Scythe

[FLHX Storm]

Over the weekend I went to a local Flea Market because the weeke before a vendor said he would be back with a load of ammunition I mentioned needing. He had a lot of ammunition, but not the stuff I needed and his prices seemed fair enough.

Disappointed that he wasn't there I still looked around and low n behold there laying on a blanket was a Scythe complete with snath (curved pole to hole the blade) but only one nib (side handle) but that was cracked but over all it was in pretty fair condition. Still, at $15, I couldn't resist. But then to get the thing home since I was there on my motorcycle. As I was walking over to figure out how to mount it to my bike, one of the vendors asked "Kind of ominous, isn't it? So I smiled and said "Works for me!" So on with my little story.

I tried in vane to find a way to tie the Scythe to my bike without damaging my bike. Nothing would work. So I ended up strapping the thing to me. I wrapped the bungees around the snath a couple of times each and them wrapped them around me. One around my waist and the other a bit higher and very uncomfortable. I had the thing strapped in front of me so that mean part of the snath had to go between my leg and the fuel tank and to keep from doing any damage, I wrapped a shop rag around the handle where it might come in contact. N off I went.

I couldn't quite say what everyone was looking at, be it me all dressed in black of my pretty flat black bike .......... or maybe it was the combination of the scythe blade suspended above my head with the rest tied to me. Perhaps they thought I was a modern Grim Reaper coming for someone. Going through the small town I live outside of was hilarious with everyone looking, but I kept on going. I live 5 miles outside of town.

Once home I had to test drive the thing so I freshened the blade even though it was sharp (but a bit rusty) n adjusted it the best I could and proceeded to clear the other side of the road which was overgrown with weeds n tall grass. The whole area was about 220 feet in length by 4 to maybe 10 feet wide depending on where I was at the time. Even made a pretty fair windrow even if it was packed with weeds. I can't wait to use the thing again.

Since then I went ahead and added a handle from a DeWalt Hammer Drill. It's that second handle on it that I never used anyway, n moved the cracked nib to the upper position, n then readjusted the blade for a better cutting angle. Of course a thread is nothing without pictures so here's a couple for y'all.

 

[mad murdock]

I was looking for a weed whacker of sorts for a few weeks a bit back, never found a decent one. I was looking in Lehman's non-electric catalog a little over a week ago, and saw this https://www.lehmans.com/p-393-bow-knife-weed-cutter.aspx
And I thought, heck I can make one of those! So I took a ratty diston crosscut saw I had, took off the broken handle, and punched and drilled for a handle to be bolted to the tip end of the saw blade, affixed a piece of cable to the handle to hold the blade in a bent position similar to the one in the pics, and voila! I got an awesome weed whacker. Would really like a scythe though, can cut even better with one of them, all the used ones I see around here are 50-100 bucks, everyone thinks they are "antiques" and wall hangers. You got a great deal at 15 bucks! You deserve a "you suck"! Nice score there

 

[ncpete]

I can't find it now (never seems I can when I want to) but there is a husband and wife team that makes custom fit handles for scythes. When you find new ones, they all have the same size handle, and none of them fit anyone right. A friend on NCWW.net that uses almost exclusively handtools had one of their scythes made to fit him, and he was very impressed with the results, and improved comfort and ease of use. Had me wanting one, then I remembered that I no longer live on the 100 acres I did as a kid, and I don't have to cut hay for the horses, or clear the grass and weeds in the trails, and that if I let my suburban yard grass grow so long that I needed a scythe for it, I may be in serious trouble with the neighbors, I didn't get one. Still, they are fun.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Love the visual in my head.
Wonder if anyone cellphoned a pic in traffic
and will label it correctly so that it will come up in Google search?

 

[stihl023/5]

Very nice! SS's with his new Avatar is going to be jealous!:msp_wink:

 

[woodchuck357]

I use a scythe often

You have what my folks call a brush blade. Shorter and wider than a hay or harvest blade. Nice cobble, using the drill handle! I often don't use a right angle handle for the left hand, just hold the snath knuckles up. You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between scythe cut yard grass and that cut with a mower! Great workout and when you get into the swing of it cuts a lot quickly.

 

[ncpete]

You have what my folks call a brush blade. Shorter and wider than a hay or harvest blade. Nice cobble, using the drill handle! I often don't use a right angle handle for the left hand, just hold the snath knuckles up. You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between scythe cut yard grass and that cut with a mower! Great workout and when you get into the swing of it cuts a lot quickly.

You are much better with a scythe than I am then, that's for sure. From your description, we had a brush blade on ours when I was young, too. Not fun to try to harvest 5 acres of hay with, in fact, I remember that my dad called someone to cut it, maybe after the first hour? Then it was up to us to collect and throw onto the back of our truck for the winter hay for our horses. Must have been a rough year that year, because I also remember throwing 300 bales into our loft a couple times.

 

[Rookie1]

We moved into my wifes Grandmothers house and there was one in the garage. I couldnt get the hang of it and bought a Stihl FS36 to trim the steep areas around the yard. Wifes Uncle lived next door and would make fun of me for my newfangled weed whacker. He was a handy guy and made a handle out of aluminum tubing.

 

[FLHX Storm]

I was looking for a weed whacker of sorts for a few weeks a bit back, never found a decent one. I was looking in Lehman's non-electric catalog a little over a week ago, and saw this https://www.lehmans.com/p-393-bow-knife-weed-cutter.aspx
And I thought, heck I can make one of those! So I took a ratty diston crosscut saw I had, took off the broken handle, and punched and drilled for a handle to be bolted to the tip end of the saw blade, affixed a piece of cable to the handle to hold the blade in a bent position similar to the one in the pics, and voila! I got an awesome weed whacker. Would really like a scythe though, can cut even better with one of them, all the used ones I see around here are 50-100 bucks, everyone thinks they are "antiques" and wall hangers. You got a great deal at 15 bucks! You deserve a "you suck"! Nice score there

Thanks for the "You Suck! cuz I love to find great deals on things I can use!

I like your idea with the crosscut saw. Heck, when mine breaks, I might find myself doing the same.

BTW, You could pick up a new snath and scythe blade of your choice for around $110 on Amazon which includes shipping. Same style, and even the same company as the old "antique wall hanger" I picked up to use.

I have to say using a scythe is almost as much fun as using a chainsaw and an axe. N all of them leave me wanting more to cut!

 

[FLHX Storm]

I can't find it now (never seems I can when I want to) but there is a husband and wife team that makes custom fit handles for scythes. When you find new ones, they all have the same size handle, and none of them fit anyone right. A friend on NCWW.net that uses almost exclusively handtools had one of their scythes made to fit him, and he was very impressed with the results, and improved comfort and ease of use. Had me wanting one, then I remembered that I no longer live on the 100 acres I did as a kid, and I don't have to cut hay for the horses, or clear the grass and weeds in the trails, and that if I let my suburban yard grass grow so long that I needed a scythe for it, I may be in serious trouble with the neighbors, I didn't get one. Still, they are fun.

If I had a lot of cutting to do, I might consider something custom made. Otherwise I'm good with whatever I can find. The reason none of them fit anyone right straight from the store is most often people have no idea that they were made to be adjusted or how to adjust them. The proper positioning of the nibs on the snath n the proper angle of the scythe (blade) itself. The tang is meant to be bent to conform to the customers needs setting the proper blade angle. I'm speaking of the American model. I wonder if I could modify the American snath to accommodate the European nibs. Then I could have the best of both worlds. :msp_biggrin:

But, thanks for the idea of letting my yard get a bit shaggy. Then I can use the scythe to mow it instead of using that push mower and get the weed eating all done in one fell swoop. :msp_w00t:

 

[FLHX Storm]

Love the visual in my head.
Wonder if anyone cellphoned a pic in traffic
and will label it correctly so that it will come up in Google search?

Thanks!

I did try to see if there might have been a picture posted using a multitude of spellings and didn't come up with anything. So maybe I caught em all off guard. :msp_w00t:

One day I might have to stop by a funeral home when one is in progress and have a long black cloak on holding the scythe. I could stand outside the front door and not say a word. I wonder how many strokes I would cause. :msp_biggrin:

 

[LegDeLimber]

I guess that my best visual presentation would have been as a teenager
when I would load up on the dirtbike to go do some trail upkeep.

The Echo cs302 sitting behind me with my belt through the loop handle
a hoe and shovel criss-crossed on the seat and me just sitting on them, no bungees or duct tape
and of course the machete on one hip.

knew it wasn't the smartest thing to be doing but....
Just rode in first or second gear (pretty slow on dirtbike)
and reveled in that youthful invincibility of long gone days.

when I eventually gained access to a International Cub tractor equipped with a belly mount bush hog,
I thought I had it made!

 

[FLHX Storm]

You have what my folks call a brush blade. Shorter and wider than a hay or harvest blade. Nice cobble, using the drill handle! I often don't use a right angle handle for the left hand, just hold the snath knuckles up. You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between scythe cut yard grass and that cut with a mower! Great workout and when you get into the swing of it cuts a lot quickly.

The blade on this scythe is 26 inches long. I think it's pretty healthy for a brush blade. N the handle, well, they say necessity is the mother of invention and with the cracked handle being as it is I figured I needed a different one. So I looked online and only found one vendor that had them but at $20 plus shipping apiece, I figured I'd pass. Heck, when I could pick up a new snath including the nibs for the price of 3 nibs.

I figure if I'm going to buy brand new, I might as well go with the European setup since technically I already have the American one anyway. I may do that eventually but for now the American style will suit me just fine even if it is slightly cobbled. :msp_w00t: I'm figuring one day once I get good enough using one of these that I'll be able to do my entire lawn with one, be it with an American or the European one.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Is that grinder handle offset?
i.e. depending on the way you turn it you're seeing a "d" or seeing a "b" .
If so I'm just wondering if the offset could be used to improve your grip and swing?

Between the tunnel carpal and some other issues,
I've had to find out about those small shifts in handles or shapes.

think about twisting the bars on your bike up or down a few degrees
or your axe handle, etc.
You may have already pondered all of this
or like me and sometimes need to look at the cheat sheet when caught up in a project.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Yep, the handle is a "d" facing down at about 45 degrees. That was where it felt the most comfortable kind of like I did with the handlebars on my motorcycle. Adjust for comfort, try it out and re adjust if necessary. And really, the extra height the d handle provides is ideal. Really I need to bend the tang a bit more but it took everything I had to bend it the few degrees I did using a hole in the bumper of my truck and a fair sized crescent wrench. (I really should get a vice one of these days) Even with that adjustment the cutting edge of the blade is still a bit too high but useable. Okay, so I'm a bit on the tall side with long legs to boot.

Is there a cheat sheet for these scythes and if there are where can I find one? I'm just trying to do things from memory from when I was a child using these.

 

[stihl sawing]

Very nice! SS's with his new Avatar is going to be jealous!:msp_wink:

Yup, What ya gonna do with that thing Storm? If you can swing that thing all day you are one bad woman.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Storm, what is the difference between the European and American styles? I think I read it once upon a time but cant remember.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Yup, What ya gonna do with that thing Storm? If you can swing that thing all day you are one bad woman.

Well, to answer the first question, I'm gonna go out n start collecting souls!

N the second question, well, I know I can go about 3 hours using the scythe, but then I run out of stuff to cut. I have part of my yard that I'm redoing making it more useable and have part of it already seeded. I'm thinking I'll only use the scythe on that including the other areas I've already been using it. But I want more, much more!

 

[FLHX Storm]

Storm, what is the difference between the European and American styles? I think I read it once upon a time but cant remember.

There are quite a few differences. To start, the American scythe blade is hardened steel where the European blade isn't. The snath on both are different in the respect that the American one has a nice curve and the overall diameter is fairly large and tapers, but the user ends up being bent over a bit to use it. The European snath has only a slight curve and that is near the blade and it more squared toward the end where the blade attaches. But this enables the user to be in a more upright position. The nibs are different in the respect the American ones come straight off the snath but is adjustable at any time. The European nibs are offset. The lower nib uses a spacer to raise the lower (center) nib away from the snath while the upper nib is secured to the end of the snath. Once these are in place, they really are not adjustable. But, the European Scythe is more of a custom made outfit designed for each individual user. And about the blades. With the American blade being hardened it is very difficult to peen it. Your better off using a slow large grinding wheel or a flat file for the bevel and a whetting stone to finish it. The European blade is meant to be peened correcting any damage or deformity by stretching the metal to eliminate dings, nicks and even cracks. Once the edge is corrected, take a whetting stone to finish it. Both will need to be sharpened int he field periodically, like every 10 minutes of use.

Anyway, I am considered a rookie since I am as green as the wood I cut! :msp_w00t:

 

[LegDeLimber]

Sounds like you're building up your own cheat sheet.
Fraid I know way way way less about that tool than you already do.
the handle questions just come from a mix of curiosity, intuition
plus the aforementioned carpal tunnel and other frustrations
that lead me to study everything.

keep us updated as you progress with it.
If you feel comfortable with the idea of putting yourself online,
have a camera, etc... a video would be cool.