Peening Jig

This jig is great if:

• you are peening occasionally
• you are peening blades mainly used for mowing rougher grass and weeds
• you need to peen a blade that has not been peened in a long time / has never been peened.
• you want a stepping stone to freehand peening
• you need a budget entry point.

You might be better with the Fux Deluxe Peening Jig if:

• you expect to do a lot of peening (multiple blades, many times a year)
• you will be mainly mowing fine meadows and lawns
• you expect to stick with jig peening over your scything career

NOTE: Blades need to be peened regularly for this jig to work most effectively.

With a peening jig, a standard hammer of 500 – 800g weight can be used.

The condition of the face is unimportant as it does not come into contact with the blade edge.

In general, Phil prefers to peen with an 800g hammer.

With a heavier hammer you can let the hammer fall and allow it’s weight to do most of the work. This can help increase accuracy of placement of blows and reduce fatigue.

Choosing your hammer.

We find there are two kinds of peeners:

Some people are a little timid with their hammer blows and are prone to under-peening with a 500g hammer. An 800g hammer can help in this case.

However, some people are used to “hitting” with a hammer. If you prefer to strike firmly you may find an 800g hammer causes you to over-peen the blade.

• Choose an 800g hammer if you think you are likely to strike softly, or would prefer to allow the weight of the hammer to do most of the work.
• Choose a 500g hammer if you think you would prefer to fully strike with the hammer.

Best of both worlds – use a range of hammer weights.

It is easier to get a more consistent result if you use a range of hammer weights, depending on the result needed.

A heavy hammer is especially useful when peening out a thick edge and for cap one on a jig. If you are doing a quick pass using cap two to top up an already well-peened blade, a lighter hammer is more suitable.

You can learn more about jig peening:

• in our Peening Guide.
• in the book Learn to Scythe
• in brief on a Introductory Scythe Course.
• in detail on Peening and Sharpening Workshops
• from other tutors via the Scythe Association of Britain and Ireland

This YouTube video by Neil Dudman is a good introduction.

Before use you will need to mount your jig so it is held securely in a good position for you to work. This can be as simple as a fixing it into a large block of wood, which you sit next to on a stool whilst peening.

We use a simple “peening pony” in which a seat is incorporated into the jig / anvil mounting block. Your weight on the peening pony helps prevent movement caused by the hammer blows. You can tailor the height of the bench to suit your leg length, making supporting the blade with your knees during peening easy and comfortable.

Here are instructions on how to make a simple peening pony.

You will need to pre-drill a pilot hole for the spike of your jig to fit into.

Ideally, the pilot hole would be drilled according to the diagram below.

Start with the largest diameter / shallowest depth hole (A) then progressively drill the narrower diameter / deeper holes (B then C).

If you do not have the drill bits to do all three holes…

…you can manage with just one 12mm full depth hole (or even a 10mm one, though the wood is more likely to split as you force the jig spike in.)

With either method, your pilot hole will be a tight fit for the spike.

Don’t try and force the jig fully in to begin with, it will “bed in” properly as you use it.

When seating the jig, NEVER hammer directly onto the jig post as you may deform or otherwise damage it. Place a piece of wood onto the jig body and hammer onto that.