scythe faster than a string trimmer - how to
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- www.permies.com Brian Kerkvliet of Inspiration Farm in Bellingham, Washington shows off his scythe with a homemade snath. His side job is not really being the grim reaper. He sharpens the scythe with a whetstone every ten minutes or so. And every few days he peens the blade.
Brian tells a story of the story of a strapping young lad with a string trimmer competing against a barefoot maiden with a flowing dress and a scythe. And maiden won the 100 yard dash and all of her grass was laid nice and neat while the string trimmer has stuff scattered everywhere.
It takes a little practice to get the hang of using the scythe.
Brian talks about making his own snath or buying a snath.
He talks about how with the string trimmer you have to take it to the shop every spring to get it tuned up; regularly buy string (where does the string go?); the gas mixed with oil; make sure to wear pants because you will get slug parts and other stuff flung at you; annoying the neighbors when they are trying to sleep in.
Brian demonstrates using the scythe on short grass and on tall grass and shows how the cut grass can be left nice and orderly.
music by jimmy pardo
/ pwvids
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I made my snath this week. It's great. No loud motor, no oil and gas, no back ache, no numb hands...very peaceful. I'm hooked.
I was born and raised in the countryside. For most of my childhood, these tools were used. I still remember how my dad mowed corn with a scythe. Then came the fashion for combine harvesters, tractors and other technical wonders. The horses wasn't use anymore.
I am a witness to an economic decline. Who is growing a farm now? Meadows, pastures and farmlands lie fallow. We buy the food from the stores - from an unknown mistake.
And one wise man is trying to remind us.
We are still a part of nature. This can not be fooled.
I've used a scythe in Europe to cut grass and it was very light, very sharp and worked amazingly well. The main thing to remember is that you don't use it to chop the grass but to slice it. The best technique is to hold it steady, barely moving your arms and to swivel with your hips and back. My Mother-in-Law is so good at it the yard looks as smooth as having a lawnmower go over it when she is finished and it's less work.
My grandfather here in America taught me how to use a scythe when I was a little older, and I very much use more of a bruch clearing method, not a field method, at least not compaired to his left-handed aproach, and I love finding these old scythes every now and then at flea markets. Doesn't happen often that they're for a price or in a condition that they're usable, but they're just awesome. After I got mine, I think I've used a weedwhacker about 4-5 times in the past 3 or4 years.
My friend, Jacek, said that they were still using scythes to harvest in Poland when he was younger, and he was trained in using one. He noted that the tutorial is good and accurate to how he was taught and observed scything, but that the scyther is bending more than would be sustainable for all day work. Professional scything was done standing straight and stepping with each swing, no forward bending. Usually there would be three men working together, one after another, scything row by row. (I'm sure the two-handed sword recommended by dogfight156 would put even more stress on the back, but it's not really comment to be taken seriously anyway.)
My wife and I in Indiana watched this with great interest - this is exactly what we need for an area at the back of my property.
I just bought a scythe for my suburban lawn. There is a technique to it that I haven't yet mastered, but I look forward to "mowing" barefoot in the wet grass in the early mornings. I love it!
I wish my neighbors could watch this so they could see I'm not the only man in the world who still uses a scythe, and that I'm not the only one who wears shorts and sandals while doing it! Great video as always, Thanks Paul.
I had an epiphany today while scything for my first time ever. As I effortlessly sliced through grass and weeds while trying to calculate an approximate figure on the amount of money i've wasted on gas, 2-cycle oil, and string-line over the years, all while I talked with my niece as she played in the grass with the dogs, I realized the depth of laziness of the modern human.
I'm going to keep my strimmer, it has its purpose. But as far as relying on it 100% like I have for almost 40-years, yea... I won't be doing that the next 40.
Great videos!
I've just bought a scythe to cut my brushwood. Is cheap, silent, doesn't use fuel - advantages only :-)
"The most ultimatest scythe."
"Do ya gotta be, like, some kinda genius-type?"
You sure do have a way with words, brah.
Hey Paul, I have been a Scythe owner now for just over 24 hours, and my abs already look almost exactly like Brad Pitt's in Fight-Club... as a gym-bunny I can not remember a better workout for the 'obliques' :-) I just need to work on the hair. Great video Cheers
Love scythes and all the scythe related videos on youtube,
that'll definitely keep kids off the front lawn !
That is very cool. (1) I've never seen a scythe in use, (2) I have never been able to hold a string trimmer with any comfort whatsoever, (3) Both of my string trimmers have lasted one season and then needed replacement carburetors. My last trimmer cost $110. The replacement carb price is $100. Not happening.
My great grandfather was head groundsman of Melbourne Cricket Ground, in Australia. He would trim the cricket pitch with a razor sharp scythe so evenly that they wouldn't let him retire.
Best scythes in America are from scythe supply dot com up in Perry Maine. About a hundred ninety bucks will get you a blade, a custom snath, whetstone and a peening jig, the whole kit. Those folks are passionate about em and it shows in the quality of their products. Wikked cool stuff. :)
OK! This demonstration is fantastic... I have invasive aquatic grasses and completely forgot that I have a hand-me-down old fashioned scythe hanging unused in my garage... soooo... time to break that rascal out. I would have been doing it completely wrong as I thought you would draw it directly against the grass instead of the slicing/cutting angle you've demonstrated here... I'm going to try that out... my goats will probably follow me around and eat what I cut as they are completely lazy in that way :) thank YOU and a hearty THUMBS UP all the way!
that was my biggest problem when I first got my scythe, that it works like an anvil slicer. It took me several hours to get something resembling a proper swing.
With grass that tall, the string trimmer would have stalled due to the grass winding around it before it could even damage the barrel.
A long time ago I used to cut a LOT of grass with a scythe. You could easily cut more efficiently than a weed wacker--at least hay-length grass, which was mostly what I cut.
I love the weed wacker response! It's what I tell my husband every time he mentions buying a weed wacker. I'll look more into getting one of these!
Xolette each tool has its purpose. i can rebuttal your video you posted being faster than a trimmer as that is only a short minute of use do it all day an you will not keep up the pace, same with having a area that isnt cleared put a tree or a few rocks/bricks hidden and a string trimmer will win that after you dull that blade down or spend the time clearing them. you could do a comparison next to a chain link fence an see who can do it faster an cleaner, we all know who would win that, just showing other sides vs one biased side.
for my work it would slow me down, so its all about the right tool for the right job . . . just gotta keep it real and compare apples to apples not a short clip of where one clearly has the advantage. ;P
I disagree. I just bought a scythe. Today was the first time I ever used one. I spent pretty much all day using it on all types of grass and brush. You are over-estimating the burden it is to use the scythe. Mine is lighter than my trimmer. I can suspend my scythe aloft by the handle on one extended finger. And I can hold it there and get tired OF doing it, before I get tired FROM doing it. I never once today thought, man this is rough, let me take a break. My biggest problem was learning to use the scythe gently.
I also thought edging would be a pain, it wasn't near as bad as i expected. And while yes, there is the occasional one blade of grass or stalk that is either too flimsy or grown at just the right angle that the scythe won't catch, it's UNBELIEVABLY negligible. I wasn't once tempted by dissatisfaction with the result to break out the s-trimmer. Even when I heard myself saying 'the strimmer would have gotten that better"
As far as rocks, bricks, sticks and stumps. I say 'HA'. I forked the tip of my scythe into a bunch of them today and it was no worse for wear. You hit a brick or a stump with a rotary mower you're out $200 bucks or more. If you're lucky, you're just out the 40-minutes to pulling the blade, sharpen, balance, and reinstall it. As an addendum to that, I bought the ditch blade. This thing was going through woody growth half an inch in diameter with virtually no effort.
And on brushy areas, with dense woody growth, it left a better surface than a mower. With a typical flail, rotary or machete/billhook cleared brush, you end up with sharp, jagged, woody protrusions jutting from the ground. Not only can you not walk barefoot on this, but if you try to go in there with a strimmer, the strimmer gets hung up on them constantly. And you either have to pull/dig up all the barbs up or cut them off flush with lopping shears. Pointless. The scythe did that all in one step. It just sliced through everything, flush and parallel with the ground. Another thing: Brambles and vines. Vines which would have stalled out the trimmer every 3-seconds where run-through and raked up with no effort at all.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to throw away my strimmer or mower, they have their use, but to act like the scythe is some archaic back-breaker or hipster novelty to the point you won't even contemplate using it, COULDN'T be more wrong.
The only place I had problems with the scythe were areas that had loose leaf litter on the ground.
maxdecphoenix AND you don't have to stop every few mins to adjust your string!!! That's the one thing I HATE about my string trimmer... I'm ALWAYS running out of length when I'm trimming because of my stone garden borders!!!
yo that thing is rare!
EDIT: its not anymore
I do like the the idea of using a scythe to cut a field of grass rather than using a mower. I would also like to see that same maiden edge my lawn with her scythe versus the strapping young man and his weed whacker. I am pretty sure he'd win that competition. The right tool for the job is the important thing. Whether the lawn needs edging is another question entirely and an individual choice.
Grass (and grains, most of which are types of grass) are high in silica, and wear down the edge far faster then you would think. Also you want it to be very sharp, so you are slicing though the stocks, not ripping or crushing them which will tire you out much faster.
So yes even very high quality steel needs to be sharpened every 5 to 10 minutes when cutting grass.
all that great hay for our bunnies! Just have to make sure there are no toxic plants growing that could sicken them. pull them out regularly
A scythe never gets tired. A scythe never needs more string or fuel.
i like this hippie guy. it is back to basics good down to earth living. very good video.
Those tings work great. I have several. They will even take down small saplings. I just walk & drag it forward on my right side & it just lays out the grass like a sheet. Liked.
VERY impressive! And, I believe I have heard that weed-whackers are rather brutal to grass and plants, mashing and shredding the stalks, rather than inflicting an easily-healed clean cut?
I work at a ski hill and our trails are too steep for a tractor,
so every summer we use our scythes to cut the trails. We use an aluminum Scythe Snath now (Started with wooden ones 28 years ago) I've tried a weed eater but nothing compares to the scythe. And my heaven is the fern filled trails lol.
Having used both, anywhere I'd have used a scythe in the past, I just use the trimmer with a grass blade on. Heavier stuff and I use a brush blade. Maintenance is really not hard if you buy a quality machine (I have a Stihl FS90). Change the plug and air filter as indicated/needed and I've never had to touch the carb. Plus you can by a chainsaw head for it and turn it into a pole saw.
Very cool. I like downgrading in technology while upgrading in efficiency and function. I love all of the benefits to this method.
QUESTION: how well does this work on a steep slope and does it either require a certain scythe or a specific technique? I'd love to see a video on that. Thanks.
I have a lot of steep bank in front of and behind my house which I despise weedeating, and is much too steep to mowe with a lawnmower.
i love this video. i have used my grandfather's mowing scythe many years ago.
@brushbros all of them. A person would have to try really hard to lose toes with a scythe.
I have another video about peening the blade - would that help?
@Twisted86 if you post your question at the forums at permies.com I'll see if I can get brian to comment.
very nice demonstration! To be honest I was sold before this video as I have endless fun slashing down growth with and old sickle, but this looks like more fun yet!
I have been looking to find an antique scythe (I live in Rural Pennsylvania where they very often turn up at markets) good curvy maple branches can also be found here should a new snathe be needed
Yeah, I didn't think it was possible to enjoy weeding or gardening but my little sickle actually made it somewhat enjoyable. :-)
The snath looks wonderful, especially the right hand handle.
Next year I'll make one from the hazelwood. I have already chosen a fitting arm from one of the big hazelnut bushes surrounding my property. If the outcome is half as beautiful as yours I'll be happy.
When I mowed with a scythe for the very first time after having mowed with a reaper for years I found that it was much faster and the mowing was a little bit more exhausting - for the first few times. But I always had an aching back after mowing with the reaper but the scythe made me stronger by and by because it is lighter and the effort is stressing the WHOLE body thus being an efective training.
Whatsoever, I like to mow with a scythe as it does neither stink or waste resources nor make ugly noise, the motion process is healthy and the sharpening is like a meditation ritual.
4:54 made me want to build one with a second blade facing the opposite direction as the original one (like a mirror image), so that the back-stroke is not wasted... then I realized we're talking about an ages old tool, and that has probably been tried already to no avail
yeah - go to permies.com - it's at the top on the right side. I have footage for 140 new videos. I was thinking today about putting up something pleasant about bees ...
I always wondered how you used those things. Seeing a real one in action was very educational. I knew they worked, but the design seemed flawed until now.
czcams.com/video/3lSAwp5TxgI/video.html /; SEGALARIS Championship very hard test and this day with a very interesting test Heat there are other videos that are heavy of the Grass cut by each sector and participant and awards prizes, I hope you see it
I just noticed that Brian is hosting a class on scythes at Inspiration Farm in Bellingham, WA in May. Google Inspiration Farm, Bellingham to see his website for details.
haha I love this. I knew there was something special about them. I got a little cheap one first to try cutting my weeds with before investing way more money in something like a weed whacker and the little thing blew me away. It's so fun to use too.
I searched for a battle scythe not a farming or watever scythe but hey thats the first rl scythe I have ever Seen
pfff... a scythe? please. if you're going to use both hands why not go for a two-handed sword? you get 1d10 damage in the same amount of time--and that's without a str bonus! then as you lvl up your THAC0 will go down. you'll be a cutting machine so you won't have to worry about your AC. but it's a bit of an investment, 50 gp last i checked but i think it will pay for itself in the long run. so... what's a string trimmer? ... i'm sorry. i'll see myself to the door.
1d10...so you're comparing a glaive then? If you use same comparison of size and type (medium, 2 handed martial melee weapon) scythe comes out with with 2d4. This gives more normalized rolls with the added piercing and trip chance. It has less dps overall but more consistent dmg, which would be better for trimming grass.....what am I doing with my life...
String trimmer was a weapon in the newest release. Its really just a trap for noobs.
I was watching reddit videos and you know what? I prefer this.
I've worked at a farm store - and we sell the blades and handle - but the handles are really heavy - I'm sure made to last - but the handmade one looks quite a bit lighter - nice.
I saw a really old chap scything his lawn, and heavens above, the grass was short anyway, and he was taking off maybe 1/2 inch or so......I tried scything decades ago, and all the grass did was get pushed aside. Nettles were ok though, There is a real skill in scything well. You could buy antique scythes for a few pounds, but they are getting more expensive now.
Great video I use an old British scythe it needs to be sharp like you say and the technique is essential having the grass slide along the blade like you did.But it is horses for courses if you want to cut 3" grass with a scythe get the weed wacker out or leave it till its a foot long and then scythe it.
I can see that people are not experienced with these things and simply post gibberish.
Let me clarify something.
Scythe is for mowing grass. It is its only use, to mow high grass or similar things (wheat stalks). It also needs a lot experience since you can easily break the blade in half if you are not well trained. Even if you are well trained you can easily break the blade in half if you hit a rock with that kind of power. Imagine what would happen if that man hit a rock or a piece of root that protrudes from the ground. Some scythes would survive the hit, but not even the best ones can't survive repeated hits.
So for Scythe you need to have flat, clean terrain with no bumps or other things.
Trimmer is your all purpose tool that overpowers Scythe in many aspects.
I worked with Husqvarna trimmers. I worked with one having 2.5 horse powers and with one having 4. It is a lot of power. You just mow anything in your path without worrying about breaking anything. String gets minced but it is made from environment friendly material. If there is a tiny tree in your way, just give it a little bit of power and trimmer will cut it in half. Scythe can't do that. You would end up breaking the blade. Also, you don't need to worry about rocks or other debris. Just hit the trimmer head and the string just replenishes without any trouble. Terrain also does not have to be flat. You can hit the ground without any damage to the trimmer. Try hitting the ground with Scythe and see what happens.
With a proper attachment you can even cut 10 centimeter thick trees with no trouble and clear almost every kind of weed you come across.
Also, try to mow down with Scythe for an entire day and then try to mow with trimmer for an entire day. Scythe needs a lot more energy and it tires a man very quickly. With trimmer you can work all day long and the only pain would be the pain in your index finger from operating the gas mechanism.
I am not saying that Scythe is bad. Scythe is good but it is a single purpose tool, trimmer is a mutlipurpose tool which can mow grass and clear terrain way better than scythe and it does not require that much maintenance as people say. You just replace the cord and pour good quality fuel with good quality oil and it will run good for many years without even seeing workshop.
I've already gone through 3 trimmers and five lawnmowers and am now leaning more towards a scythe. Sure it will take me longer mowing down the field, but I can't see the scythe taking up more time and aggravation than I have already spent with the motor powered alternative. I'm not strong enough to start the motors even when they are working properly and they don't work properly for very long and are VERY expensive to repair or replace. I'm done dumping money down that hole. Besides, I would like to save my field grass for my animals instead of turning it into green goo.
Lehman's sells scythes and snaths and peeners and books, etc. If you go to Lehman's and search for scythe you will see everything they have. I don't know anywhere else on the internet you can find all of that.
holy shit, I am super impressed. It's almost like this brand new technology could replace fossil fuels and makes cutting grass extremely easy. Very little maintenance too, and the wet-stone makes sharpening that blade super easy.
I bet it's really maneuverable around edges. And that blade definitely wouldn't break when it hits something rigid. And it doesn't require any technique to use. oh and modern day technology falls clearly falls short when it comes to trimming an entire field.
Scythe's are just so cool looking, I want one!
We at the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Barrels approve of this message.
My grandfather was teaching me old technique how to scythe keeping bottle under my arm (and do not let it go)
What if you spun around in circles and moved forward while doing so? You should be able to cut quicker than a lawn mower right? XD ;)
Vinny V only if you scream Demacia! while doing so.
Zhida Zhou I laughed and laughed. Then shit myself and cried.
Stand on a shield and do so whilst having someone on a gocart pull you. Just don't fall.
Yeah, but I'd fall down.
Very good, I'm getting a scythe but not sure about sharpening the blade - you said every 10 mins!!
I made my first Scythe blade the other day and it doesn't look anything like this one. This blade is perfect, mine looks like a drunk sailor with the stagger and jaggs.
Huh, never seen a scythe work. Very neat.
lol paul i like how you fight back at that ignorant guy, you rock
Vietnam CIA Pilot was on NPR. He said he was shot down over LAOS. Was being held in a jungle prison. He & a couple others escaped. Wandering through the jungle for days. No food, No water. Eventually it was just him & another guy! Someone burst out of the bush screaming. He ran barely conscious. He said as he escaped into the brush, he looked back & saw his former companion's "Head" flying through the air! Farmer had hit him with his SCYTHE!
@missiedancer and i dont usually hack on my toes when i use a shovel, that doesnt mean i dont put on shoes to dig a hole.
Looks like a sweeping motion, rather than a whacking motion.
i am ex amish and have never met an amish that was all that great of a scyther. i do however own a few and put up my own hay with them. we put it up loose. with the right motion it has a great payoff
@Cannibalriot hehe... I guess I am thinking over things through the mind of an old feller. I'm also a bit portly, which wouldn't help me safely swing that thing. I'm very grateful that I have no lawn on this one acre plot. I only have some stubby weeds growing in the sugar sand!
I keep ripping up the grass root, leaving open dirt. Is it possible the angle of my setup is off? After I mow it doesn't look good as videos of how to use a scyth. Any help will be useful, thank you
IT's a great tool when it's sharp, it was for wheat and tall grass, but this is how my grand father used to do it. (the sharpening too)
Need to adjust the scythe handles so you can cut with your back straight. Arched back is no good for health or productivity
Dude, we should get teenagers to cut people's grass with this. Many would get sidetracked playing with them, but it's worth it!
@YesYouAreIgnorant and riding mowers are terrible at many things where scythes are excellent.
I just bought a house that was unkempt for years. The plants are very unruly and I want to tend to it with manual tools instead of gas powered so watching this video was helpful in shopping for tools. Thanks for sharing. Is this much different from a weed/grass whip?
Let's hear it for lo-tech! A scythe and some goats will keep your field trim!
As a straight razor user, this has an immediate draw.
How would this work along a fence line, landscaped area, or a garden edge? Not practical, unless you're living in an Amishy field and have all day. Next video show me how to churn my own butter?
it would work exactly as it worked in the video with the barrel. So, with a scythe, you cut what you want to cut and not accidentally shred what you don't want to cut. The scythe excells at detail work.
paul wheaton Fine. I'm getting one, but mostly to terrify my neighbors. NO ONE messes with a guy who has a scythe!
@paulwheaton12 I don't know if it is a rabbit but they are right, there is some thing hoping or walking around in the background. At 4:40 to the left on the dirt area behind you.
Hey, thanks for the info--guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and get something modern-day. I remember picking up an antique scythe at a local store and wondered how anyone kept the blade flat as they worked!
Damn I want one. Maybe with a harder steel like A2, or O1.... not meant for whacking too many rocks, but still pretty tough.
Thanks Paul I would Have never have guessed! That is amazing!
swinging around a big bladeonastick in SANDALS.
nice
I never could get the blade to cut level across the swing ,often jamming the tip into the dirt using a factory made handle I'm 6'6'' ,I guess that the handle is too short? Thanks for the demo.
Dont hate ppl who live in the city. Its a better place than rural areas in my experience
I would like to see more cutting around objects like trees and post, I can not seem to get close enough, without damage to tree.
I DIG THE STORY OF THE FARE MAIDEN BAREFOOT IN A DRESS AND A YOUNG BUCK IN GEAR...THE YOUNG BUCK DID NOT KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY RUN HIS LINE TRIMMER
@zjhost where?
What if you dragged the scythe behind you, would that motion cut the grass similar to a lawn mower?
If I whipped out a scythe in my urban community I'd probably be catching some eyeballs here and there. Maybe cause a few fender benders as someone stares at my trimming skills.
But then again I have a small yard and that blade is half my lawn size O.O
It looks hard on his lower back. Is it just because the video is a demonstration?
This is so cool
Paul Wheaton, how do you pull the anvil from the log after you've finished peening?
Is there some kind of special instrument that you use? or do you just
pull it out with your hands? or do you get a crowbar to pry the anvil
off?
Also, how did you get the anvil into the log? Did you hammer it in? or
did you drill a hole in the log first, and then pound the anvil in? or
did you drill a hole and push the anvil in with your hands?
@yeoungbraxx good question. artosis does not equal scytheman
Funny video guys! Cheered me up!
Usually the scything motion is to rotate at the waist. This fellow's back is going to get tired pretty fast. I just wish I could find a good scythe for less than 100 bucks.
Best argument for permaculture I've heard yet!
Is a scythe only best used on meadows with grasses and herbaceous plants? Would it work if brushy vegetation were present, like raspberries?
We couldn't use that if we wanted to. Does it have an ANSI number? I don't think so.
@Cannibalriot But did you see the way he was bent over while twisting his upper body? I am thinking a real possibility for lower back injury.
People, never forget to use your boots for this types of activities .... !
librequito I always scythe with sandals. The blade never gets near your feet.
Gloria Cole Famous last words....
Gordon Hale the scythe is at least the length of the handle from your feet. The only way you could damage your feet with a scythe, is to trip over the blade because you forgot you left it laying in the grass.
@ Gloria Cole, I know. I was just poking fun at that statement. All in good fun. :)
Yeah - those Flip Flops are insane... one tired bad move and ouch...
What about solar-powered automatic mowing machines that can handle various terrain and rocks, are self-maintaining, self-replicating, and fertilize the grass, too?! Several models are available, depending on the size of the area to be mown, vegetation type, etc. Some even mow brush and small trees. Sheep, goats, cattle, llamas & alpacas do a great job, just to name a few 'brands'. Ours even do a great job keeping the edges along fences and buildings neatly trimmed.
I have 3 old American scythes with curved snaths -- 2 are wood, and one is aluminum. All of them feel heavy and very badly designed compared to my new Austrian scythe with a straight snath from Scythe Supply in Maine. The Austrian design is dramatically lighter and cuts MUCH better and faster.
I'm all for reduce, re-use and recycle, but I'm not sure working with old scythes like my old ones would be worth the effort. The Euro-scythes are simply better.
how much do you mow per day that you peen every few days? when i peen i mow like 20hours before i need to peen again. the contest was in Denmark.
it is good that you made your own snath but of what i see in the video i think your hafting angle is to open and you don't want to have your blade flat on the ground - you want the edge 5mm above it. you may have improved your mowing style by now but in this video i would recommend that instead of reaching out with your arms to cut move towards it.
@YesYouAreIgnorant riding lawnmowers will clog if the grass is wet and too long, scythe won't and just needs to make a couple more hacks