Scythe Peening Day 2016

I sold my first beginners scythe kit of the season today to Nick who has a 3 acre wildflower meadow near Ingleton in Yorkshire. Like the first wildflowers germinating and snow on the Cumbrian hills this is a sure sign that spring is here which can only mean one thing: it’s time to get your scythe ready and join in with International Peening Day on Sunday 3rd April 2016!
As always, Peening Day is a reminder to get your scythe out of it’s winter home to oil, clean and, most of all, sharpen it before the grass starts growing in earnest. Peening is the process of hammering the edge of the blade to reshape it before sharpening. It’s a special skill almost solely used for Austrian and other Continental style scythes.
Because (almost) every scyther in the world will be peening on that day it means that it’s easy to get together as a group and learn with someone more experienced there to help out although you’re just as involved if you’re peening alone.
This year the North West England event will be at Broadrake in Yorkshire – it’s free but please contact them directly to let them know you’re coming.
Will you be peening on International Peening Day? Let me know in the comments. If you do, please send me photos, whether you’re peening alone or with friends and if you’re posting on social media use the hashtags #LearntoScythe #PeeningDay