Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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gil
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Who's scything at the moment, and what are you mowing ?I'm part-way through mowing the front grass. Going is good in some parts, though very blown about and lodged in others, in all different directions.
Forecast is good. I could make hay if I could be bothered. But I can't.
Mowed at home this morning.
Ran a jig-peening course this afternoon, and then we went and practiced mowing someone's paddock. Worse condition than my own grass, blown over and trampled by livestock, very thick. Quite a challenge.
Got yesterday's mowing raked into piles earlier this evening.
What are you mowing ?
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Dogwalker
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Last week I cleared the banks up the track from the yard to the lane. It looks like a car will fit again even if the downpours have made the ruts even worse to drive over.
The scything was really hard work, I did a little each evening over 5 days. I was seriously considering getting a strimmer but I'm not sure my shoulder and elbow would like that any better.
I have bought a lawn mower for the grass around the cottage. I find a scythe really good for the long tough stuff and nettles, thistles etc but I'm useless at the soft grass, just flatten it.
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Sally Too
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Got two mighty blisters scything a bank in the garden here. We have a strimmer, but this area was a bit close to the bees and I've heard they don't like the noise.
Didn't notice the blisters till I'd stopped. One turned to a blood blister and has left a very dramatic black circle beneath my little finger on my right hand.
Quite satisfying the scythe I found. I'll use it again. (Just not near anything I value as I'm not that accurate.... )
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Mutton
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The scything was really hard work, I did a little each evening over 5 days. I was seriously considering getting a strimmer but I'm not sure my shoulder and elbow would like that any better.
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I bought a low end electric cable strimmer years ago, the sort with nylon cord and it drove me up the wall. The cutting cord broke easily, the "just smack the reel against the ground and it feeds out more cord" didn't work half the time. Then you had to take it apart and disentangle, then you had to fight the spring to put it back together. Stopped using it.
These days we have a very fine STIHL petrol brushcutter that you use wearing a harness to take the weight, so no tug on shoulder other than you've got a harness over both shoulders. Not ever used it with the strimming cord, just the blade head. What we've found is that
1. You do need to put on the safety kit.
2. There is a set up time, mixing the fuel, getting it to start (we don't use it that often).
3. With gorse and stiffer things it is brilliant, but with softer things, especially reeds, it tends to clog. (Presumably should swap to the nylon strimmer reel, but haven' been able to face the fiddle or dealing with another cord reel - though it might work better than the cheap one, just haven't tried.)
4. It is noisy and smelly.
5. I get vibration problems in my hand and can only work on it for an hour at most and notice my hand feeling numbish for a while after.
We bought a scythe last year and much prefer it for cutting the roadside nettles and grass, the reeds and such like. Quicker to get out to work, quiet, no hot safety gear, no smell of petrol. Basically it works really well for the lighter jobs.
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Went
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Scythed and cleared the wild areas of the garden - brown matter raked when dried to release meadow seeds, then added to compost.
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Dogwalker
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I don't like the idea of a petrol strimmer for all the reasons you say, Mutton. I might see if a friend will let me try his next time he's around, although I don't think he'll let me. Not the sort of thing women should be using as far as he's concerned. 
I think maybe I need to find the scything instructions, sharpen it up well and go back to basics. I just couldn't get the feel of it right this year.
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gil
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Still mowing the front and side grass. I reckon another day or two should get it finished.
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pink bouncy
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I've been scything for the first time this last week. Mostly to clear thistles from a very weedy field but this morning I started a strip along the edge of the field which I'm intending to turn into hay. Its around half an acre in all and will make good hay if it stays dry. We have a massey 35 with a haybob to turn it with but no cutter so since its only a small area, the scythe is the thing. I'm so glad I have had the last week cutting thistles with it to build up some stamina, scything is very hard work!
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JohnB
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I put a couple of coats of linseed oil on my new scythe today. Maybe sometime this week it will get set up, and I can start attacking the weeds, brambles and a few patches of grass!
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gil
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I've almost finished the front grass (including carting the wilted stuff and turning yesterday's mowings), but I disturbed a nest of bumblebees, so have scarpered back indoors for a bit.
Think I'll go and rogue some big weeds this afternoon - give the mowing blisters a rest.
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JohnB
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Finally got my scythe set up today, and started cutting my field. Good thing I bought a ditch blade, as I'd probably wreck a grass blade! I can feel some blisters appearing  .
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Dogwalker
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Did part of the side garden today,until the bees swarmed again and I had to deal with them.
Made better progress, think it must be the angle of the blade needs adjusting somehow because it was better on the slope cutting below where I was standing. (If that makes any sense)
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gil
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Made better progress, think it must be the angle of the blade needs adjusting somehow because it was better on the slope cutting below where I was standing. (If that makes any sense) |
Check the lay of the blade; make sure it's just turning upward when you have the scythe out in front of you with the big bottom handgrip balanced on your knee/thigh, and you are pressing on the blade where the label was (1/3rd of the way along the blade, from the tang/snath. You might need to use the wedge that came with the kit.
That, or else check your handgrips are in the right holes.
As you start to use your scythe, you may find that you need to adjust the handgrip positions away from what the book / set-up instructions say to start with. e.g. more space than a forearm/cubit between top and bottom grips : you move the top one up; leave the lower grip in place, your leg is still the same length.
Also, if it is cutting better 'below' your height, have you been mowing with the scythe closer to you / arms moving less ?
@John B : nice work !
I finished mowing the grass and removing it on Thursday morning.
Still got an area of weeds to mow, but should be fairly easy, and only needs a rough topping.
JohnB
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I think I've got mine set up according to the instructions. I can just about get a nice close cut on good grass. I think with enough practice I could almost get a nice manicured lawn, especially with the right blade.
Cutting the field in my photo, I'm having to try to keep the blade a bit off the ground, as it's quite bumpy, and I keep digging into the sticky up bits! When the field is done, I can start on the brambles, weeds and other rubbish in the wood, with my bush blade! If I can keep going, I should soon be an expert on the rough stuff!
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Dogwalker
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Thank you for the suggestions I'll try tomorrow if the weather's still good.
Having a day off today. 
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Woodburner
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I was scything the nettles and blackthorn suckers from the area Mum had cleared last year, but the blade was coming loose, so I stopped to fix it, but one of the screws in the jigger that holds the blade in place simply will not budge. The snath and handles looks just like this one from Dobies except the snath is steel on mine, and the blade is a bit different.
Is there any chance of buying a replacement jigger without the rest of the scythe? 
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buzzy
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The snath and handles looks just like this one from Dobies except the snath is steel on mine, and the blade is a bit different.
Is there any chance of buying a replacement jigger without the rest of the scythe? |
Looks much like a Turk scythe - you ought to be able to get a spare 'jigger' - I am sure Gil will know. Possibly you could use a 'jigger' for one of Simon Fairlie's Austrian scythes as well - would be worth asking him.
Henry
Woodburner
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Thanks, I will pm Gil. 
Simon Fairlie does one, but it's a bit smaller, not sure if it might be too high as well, as my snath is pretty flat, and it only seems to have one grub screw.
I've found one almost identical here (#3), again it's a tiny bit small, but they're in Canada!
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Treacodactyl
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Are you talking about the ring clamp? There's more sizes listed near the bottom of this pagehere but they're over in Canada.
Have you tried soaking the screw in penetrating oil, such as WD-40, overnight? If that doesn't work and if it's all metal I'd try heating the screw and leaving it to cool (taking care you don't set fire to any oil). Even a sharp but not too heavy tap with a small hammer might break the seal on the screw.
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Woodburner
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I've tried 3 in 1, but no luck so far.
I'll have to have another look for the DW40, as well as a suitable hammer. Unfortunately the bit that I need to hit is flush with the plate.
I did wonder about heating it, but Mum was ooh no, don't want to be doing that ... I'll give it a go ... when I've dosed it with DW40 and tapped it with a hammer, I'm 99% sure it's not going to budge that easily.
eta forgot to say, yes ring clamp that's the wotsit.
Not sure which way round the dimensions are on that page, mine is longer than it is wide (45x35mm)
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Treacodactyl
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You could put the hex-key in the nut and tap that lightly. You're just aiming to break some of the rust and then let the oil get in. Just leaving it in bright sunshine might help, a few squirts of WD-40 over a few days might just loosen it.
It should be quite easy to drill out the screw and re-tap the thread if you have the tools or someone nearby. Not worth it if you can pick up another clamp but Simon is the only person in the UK I've found who sells them.
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Green Man
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I'm sything all round under the edges of my hedge rows at the moment. I enjoy the therapy and exercise.
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Mutton
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Bracken on a hillside.
And good for de-stressing it is, though my right hand in particular is pointing out that it isn't used to the exercise.
Reeds to put down in the sheep shelter. (Less relaxing as they are tough wotsits.)
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dolmen
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Anyone looking forward to getting their scythe into gear? I'd been watching the local auctions for over two years and never seen a good one come up, so I splashed out on a new scythe, and eagerly await it coming!
Any helpful advice that you care to offer to get me started on the right track.
TIA
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gil
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What kind did you get ?
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crofter
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Any helpful advice that you care to offer to get me started on the right track.
TIA
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Don't overdo it.
dolmen
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What kind did you get ? |
An 'Austrian' from Simon ... I have a garden that I'm letting grow up at the moment so I can try it out later in the springtime.
Cheers
dolmen
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Don't overdo it. |
I think the stamina or lack of it will keep me in check, hopefully.
Cheers
gil
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Never mind stamina - mind the blisters !
Surprisingly easy to get at first (or at the start of each mowing season).
You must be a long way south - I don't start mowing till May or June.
What kind of blade, and what will you be mowing ?
I have a 55cm ditch blade and a 75cm grass blade.
Most of the land here is orchard on a slope, with buried obstacles like tree stumps and rocks. A wee bit of flat ground that can be cut for hay.
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buzzy
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What kind did you get ? |
An 'Austrian' from Simon ... I have a garden that I'm letting grow up at the moment so I can try it out later in the springtime.Cheers
Wow! Whar a brilliant excuse! 
Henry
dolmen
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Never mind stamina - mind the blisters !
Surprisingly easy to get at first (or at the start of each mowing season).
You must be a long way south - I don't start mowing till May or June.
What kind of blade, and what will you be mowing ?
I have a 55cm ditch blade and a 75cm grass blade.
Most of the land here is orchard on a slope, with buried obstacles like tree stumps and rocks. A wee bit of flat ground that can be cut for hay. |
I'll keep the blisters in mind, I know doing some thing like using a scythe we tend to grip like death, when we really need to let it float. I got the 75cm grass blade for this wee garden that I'm trying to get some wild flowers and herbs established in. Thanks
TTouch Homestead
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Hey Dolly- how about some pictures of said scything, and the destined plot it is to be used on. I keep thinking of letting the area around the pond go a bit like that, but finding a scythe to fit me, would be interesting unless they make them for munchkins!
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dolmen
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Sadly I've no camera for a while now, keep meaning to look out for a s/h one.
From what I'm gathering you've moved to the perfect place for a scythe and the 'good life' ... and I know you're keen on the pics. Hows the big girl doing? I'll have to get over to catch up with her antics.
Cheers
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dolmen
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Well I got the scythe set up and tried her out on this corner I had kept as part of my plan. It worked really wel,l mowing everything in sight, I actually ran out of grass, but went to another lawn that had grass about 4'' long and it mowed that too .... I'm really impressed, looking forward now to this area growing and getting some proper mowing done later this year.
Cheers
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