Scything Essentials
The traditional scythe is a working tool used for hundreds of years, technically perfected. A quality scythe with a perfectly forged blade is, in the hands of a skilled scyther, a tool that is easy, efficient and fast to work with.
Unlike industrially manufactured mowers, working with it requires craftsmanship and a mastery of mowing techniques. In the past, this knowledge was passed down from father to son; there was no need to write down anything like an instruction manual.
In many places, this chain has been broken and novice scythes have no one to turn to. That’s why we bring clear instructions on how to use a scythe.
The techniques of mowing, peening and sharpening varied from region to region. Respecting the skill of the old masters, we have selected methods that are easily manageable for beginners or less experienced scythers.
However, any way that brings you joy and ease when working with a scythe is the right one.
This is ours.
Basic terms used in mowing:
Scythe: A sharp steel blade for hand-mowing grass.
Snath: Most often a wooden handle to which the scythe is attached.
Sharpening: Grinding the blade of a scythe during mowing with a whetstone to maintain its sharpness.
Peening: Hammering the blade to create a thin, ...
Attaching a scythe to a snath can be difficult for beginners. To avoid unnecessary complications or injuries, here is one way to do it easily and safely.
1.
Grasp the scythe with your right hand and slide the scythe ring onto the heel of the scythe with your left hand.
2.
Grasp...
The size and adjustment of the snath are crucial for comfortable mowing. Ideally, the snath should be adjusted precisely for the scyther so that he or she does not have to correct the position of the scythe blade relative to the ground (more information here). When mowing, the scyther should be able...
In order to enjoy mowing with a scythe, we need three basic things: 1. A well-peened, sharp scythe, 2. A snath correctly adjusted to the mower's physique, and 3. Adherence to three principles when placing the scythe on the snath, which are related to angles. These angles can be called Hafting Angle,...
For easy mowing with a scythe, it is necessary to sharpen the scythe every few minutes with a whetstone.
Good to know before you start:
Safety! To avoid ending up in an unstable position, hold the...
Peening, hammering, tapping, or sharpening a scythe – depending on the region, you may encounter different names for the same technique. Basically, it involves shaping the blade of a scythe with a ham...