Ironically, the same day our retail catalogue went on a temporary "leave of absence" (September 11th), we received a small shipment of a brand-new model of high quality peening anvil. We are sending several of them (along with some of the newly-listed blades) to Alexander of ScytheWorks who can sell them by mail before we are back "on duty".

Designed and made by Ernst Schoiswohl, a technician at the Schröckenfux scythe factory. Features a face somewhat broader than most conventional narrow-faced types of anvils, plus an innovative aid for beginners -- an adjustable table upon which the blade's rib is supported during peening. This helps with the steadying, something that most beginners have difficulty with). Hardened to 58-60 Rc, it is likely the toughest of all commercially produced peening anvils. The table can be removed once you become competent and begin to play with different positions of holding the blade.
$55.00

Besides his "regular duty" (often 12 -16 hour workdays), Ernst has been making knives as a hobby and is the local community's household tool sharpener. As of the last several years, inspired by us to take up the scythe, he has participated very actively in our brainstorming sessions and experiments with scythe blade sharpening. If it were not for him, Schröckenfux would still not be making any scythe blades with edges "ready to use" when sold. (A very small percentage of what they produce yearly are now prepared thus, and sold mainly by the Sensenverein of Austria, Dick GmbH of Germany, The Scythe Shop in England, and Niels Johansson of Denmark.)

The topic of blade peening has been a major focus of our debates and trials. In the instructional video (2005) Ernst still demonstrates the cross peen hammer/flat anvil method prevalent in Upper Austria. By 2007, however, he also concluded that the cross peen anvil/flat hammer is easier for neophytes to learn.

Click each photo for a larger image. For a semi-finished article on peening scythe blades "freehand", click here.

16 Sep. 2008