Abstract: The invention is a process of making a forged sickle guard for use in mowing and cutting machines. The sickle guard has at least one longitudinally extending guard finger wherein the guard finger has a lower body portion and a separate upper body portion. Each body portion is separately processed through forging dies followed by a punch and trimming operation. The entire ledger surface of the lower body portion is then subjected to a coining operation experiencing a sufficiently high stress to induce plastic flow of the ledger surface material thereby creating a sharp cutting edge along the entire periphery thereof. Subsequent heat treat and welding steps unite the lower and upper body portions into a unitary sickle guard without utilizing any machining operations.