com wrote:   
      
   >Schweik  wrote:   
   >> >>>But the bit about 'peening' to sharpen the blade, anybody   
   >> >>>know anything about that?   
   >   
   >Yes that's how they were shaprened whenever it could be sharpened   
   >that way! No kidding. They didn't-waste-steel by wearing it away   
   >with a hone when they could hammer it back into a shape they could   
   >use.   
   >   
   >I still see old guys doing that with picks and digging bars. :)   
   >   
   >They don't waste-metal by grinding it away (like I do xD) they   
   >hammer those tools to a point again.   
   >   
   >> Schweik {should've} wrote:   
   >   
   >{in my experience}   
   >   
   >> ...peening a scythe blade was not a very common pastime, at least   
   >> not by the 1930's - 1940's. At least not for anyone that took care   
   >> where he mowed and the "whetstone" wasn't artificial, nor was it   
   >> particularly coarse grained - certainly finer then the old treadle   
   >> powered sandstone "grinding wheel" that was used to sharpen the   
   >> scythe. And no handle on it either.   
   >   
   >> My father had two scythes. One to use for mowing around hay fields   
   >> close to the stone walls where the mower couldn't be used and a   
   >> second to mow anywhere there might be any obstructions. In   
   >> probably 30 years of use he never peened either and they were both   
   >> still very sharp and usable when he died.   
   >> Schweik   
   >   
   >Yeah but, way-back, the really old ones, lasted way-longer than one   
   >measly little generation, Squeak! xD   
   >   
   >Butthead in AZ   
      
   I don't remember where my father got his scythes but being the frugal   
   New Englander that he was he probably bought them second hand. At   
   least I remember them as having no finish at all on the snath and the   
   blades were sort of "browned"  :-)   
      
   --   
   Cheers,   
      
   Schweik   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)