Using a Scythe to cut grass

When we bought our derelict farm in 2004 there were a number of old implements and 'things' left lying around in the stone barns.

There were old tin milk cans, ancient wine bottles, rings for clamping into a bulls nose, mole traps and in one corner of a big barn was a scythe. Well I call it a scythe but it may even be a home made version and it got me wondering what life was really like before lawn mowers were available on a large scale?

When I started as an apprentice green keeper at Blackmoor Golf Club in Southern England at the age of sixteen I vaguely remember one that hung on the shed wall  (close to the Ransomes push mower) and Bill Moseley, the head green keeper tried, un successfully to use it to cut the heavy rough between the 7th and 13th fairways.

Dave Neller, the first assistant (or deputy head green keeper in those days) who had worked at Blackmoor for sixty years when he retired, talked of using the scythe for cutting grass around the course and how skillful a job it was to trim fine grass closely.

The Scythe, to me, conjures up a vision of warm summer days and lingering sunsets, straw hats, sack cloth and shire horses so I thought I would do a google search on the scythe expecting to find some museum sites with old pictures and I am flabbergasted by the amount of people who use them, swear by them and even deal in them.

Let's face it, once purchased, there are no engines to go wrong, no moving parts to replace (if you discount your own arms that is) and no new model to upgrade to when the rep wanders in waving the latest glossy brochure in your face.

On the face of it, there seems little to get your head round but the scythe is more complex than I anticipated.

For example, the blade of a scythe is sharpened with a whetstone but it also has to be Peened. Peening is the drawing out or thinning of the blade using a hammer or special tool to thin the edge. There are also a variety of different blades that can be fitted to your scythe.

While trawling the net I came a cross a variety of different sites with a wealth of information on maintaining and caring for your scythe together with some fascinating videos on how they are used. The technique looks difficult to master but wow! how effective it is. The video shows a number of competent users, including children cutting grass in a variety of ways and it looks to be so effective and in some parts of the film the users are getting results that appear to be better than a strimmer.

Left handers

If you are left handed it looks like you do not get a lot of choice. I can see only one type available to the left hander and that is a 70cm version. Lefties had to conform to the right handers ways so that they did not go against the group whilst cutting hay or a crop.
When everyone is working in formation, the grass or straw is rowed up as the group moves along making it easier for turning or collecting.

Some interesting sites which explain in more depth the history, types of Scythes, events where they are used and shown and of course, where Scythes can be purchased.

Scythe Connections of Canada

The Scythe Shop

Scythe Supply

Some other articles of interest.

Which mower to buy

Comments

[AtWaG]

Great video - not the first time that guy had picked up a scythe!

Two thoughts......

They would have saved a lot of hassle had they not left so much junk lying around the field.

and

those girls are going to develop some powerful thigh muscles.

seriously, a fine example of how effect old style tools can be in skilled hands. Thanks for finding that one.

[Philip Voice]

Glad you liked it Richard.

I am all for simplicity and I think that in this fast moving age we con ourselves into thinking (sometimes) that having the latest model mower, strimmer or gadget saves a lot of time.

Just looking at the speed and accuracy, not to mention efficiency of the operators of the Scythes I would hazard a guess that in the right hands these old implements were just as effective.

I mentioned my old boss at the golf course trying a scythe on the heavy rough at Blackmoor Golf Club, well we used a horse drawn hay rake (adapted for a tractor) to row up the cut grass with muggings here sitting on the cast iron seat pulling the handle to raise the curved tines.

My neighbour has one parked in his field with an old horse drawn reciprocating hay mower and I will get a photo shortly and pop it on this site.

Thanks for your comment and I think we share a similar interest here?

Phil

[Philip Voice]

Hers is the picture of the hay rake as promised.

http://www.landscapejuice.com/2007/09/raking-hay-the-.html

[david]

hi, does anyone know where i could buy a scythe from in australia or nz ?

[david]

hi, does anyone know where i could buy a scythe from in australia or nz ?

[Philip Voice]

Hi David

I have just googled in response to your question but with no real luck.

I hope someone can help you out here.

Thanks for visiting

Phil

[Kai Vido]

Re: Australian scythe sources--I suggest Nicole Schmid in NSW. She does not have a website yet, but if you drop me a line I would be happy to provide her contact info.

Cheers!

Kai Vido
ScytheConnection
kaivido@gmail.com