Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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gil
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different kinds of scythe bladeGave my new 'ditch' blade its first outing this morning.
It's shorter (55cm) and more curved/angled than my 60cm 'stone' blade.
Thicker metal too; generally more robust.
Cor !
The ditch blade does particularly well dealing with thick-stemmed weeds like mature rosebay willow herb, old nettles, with an understorey of other weeds like buttercup and reeds; even small saplings and bushes (a bit at a time). It also does tufty grass. Has a very strong pointed end to absorb shock/damage of hitting trees/stones/obstacles. Nice.
The stone blade was my original, all-purpose blade, which mows the lawn, cuts grass for hay, and also deals with tough weeds. In some ways, it's a compromise, in that it is a blade of all work, and could be judged a master of none. It is certainly not as fast or as easy as a grass blade (longer, finer, less curved) when mowing for hay.
The grass blade is for mowing for hay, blade lengths from 75cm upwards. No protective point on the end, so you don't want to meet stones etc. The longer the blade, the stronger you need to be to control it at the start and finish of each stroke, as you can feel the metal quivering. I've tried a 110cm grass blade : if you are not strong/large enough to control the scythe, you do get more depth of cut, but a narrower swath (so you go forward more with each swing, but in a smaller arc).
However, I still think the stone blade is the best option if you're only going to choose one scythe blade.
What kind of blades have the other mowers on Downsizer got, and what are you using them for ? How do you find they perform for you ?
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vegplot
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I have a ditch blade as well and have to say it's very good at going through heavy stuff. However, I need to re-peen and dress it after going through a stoney patch I didn't realise was there.
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gil
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I really didn't think the ditch blade was going to be that different to the stone blade, and had wondered whether I should have bothered buying it. But I'm well-chuffed. Going through a stand of weeds taller than me like a knife through butter.
Bit windy here today though (bit of an understatement), so I'm having trouble throwing the mown stuff off the blade at the end of each stroke, as the wind is pinning it onto the blade.
How are you getting on with peening, Vegplot ?
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vegplot
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| gil wrote: | I really didn't think the ditch blade was going to be that different to the stone blade, and had wondered whether I should have bothered buying it. But I'm well-chuffed. Going through a stand of weeds taller than me like a knife through butter.
Bit windy here today though (bit of an understatement), so I'm having trouble throwing the mown stuff off the blade at the end of each stroke, as the wind is pinning it onto the blade.
How are you getting on with peening, Vegplot ? |
I've not done any yet, too busy. Hopefully will be able to beginning August when some friends do their hay making.
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Kate
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Hi, I'm new here, but wondered if anybody could help out with a scythe problem.
I've got a Seymour snaith and Compass blade - it's either me or the blade, but I'm getting a lousy grass cut with it.
I've got the feeling the blade is actually a weed/ditch rather than grass blade - anybody got any ideas where I could get a decent one rather than fork out on the full Austrian kit?
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deanom
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Hi allHi everybody.
I've not visited the site for ages, and was impressed to see all of the scything stuff here. Good on you Gil. I hope that you were not too hung over after the festival. Hacked off that I had to leave on Sunday night, and was almost in traction on Monday. Dancing was energetic, if short.
Hope to see more of you next year
Deano
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gil
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| Kate wrote: | Hi, I'm new here, but wondered if anybody could help out with a scythe problem.
I've got a Seymour snaith and Compass blade - it's either me or the blade, but I'm getting a lousy grass cut with it.
I've got the feeling the blade is actually a weed/ditch rather than grass blade - anybody got any ideas where I could get a decent one rather than fork out on the full Austrian kit? |
I'm not familiar with the design/make of either your snath or blade, but before you go and buy another one, have you checked the following :
1. The angle of the blade to the snath - has it slipped or twisted on the snath during use ? Have you taken it off to sharpen and not put it back in quite the same way ?
This has happened to me : a well-peened and sharpened blade, but that would not / no longer mow grass at all - turned out to have altered the hafting angle [somehow; still don't understand]. Check yours doesn't need wedging from either end of the snath ring to get the angle right. Even the order in which you tighten up the nuts on the snath ring can affect the cutting angle. Hold the scythe to the ground in the grass as if to mow, and check that the centre of the blade is parallel to the grass. Go back to basics / the 'how-to set-up' in the manual / book, if necessary.
Unless your blade has had a major accident / bashing, there is no reason why you shouldn't get a reasonable grass cut, even with a ditch blade, provided it is thoroughly peened and sharpened first.
2. The sharpness of the blade - does it need peening/angle-grinding, and then a fine sharpening ? If you're doing a grass cut, it will need to be very fine and very sharp.
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vegplot
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There's a wonderful description of Death, from one of Terry Pratchett's Disc World novels, Reaper Man I think, where it describes him sharpening his scythe. He doesn't consider it sharp enough until it can slice up spoken words - or something like that.
Well that's taken the edge off it for a start. 
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cassy
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I scythed around the beehive this week, wearing my beekeeping jacket and hood. Don't think I frightened anybody - I don't think Death wears sage green  .
@ Gil - I'm using a stone blade as recommended by Simon Fairlie for novices and I'm cutting a lot of bracken at the moment. I'm currently very slow and spend longer sharpening than mowing, but have high hopes of getting the hang of it. I'm still at the stage of remembering to keep it on the ground and not lift.
I'm really impressed how easy it is, compare to strimming and how much more satisfying. I usually get fully togged up for strimming (steel toe-caps, full visor, ear defenders, gloves) so it's been a novelty to mow in my sandals .
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Crazy Pete
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A very old scythe bladeI'm not really sure what type of blade I have, but it's been quite useful so far. Having rented a house with a large rather overgrown garden, rather than buy/hire some power tool I bought an old scythe on eBay for a combination of reasons. It's more pleasant to use and I'd read that it's just as effective, and at a bargain £10 (buyer collects of course) I couldn't go far wrong. At 9.5 miles away there are probably few scythe users closer to Piccadily Circus than me...
Anyway, the blade; at 75cm it sounds as if it's a grass blade, but being maybe 100+ years old it doesn't look like any of the modern blades shown on the Internet, and maybe there wasn't such a variety of blades back then? It seems to be flat except for a thick band of metal at the back which keeps it rigid.
Although I'm a Londoner with zero experience of agriculture and not much of any gardening, I found I could clear nettles, dock etc. quite quickly, but the areas of foot-long grass are difficult. I get the impression the blade was last sharpened before WW2, which I suppose explains this.
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vegplot
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I think my ditch blade was among the items stolen from our container. Rhymes with farce!
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