OT Hand Powered Weed Eater

[Caryc]

I have a couple different weed eater power tools and of course the 8N with the Woods M5 mower but still after getting everything cut down there are spots that don't want to give up and still sprout weeds.

I got tired of dragging out and servicing weed eaters to take care of this crap so I did something unusual for me. I ordered a scythe from scythsupply.com

Below is a picture of the one I purchased. You can order different blades but the one I ordered (and pictured) is the brush blade. It is shorter and heavier than the longer blades. The blade has a razor edge on it. It comes with a sharpening wet stone and a belt holder for the stone. It also comes with a peening jig for the blade. The peening process is a little long to explain here but if you go to their site, you can read about it.

You have to give them certain body measurements when you order one of these and they make the snath (wood shaft) to fit you.

I was simply amazed at how good this thing worked when I tried it out on a patch about two feet high that had recently come up by the house. It works amazingly well. Simple and easy to use with no muss and fuss. It was well worth the price.

 

[HFJ]

i have an ancient one of those in the pole barn. i'd been thinking about trying it recently, now you've given me the will to follow-thru

seems to me my handle has some kind of an S shape to it.

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 13:02:48 07/23/17)
i have an ancient one of those in the pole barn. i'd been thinking about trying it recently, now you've given me the will to follow-thru

seems to me my handle has some kind of an S shape to it.

Yeah...I have and old one of those sitting out as yard art also. It's all rusted and I never had the urge to try it out. It has the long "S" shaped handle also.

 

[Dean]

I have one of the old bent ash handled ones that was my dad's. In times, past, I could still read the price on it from when my dad bought it in, probably 53 or 54.

I've used it a time or two as did my dad but neither one of us felt like using it much so it's in nearly new condition.

It was used mostly as a prop on Halloween.

Dean

 

[steve19438]

growing up we couple of those scythe's. long S shaped wooden handle. sharpening the blade was always a pain.

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 13:53:07 07/23/17) I have one of the old bent ash handled ones that was my dad's. In times, past, I could still read the price on it from when my dad bought it in, probably 53 or 54.

I've used it a time or two as did my dad but neither one of us felt like using it much so it's in nearly new condition.

It was used mostly as a prop on Halloween.

Dean

For sparse weeds that come up in different places, I'd rather use this instead of messing around with a weed eater.

But you have to remember that scythes are meant to be sharp when used like the edge you would put on a machete. It came with a wet stone belt holder that you fill half way with water so the stone is ready for use any time you feel the cut starting to drag down while working. If it's as sharp as it's intended to be, you will find it easy to use with not much effort.

As I said, it came with a peening jig. It's like a blacksmith tool. It's a special tool with a bevel built into it to hammer a correct blade angle back on a really dull blade. It should take about five minutes to peen a blade.

With the metal the scythe blades are made of, you don't want to use any kind of power grinder or sander to try to sharpen it. If it heats up the edge it takes the temper out of the blade. The three piece peening jig puts the correct angle and edge back on the blade without messing with the temper. After that, a few quick strokes with the wet stone and you're back in business.

I wouldn't even bother trying to use a scythe without a razor sharp edge on it. So if you guys have an old one lying around the barn and want to give it a try, remember it has to be sharp to work. Otherwise you'll just wear yourself out with bad results.

 

[Caryc]

Came back to add this. Here is a movie clip of a scythe vs. weed eater. You can see how easily the scythe beats the weed eater.

By the way, one of my weed eaters is just like the guy is using in the clip. It's an old Troy Built weed eater that hangs on a should harness and has the handle bars for control exactly like that guy is using. It's just a lot of trouble to dig it out and fuel it up and get it ready to use.


https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/32s93m/the_original_scythe_vs_weed_whacker_much_more/

 

[Tall T]

I thought everybody here had one!

I use my aluminum S one all the time like for this carryall full. A lot less hassle than hooking up the Hog for small areas, etc., etc.

Along with twin razors came these double bladed ones.

I use my spare blade in my big vise to cut rolls of paper towel in half. Because the (choose-a-size)Scott towels are perforated on the half sheet, after I cut the roll in half I have two skookum rolls of all purpose paper and every sheet comes off 5" square.

Two angles of attack

 

[steve19438]

fun.
Untitled URL Link

 

[JMOR]

The problem I have with all "body powered" hand tools is that none fit these hands! :lol:

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 16:11:17 07/23/17)
fun.
Untitled URL Link

I'd have much rather heard what the guy was saying than that stupid music.

Ok, so you not a fan of the scythe. I do not intend to mow down any hay fields with mine but for the intended use that I purchased it for it is excellent.

 

[Royse]

When I was a boy we had several miles of barbed wire electric
fence. The old S handled scythe was what I used when I walked
every inch of that fence and cut the weeds down to keep them
from shorting out the fencer. That and a corn knife.
About once a week or so, as I recall, depending on time of year.
I still have them both around but don't use them much.

 

[Tom N MS]

Well, I can think of one worse thing and that is any and all brands of
string trimmer that has the "bump" feed head--all I ever saw and owned and
own now are aggravating and work Seldom like they are suppose to..

 

[Caryc]

steve19438 said scythes are a pia to sharpen. Well, what most of you are seeing or have seen are the 36" long grass blades for harvesting wheat or hay. The one in the video I posted was a 36" blade.

The brush blade that I purchased and is shown in my first pic is a heavy duty blade but it is only 18" long so it doesn't take that much to sharpen it. Excellent to use for sporadic weeds popping up all over.

No muss and fuss with the weed eater and fuel. No stink and no vibrating hands like one gets with the weed eaters. And no noise.

 

[Tall T]

Tom,

Besides the "bump to feed" the worst thing for me about most of them is inhaling the exhaust of burning oil from the 2 cycle ones.
I feel it in my upper chest like the onset of asthma so a respirator is a must. I threw one Chinese one out and the other one I have I never use.
T

 

[Ultradog MN]

Nice tool Caryc.
I bought a NOS scythe a few years ago. Must
be from the 40s or 50s. Classic bent wood
snath that still has the manufacturers decal
on it and faint evidence of another sticker
on the 36"? blade.
I was actually thinking about bringing it
down from the lake this weekend to clean up
some weeds here at home but didn't go up.
I used a scythe a lot as a kid. Dad would
make me clean up around the barn and
outbuildings where we couldn't mow. Good way
to keep a kid occupied so he doesn't get
into trouble. I learned to sharpen the blade
from my grandpa. He used a two sided stone
with a handle on it. Boy was he fast - and
good - at it.

 

[skips8n]

My new neighbor came by and introduced himself. He said he was a quiet person, and didn't own a lawnmower, so he was going to buy a
scythe to cut his lawn with! Anyway, the neighbor gave up after a few tries and bought a lawnmower. I remember my Dad mowing hay with
a scythe, and him telling me that few people really knew how to swing one correctly.

 

[Ed S.]

I have a vintage scythe with the curved snath, and have used it a few times on the embankment next to the road. This thread has me wanting to try again, but I really need to learn how to properly sharpen it first...

es

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 06:12:06 07/24/17) My new neighbor came by and introduced himself. He said he was a quiet person, and didn't own a lawnmower, so he was going to buy a
scythe to cut his lawn with! Anyway, the neighbor gave up after a few tries and bought a lawnmower. I remember my Dad mowing hay with
a scythe, and him telling me that few people really knew how to swing one correctly.

There is a movie clip of a guy using a scythe to cut his lawn, so it can be done.

 

[howdy1960]

About 5 decades ago my Great Grandfather taught me how to sharpen both a scythe and a sickle. I'm thinking he might have known what he was doing as when a boy (last 1800s) he and his father would mow the hay field that way. I do recall about carrying a sharpening stone and freshen the blade often.

 

[Caryc]

Here is a pic of the different blades and lengths they have available. The bottom bush blade is what I have. You can see how heavy it's built compared to the others. They say it will take down a 3/4" sapling but I won't be doing anything like that.

The top grass blade is what most of you have probably seen on those old "S" shaft scythes. The old one I have is 36" as is most of the old ones I have seen.

 

[Glenn D]

I bought one for my wife from that company and are about to buy another. the weed whackers aren't made that well these days. with all the maintenance and noise. fuel clogs and string feeders it's very pleasant to get the rhythm down and just basically walk through the tall grass. For me to get through this grass with a motorized unit I can work faster.. but harder with it than the scythe. Learned to sharpen and peen the blades and it takes surprisingly little effort once you have the motion it down. Mennonites around here have a few fields they do this way.

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 20:08:02 07/23/17) When I was a boy we had several miles of barbed wire electric
fence. The old S handled scythe was what I used when I walked
every inch of that fence and cut the weeds down to keep them
from shorting out the fencer. That and a corn knife.
About once a week or so, as I recall, depending on time of year.
I still have them both around but don't use them much.

Old schools tools require old school skills. I can still remember a couple of my great uncles stopping by my grandmother's house shortly after my grandfather died. They came by to help with trimming around the house. They each had a S handle scythe and a whet stone stuck in the chest pocket of their bibs. Absolutely no wasted effort. Just a leisurely walk around the property and effortless flicks along the foundation of the house and outbuildings as the grass and weeds melted to the ground. Frequent stops to give the 36" blades a couple strokes from the stone to restore the razor edge and rest before moving on. Literally thousands of acres of hay had fallen to those blades and the trimming job was a cake walk. I was probably 3-4 years old and I can remember it as if it was yesterday....

TOH

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 20:23:57 07/24/17)

(quoted from post at 20:08:02 07/23/17) When I was a boy we had several miles of barbed wire electric
fence. The old S handled scythe was what I used when I walked
every inch of that fence and cut the weeds down to keep them
from shorting out the fencer. That and a corn knife.
About once a week or so, as I recall, depending on time of year.
I still have them both around but don't use them much.

Old schools tools require old school skills. I can still remember a couple of my great uncles stopping by my grandmother's house shortly after my grandfather died. They came by to help with trimming around the house. They each had a S handle scythe and a whet stone stuck in the chest pocket of their bibs. Absolutely no wasted effort. Just a leisurely walk around the property and effortless flicks along the foundation of the house and outbuildings as the grass and weeds melted to the ground. Frequent stops to give the 36" blades a couple strokes from the stone to restore the razor edge and rest before moving on. Literally thousands of acres of hay had fallen to those blades and the trimming job was a cake walk. I was probably 3-4 years old and I can remember it as if it was yesterday....

TOH

PS> My neighbor is a "young" guy with an affection for old school farming. I have seen him and his roughly 12 year old son walking along their fence line with scythes over their shoulders more than once....

TOH

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 17:31:36 07/24/17)

(quoted from post at 20:23:57 07/24/17)

(quoted from post at 20:08:02 07/23/17) When I was a boy we had several miles of barbed wire electric
fence. The old S handled scythe was what I used when I walked
every inch of that fence and cut the weeds down to keep them
from shorting out the fencer. That and a corn knife.
About once a week or so, as I recall, depending on time of year.
I still have them both around but don't use them much.

Old schools tools require old school skills. I can still remember a couple of my great uncles stopping by my grandmother's house shortly after my grandfather died. They came by to help with trimming around the house. They each had a S handle scythe and a whet stone stuck in the chest pocket of their bibs. Absolutely no wasted effort. Just a leisurely walk around the property and effortless flicks along the foundation of the house and outbuildings as the grass and weeds melted to the ground. Frequent stops to give the 36" blades a couple strokes from the stone to restore the razor edge and rest before moving on. Literally thousands of acres of hay had fallen to those blades and the trimming job was a cake walk. I was probably 3-4 years old and I can remember it as if it was yesterday....

TOH

PS> My neighbor is a "young" guy with an affection for old school farming. I have seen him and his roughly 12 year old son walking along their fence line with scythes over their shoulders more than once....

TOH

There must be a reason for that. Could it be that a scythe is a very handy tool that most people today don't even think about? Aside from Halloween and yard art, that is.

 

[Royse]

(quoted from post at 20:23:57 07/24/17)

(quoted from post at 20:08:02 07/23/17) When I was a boy we had several miles of barbed wire electric
fence. The old S handled scythe was what I used when I walked
every inch of that fence and cut the weeds down to keep them
from shorting out the fencer. That and a corn knife.
About once a week or so, as I recall, depending on time of year.
I still have them both around but don't use them much.

Old schools tools require old school skills. I can still remember a couple of my great uncles stopping by my grandmother's house shortly after my grandfather died. They came by to help with trimming around the house. They each had a S handle scythe and a whet stone stuck in the chest pocket of their bibs. Absolutely no wasted effort. Just a leisurely walk around the property and effortless flicks along the foundation of the house and outbuildings as the grass and weeds melted to the ground. Frequent stops to give the 36" blades a couple strokes from the stone to restore the razor edge and rest before moving on. Literally thousands of acres of hay had fallen to those blades and the trimming job was a cake walk. I was probably 3-4 years old and I can remember it as if it was yesterday....

TOH

There is definitely an art to it. A relaxed attitude helps.
It helps if you weigh more than double what the scythe does.

 

[Glenn D]

TOH[/quote]

Holy.. no problem there for sure