MODERN BLACKSMITHING 107 



HOW TO SHARPEN A PLOWSHARE 



If the share to be sharpened is a hardened share, and 

 it is the first time it is sharpened, then be careful not 

 to heat it too far towards the joint, so as to leave the 

 temper as much the same as possible. For my part, I 

 never follow this rule. I heat it as much as is needed 

 to draw it out good, and then harden it over again. 

 But beginners can sharpen a new share once without 

 hardening it over, if the temper is not entirely out of 

 the share. To sharpen a share without springing it 

 some is an impossibility. No device will prevent this, 

 and the only way to set it right is to heat it all over. 

 In sharpening a share it is drawn out on one side, and 

 it is natural that that side is made longer, and as a 

 result the share must warp. In a circular saw it takes 

 only a couple of blows on one side to get it out of 

 shape; then what else can we expect in a plowshare, 

 when all the hammering is done on one side? 



Some smiths turn the bottom side of the share up 

 and hammer on that side, but this is wrong; first, 

 because in so doing you unshape the share; second, 

 the scales on the anvil will mark tha face of the share 

 just as bad as the hammer, so nothing is gained by 

 this. Place the share on the anvil, face up, and use a 

 hammer with a big round face, and when you get used 

 to this, the best result is obtained. D n't draw the 

 edge out too thin. There is no need of a thin edge on 

 a plow that has to cut gravel and snags, but for sod 

 breaking a thin edge is wanted, and the smith has to 

 use his best judgment even in such a case. 



