My father told me, that when he was a child, he woke up every morning by the "Ping-ping-ping" of the hammers in the neighbourhood, early in the morning, when everyone was dangling, or "cold-hammer-forging" if you want, his scythe. Here, in the countryside south-west in Germany, everyone had some animals after WW II and everyone went to make some green food for their cow in the morning before he went to work. I´ve learned it from my grandfather and am teaching it to my son. It is a very satisfying and relaxing work, good to get rid of some stress. What I have learned, the American scythes are normally much more heavy and thicker than the European. Your´s is a good gras blade, how it is used over here. Light and long, easy to swing, for longer sessions. Your technique is pretty much perfect, letting the blade slide above the ground and not rising it up at any time, what a lot scythers do, congrats. You are more using your arms, my grandfather learned me to move the arms almost at all and do the swing with the legs and the hips, so it is easier to swing evenly. You may try it if you want, but as I said, you are a pro already, hands down. Greets from Germany.
+Colton Edwards Ya well, what if i unleashed a happy little Smaug the Impenetrable upon your happy little trees. What then is that just another happy little mistake.
Very important point on the tip of the blade. I notice in a lot of sharpening videos that the sharpener does what may be a decent job on the gut of the glade, but finishes the last 8 inches at the tip with a single swipe.
I don't even have a lawn, and I still watched this whole video and subscribed haha Not everyone makes a great teacher, but you definitely do. Thanks for sharing.
Just bought a scythe from Scythe Supply, in fact I bought the outfit with the scythe, stones and holder. I noticed that I needed a new rake and I did the same thing as you; I bought the lightest one the store had. I just love using the scythe, it renewed my enthusiasm for yard maintenance. I had gotten really jaded about the rapid and incessant decline of gas lawn equipment and the widening use if plastic parts. Now, I have replacec that plastic with wood, high carbon steel and stainless steel. 👍😁
Still one of the best videos on RU-vid for scything turf grass. Having more experience now than when I first watched this two years ago, I would say on the very fine grass in the second half of the video, you simply have to have to have to maximize slicing action. This entails either closing the hafting angle to keep the same posture, or leaning outward to extend the distance between your spine and the blade (the radius of the arc) to a length where the blade edge travels almost perfectly tangential. Leaning excessively through the motion adds strain to your body and it gets old quick, so is not advised. Honestly though, if you're intent on using the scythe, then in the long run it may be more convenient to fit the grass to the scythe instead of configuring the scythe to the grass, by seeding with grass that is a bit more scythe friendly. Remember, these tools were perfected to cut spirited, highly competitive, erect, taller field and meadow vegetation, not short, wimpy blades of turf grass. They can do both, but they're perfected for one over the other.
Honest Abe, i appreciate the barefoot aspect when you're swinging "2 feet" of razor sharp steel in front of your "2 feet".. may look dangerous but perfectly safe, and very good for the body to go barefoot
It is healthy but Fire Ants here are stinking nasty hungry protein hunters. They wait for the smell of my unprotected skin and make their attack leaving me with blisters with white stuff in them. I suffer for 7-10 or so days. So, I wear barefoot running shoes everywhere I go. Great stability for sure!
Whoot! I just tried my new scythe for the first time on my 'lawn' (hybrid lawn, field, salad). And while it looks totally hacked up, I love the scythe. It will take me some practice but one day, Fred, one day, the results will be as smooth and even as yours. Thanks for the tips.
You have convinced me to buy a European scythe. Thank you so much for a very informative video, well conceived and put together. I just got my 2 year old petrol mower back from the repair shop after having it outside in the winter the carburettor split after freezing which came to light when I tried to start it this summer. I was without it for seven weeks An expensive mistake! At least with the scythe I can store it inside in a corner and no more bills to get it fixed when it breaks down again which it will I'm sure! Thanks again, best wishes from the UK.
The way you test your blade sharpness, using your thumb nail is exactly how I as a diamond setter, test the sharpness of my gravers (engraving tools used for bright-cutting).
Thank you so much for making this video. You are a good teacher. I recently bought a scythe and your video has helped me understand the process of mowing with this tool. My neighbors are calling me Mother Time now!
In december of 2019 i started wearing a handlebar mustache,.I've had people at work call me 'stache. Which ive accepted and grown to accept and grown to expect, i find it funny and endearing. But I've longed for a scythe for a long time, I'm actually very close to purchasing my first scythe. Good scything my brother.
I bought a scythe last summer. Your video is one of the most useful guides I've found, because - as you said - I'm not mowing fields. Thank you very much.
Please upload more I really enjoyed this video! You seem to have a lot of knowledge please upload you doing more outdoor work it's relaxing and educational to watch
Would like to see you make more videos. I am convinced that I want to get a scythe. Thank you for being very exhaustive in your explanations, it really helps.
Thank you for this video. I have watched several instructional videos, but as you stated, most have to do with tall grass fields. This is an excellent and concise overview. My first attempt at mowing my lawn went rough yesterday, and watching this I realized I was doing the opposite of your advice, with back and forth mowing as one would with a power mower instead of one direction. This helps tremendously, as I have both rough scrub hillside and large lawn spaces to mow.
I got my fathers and still use it on tall grass out back from the house. never cut my lawn with it.Lot of grass cut with the scythe for hay for animals back in 1960s here in Newfoundland.
I was 13 or 15 when my grandfather showed me, the difference of mower verses the Scythe. He cut the lawn, at about 2 inches. He cut 20 ft in a few swipes. Thank you for your solutions!
I got a scythe mainly because I sick of the weed whackers constantly failing. The mower works in most instances but I got the scythe to fill some niche cutting rolls.
Fantastic demonstration Frederick. Highly commend you too for choosing a more intelligent way to actually get things done. It's people like you who make RU-vid GREAT!!
If you peen the edge paper thin, much thinner than the jig gives you, you'll find it cuts the stubborn grass better. It's much more easily damaged in that state by non-grass, of course, but you can't beat the grass cutting. The jig gives an edge for brush, which is a little on the sturdy side.
Yes I know this and have experimented with how thin I can make it. I am now always mowing the perfect lawn and have discovered that the fully hammered edge is better, but not always desirable. :-)
You should. When done right it is as relaxing as it looks. Turn with the hips not so much the arms. You need that approximate $200 initial investment also the stone sharpening and peening.
I'm not really unhappy with my reel mower, but given that I'm a fairly eloquent greybeard with a smithy, and that everyone else on YT fitting that description has a scythe, I should probably get one.
Great video. I’ve started mowing my lawn with a scythe. You should upload more videos, perhaps of how you compost the lawn trimmings, or built that bench your using.
Great video. Like that shirt, too! I've been thinking about getting a scythe just for the physical exercise aspect, but it's good to see it can be used around a landscaped lawn with relative ease. String trimmers do the job, but they are so noise and just ugly in a way.
Well done. Thank you for making the video. The rye grass is hard to cut, I know when I have tried to show off in front of different friends the only grass about was the rye grass which meant I didn't look as good as I had hoped. You have may have tried different angles on the final edge. When the scythe is sharpened run the stone (or instead of a stone a chrome plated screw driver) along the bottom of the blade, try it on the grass, to try a different angle run the stone on top of the blade then run the stone along the bottom edge using a different angle and try the scythe on the grass again.
Not sure if you will answer a question on a two year old video. I got grass that trails out and catches my scythe tip causing it to head into the dirt if I am not careful. I can use my hands to guide the scythe tip up and the scythe then does a good job of breaking off and breaking up the runners. I am guessing this is the right technique on such areas. Also my step dad did lots of brick laying in the lawn and certain areas of the lawn I am lucky to just dip my scythe in and glide a small sweep in before the tip starts to touch brick. I am left to turning to my sickle in those tight spaces. Other areas I remove the bricks and go trimming up a lot of the runners gather under and between the bricks. Aside from the bricks the front lawn boarders a concrete driveway and boarder to the street. Sometimes I am able to use the concrete against the scythe to help time grass growing in cracks. The front in more difficult though as that slopes down before it blocks off into the concrete curb about a half a foot at maybe 45-60 degree angle. Any comments or recommendations you may have Fredrick would be appreciated.
Nice vid. You may have to rake but at least you don't have to clean the mower deck. And as for sharpening. I don't know about other people but I sharpen my mower blades. At least twice a season depending on how they are cutting. You get a much better cut. I try to never mow wet grass with a power mower but if I have to do so a sharp blade means less buildup under the deck. In fact if the grass is dry and the blade sharp there is no build up to speak of. But do you mow once a week or longer? It sounded like you don't do it all in one go.
Looked up videos on power mowers surging, just went to mow and had some issues with mine. Came across this and thought "a guy mowing lawns with a scythe? Ooh this will be a character" it's now nearly a half hour later, im still sitting here and the lawns have still not been done. Thanks
I've got a video of me doing one of my customers lawns with a scythe and the comments are nowhere near as nice as they are here. Maybe because I had a small rant about stripes on lawns. It seemed to upset the American petrol head population.
Hi Fred, I just watched your video (again) which is better than actually scything on a humid 90 degree day like today. I notice in the comments that you made your snath from an ash sapling. Here in Ohio, we have lost the great majority of our beautiful ash trees to an insect infestation in the last few years, so if I were lucky enough to find an ash sapling I certainly wouldn't cut it down. Do you know what other kind of sapling would be a good choice for a snath? Did you let the wood cure for a period of time before shaping it, and do you treat the wood with any kind of oil or sealer? If I can't find a good type of sapling, would there be an appropriate type of wood available from a lumber yard? Thanks!
Well done sir, very interesting. Am I the only one who notices because of the size of the stoke how quick this method is? I know what I'd rather listen too, the ability to Zen out while you're doing such an onerous task almost makes it, dare I say FUN? It's the set up and learning the technique but once you have your moves down it looks very doable. I've watched quite a few videos on scything in the last day and I can understand why we moved away from it, too much fiddle to much of learning the art. People just want to get the job done asap so they can get inside sit on their fat behinds drink beer and watch the idiot box. Again well done sir.
It take me about twice the time as a power mower. but there are so many benefits - I can mow anytime i want, in the rain or the fog or 5 in the morning, there is not smoke, no noise, not dust, no pollen issues - its good exercise and I get to play with wicked sharp stuff, which is always fun. Yes, its very doable and particularly advantageous on hills, and under bushes and such where a power mower just cannot go.
My thought on this is : Use a Shoulder Sling! Its uses less energy ! Rather hold it up and slinging it! DO THE TWIST ! Baby. TWIST AND CUT > Twist side to side, Baby! MUCH EASIER work off some belly fat> When you hold it up, It put a strain on your back, shoulder. neck, and arms. TWIST and SHOUT > idk how to make it any more fun to do! and work off belly fat. I'am going to make one! Custom made for ME
Excellent instructions. That peening thing is what is hard to understand for me. I have a scythe, but have only used it once. I keep coming up with excuses - I cut my finger the first time. But, now I'm afraid I'll swing around and get a dog running up behind. I am shy about the neighbors watching this lady out trying to do things the old fashioned way and she doesn't look like she knows what she's doing. It's too dry now. I have to wait until morning when it's wet. Where's all the pieces? What if I can't peen correctly? Your video is what I needed. Best one I've seen yet, actually. I think this has been put up since I started becoming interested years ago. Thanks! Edit: O, and also, I actually talked to the author of a book on scything (David Tresemer) and he told me the correct way to say "scythe" is as if you are saying, "sigh". I never hear anyone say it correctly until now. You say it both ways, with the "th" sound and with the "th" silent. And, probably "si-thing" is correct in that use. Just probably unnecessary information, but I like to know these things. :-)
Thanks for the encouragement :-) Honestly there is no way to learn this without trying it. There are many videos besides mine, some very good ones on peening, which you cannot learn without trying it either. There is no way to learn this without someone else wondering what you are doing, but if you start early in the morning, not many people will be up to even know it. Dogs are pretty smart, most of what you are cutting, you have your eyes on it and you would see a dog coming and you can just drop the bladed stopped flat into the grass. About the pronunciation, I have never heard it other the than the way I pronounce it - have never heard what Tresmer is saying, although, If I am wrong, its not a big deal, there are many regional pronunciations of things. So .... jump in there - try it out - once you have tried if for half an hour, go back and look at more videos and you will pick up on things differently having had the experience. Scythe again for a bit and then watch the videos, read the scythe book again. Alternating this will give you lots of insight and soon you will know a lot. You don't have to know much to know much more than anyone who might see you :-))
I used to have a neighbor he was a old man with a long coat and he used to cut his lawn on his hands and knees with a pair of scissors, he had many mowers in his garage that he used to fix up. I guess he was just lonely and found a way to interact with other neighbours. That was a long time ago when I was young. Some things you never forget.
This is fantastic! One question - Can you adjust the height of the cut for the type of grass? I have a zoysia lawn that is supposed to be cut to 1.5 - 2 inches. Could I scythe cut it to that height?
I was going to comment about how encountering this gentlemen in a corn field, while he was wielding a scythe, and with his pupils dilated to unnatural size would be terrifying. Now I just think he's so gentle and nice that I don't think it would be too bad.
Thanks for sharing. I'm considering a scythe for a smaller yard in a suburban area, so this is very helpful. Could you tell me what blade you're using, please. Thanks again!
if you look at other vids on scything acres...it seems to cut faster a wide area, so they seem to be perfect for a larger area. What you can do in a swing would take several passes with a mower.
Well at least the volume increased a little. Scything in the morning while there is dew on the grass? Yes definitely. Scything in the late evening when the grass is dry? Not a good idea. Dry grass doesn't sluce well no matter how sharp the blade. I keep my Scythe scary sharp but never use it to cut any dry material. If your lawn is dry run a sprinkler for a few minutes. Do not try to cut dry grass. I have been "mowing" my "lawn" with a 28" Heidi & Peter blade from Scythe Supply for 7 years. Your grass needs to be really moist. When I first began scything this yard it was really bumpy with huge tufts of grass. Now 7 years later it is smooth and lush from being constantly feed with the "mulch" from being scythed. Too bad you are so far away from the mic.
Lol…good pointers. You definitely have a career in community theater productions featuring abe Lincoln. Ps…how do you NOT get tick bites with bare feet.
I use an electric mower. You can walk alongside and have a conversation very easily. I wouldn't recommend walking alongside somebody using a scythe though.
I notice that you're doing your work barefoot. I live two towns north of you in Chelmsford and if I walked across my lawn - about the same grass-height and size as yours - barefoot just to water my garden and came back, I'd be covered with ticks. I know three people in eastern Massachusetts who have been hospitalized with tick-borne diseases. One of them had to have his knee replaced at MGH at age 35 because of damage to the joint from lyme; another has permanent facial paralysis from lyme, and the third one had a different tick-borne disease, babesiosis. How do you protect yourself?
I have watched a few scythe grass cutting videos, and i noticed that a lot of the people are not wearing shoes. Is it tradition? Because I would be scared to do that!
If you are using the scythe properly it will never really be near your feet or ankles - perhaps someone esle's :-) - actually I have cut myself sharpening it several times if I got distracted or was not paying attention or talking to someone - that is always embarassing :-)
Many thanks for posting this. I am waiting for my scythe to arrive in the mail. My lawn is smaller but similar to yours so this will be very helpful. Is that a vintage or new scythe by the way?
I am looking for a scythe, but i am in South Africa. I think its a handy tool. I grew up using a sickle and I hated it. I want to trim my lawn and cut thatching grass with a scythe too. How can I get one please help?
Thank you for posting this informative video. It gives me confidence to try scything. However, I am also a southpaw. Where did you find a left-handed scythe?
