Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Scything  (Read 5724 times)

sandspider

  • Joined Aug 2015
  • Bristol
Scything
« on: June 27, 2020, 09:17:21 am »
Hi all

Toying with the idea of getting a scythe to mow a bit of paddock, the odd edge of garden etc. I don't want to spend lots of money in case it's not for me. Is there any point buying any scythe that's roughly the right size for me and giving it a go? Or for it to work does the scythe need to be fitted to me properly? Can anyone recommend a place to get advice, and a functional scythe at a reasonable cost?

Thanks.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Scything
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2020, 12:05:32 pm »
https://scythecymru.co.uk/


I think this is where we bought our scythe. We had previously used 'any old scythe' but decided to get one which fitted us both.  If your scythe is wrong for you then it is difficult to get a good sweep, and hard on the back - you would certainly have no chance of doing a day's work with a badly fitting scythe, and even for just fettling your edges it would be unnecessarily hard work.  I can't see prices on the website, but it didn't break the bank
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: Scything
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2020, 12:36:54 pm »
If the scythe doesn't fit properly, isn't set up to cut properly the type of undergrowth you want it to and is too heavy, I am sure you will decide scything isn't for you very quickly Sandspider.


I bought an Austrian Scythe in France which came with French instructions obviously, so relied heavily on information kindly provided by Simon Farlie in Dorset, who also sells Austrian scythes. My blade cuts hay well, but nothing too heavy and nothing much finer. Sharpened simply with two grades of whetstone works well for me. You need to be aware that there are effectively three types of blade and edge, none of which will do everything.


We are now setting aside areas and cutting them very late to benefit the insect life. With our equipment the only way to cut those areas is by scythe, which seems to be very good exercise for my back.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Scything
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2020, 02:20:11 pm »
We have an Austrian scythe, bought from our local reseller (see Simon's Scythe Shop website for more info, including a list of all the resellers across the country), and think it an excellent purchase. 
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

sandspider

  • Joined Aug 2015
  • Bristol
Re: Scything
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2020, 04:15:05 pm »
Thanks all. I was hoping I could get one scythe to do meadow, weeds, brambles, even small trees; sounds like that's not going to be possible. I already have a small tractor and topper, but it's not subtle on corners, and I have a brush cutter, but they're both noisy and fuel consuming and a bit of a chore to get ready to go.
The price for a starter scythe kit seems to be £120 plus, so possibly not worth it. Will keep my eye open for a second hand one that's fairly suitable and give it a try, appreciating that it wouldn't be as good as one that's ideal for me.

GribinIsaf

  • Joined Aug 2015
  • Montgomeryshire
    • Gribin Isaf
Re: Scything
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2020, 04:48:33 pm »
I was hoping I could get one scythe to do meadow, weeds, brambles, even small trees; sounds like that's not going to be possible

I got a scythe with  two blades from https://scythecymru.co.uk/

Absolutely brilliant - big blade for the meadow and a "ditch" blade for rough work.
An Austrian scythe comes adjustable so you can set it up to fit your height

« Last Edit: June 28, 2020, 08:12:37 am by GribinIsaf »

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Scything
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2020, 05:34:03 pm »
Thanks all. I was hoping I could get one scythe to do meadow, weeds, brambles, even small trees; sounds like that's not going to be possible.

You might need 2 or even three blades, and to learn how to adjust the blade, but the snath is the same for all uses.  So yes, with the Austrian that is exactly what you do : one snath, and a blade or blades according to the work you want it to do.  We have a short ditching blade and manage all that we want to do with that.  If I was going to cut a meadow for hay I would probably buy a short grass blade, (which would be longer than the short ditching blade but not as long as a bigger / stronger person would manage.)  And I decided to not get a bush blade but to accept that some things I simply won't manage with my scythe, and that thickets of docks or reshes I have to go at a little bit at a time.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

macgro7

  • Joined Feb 2016
  • Leicester
Re: Scything
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2020, 06:48:50 pm »
Hi all

Toying with the idea of getting a scythe to mow a bit of paddock, the odd edge of garden etc. I don't want to spend lots of money in case it's not for me. Is there any point buying any scythe that's roughly the right size for me and giving it a go? Or for it to work does the scythe need to be fitted to me properly? Can anyone recommend a place to get advice, and a functional scythe at a reasonable cost?

Thanks.
I bought my scythe from ebay for £30 and its fantastic! Don't waste money on £200 stuff thats exactly the same
Growing loads of fruits and vegetables! Raising dairy goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits on 1/2 acre in the middle of the city of Leicester, using permaculture methods.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Scything
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2020, 07:34:45 pm »
Hi all

Toying with the idea of getting a scythe to mow a bit of paddock, the odd edge of garden etc. I don't want to spend lots of money in case it's not for me. Is there any point buying any scythe that's roughly the right size for me and giving it a go? Or for it to work does the scythe need to be fitted to me properly? Can anyone recommend a place to get advice, and a functional scythe at a reasonable cost?

Thanks.
I bought my scythe from ebay for £30 and its fantastic! Don't waste money on £200 stuff thats exactly the same

Well unless you got an Austrian for £30 off eBay (in which case, Well done!  :D), it will not be exactly the same.

The Austrian snath has lots of adjustment and is very ergonomic. 

If you have managed to find a cheap scythe that is the right size in every direction for you and is comfortable to use, I am very happy for you, but I don't think you can expect that every scythe everyone buys off eBay will fit its buyer so well, sadly.  ;)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Scything
« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2020, 11:44:55 pm »
We have an Austrian scythe, bought from our local reseller (see Simon's Scythe Shop website for more info, including a list of all the resellers across the country), and think it an excellent purchase.

Oops yes, that's where we got our scythe, not the link I gave further back.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

sandspider

  • Joined Aug 2015
  • Bristol
Re: Scything
« Reply #10 on: June 29, 2020, 01:42:38 pm »
Many thanks, all.
£30 on Ebay would be perfect, but I fear you got lucky, Macro! Didn't think I'd fine one to fit. Will keep my eyes open and see what I can find.

Dreich Pete

  • Joined Jan 2014
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Scything
« Reply #11 on: October 22, 2020, 09:05:36 am »
I bought a scythe off ebay a few years ago and it's adjustable - I was under the impression from hours of research and youtube videos, that they all were. Everything I've read talks about "fitting" it to yourself by making these adjustments.

I had to give up scything because it was knackering my knee, but as that has now been replaced (the knee, not the scythe) I plan to give it another go.

My scythe is one of those curvy metal ones, but I have to say that although it does work, it doesn't feel the most comfortable/ergonomic design. It takes a bit of practice and fettling but once you get the motion correct for you, and recognise just how often you need to sharpen it, it can really rip through the undergrowth.

There is a lot of people advising that you need different blades for different jobs, but if you watch enough videos you will find the folk who use a single blade for every job and simply make little adjustments to the scythe or their technique. If you only have a small area to work then I'd be inclined to go down that route.

I have a large lawn (which will always be my ride-on job (as much because I enjoy driving it) plus 3 acres of mixed meadow, so realistically I'm not able to do the job with a scythe, but the plan is to keep the paths clear with one and clear some smaller patches as & when required.

 

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