I found these today advertised as sharpeners, and I had never seen the bottom style before. Pardon my ignorance, but what the hey is that? Tent peg, knife hone, science experiment gone awry?
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I found these today advertised as sharpeners, and I had never seen the bottom style before. Pardon my ignorance, but what the hey is that? Tent peg, knife hone, science experiment gone awry?
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Just guessing but it might be a scythe hone. ........... :chapeau
Might be a broken scythe stone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usb055-5ex0
Definitely (half of) a scythe stone. Common and not too useful unless you've got a scythe. Interesting, though, as a novelty.
Guess I am a little too urban to have ever seen one before. Thanks for the ID!Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveW
I see those a lot, makes me want to buy a scythe.............lol!
Sadly, as half of a hone, it's nearly useless even for a scythe. Honing needs to be done frequently and preferably, quickly, so that half hone could only be of use if done slowly and carefully. Also, a hone is carried in a holder containing water, and that hone would sit too deeply into the holder to be able to get it out. For both of those reasons, it's not practical for use on a scythe.Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveW
I could bring one of mine up some time and you could mow Randy's yard!Quote:
Originally Posted by rodb
Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
Utopian,,, Dark Lord Of The Scythe :D
Why do you need multiple scythes?Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
For the same reason as why do you need multiple razors.
On the more serious note. There are types which are better for heavy work (wheat) or light work (grass)
How many you got ? Inquiring minds want to know :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
He probably has a seven day set..............
Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
Man, he beat the devil out of that blade! No wonder they break in half like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
When I first saw that hone the thing that came to mind was an Aladdin/Wizard brand hone I saw on Ebay. It was advertised on the box for kitchen cutlery. The yellow color and fact that it was 'made in Germany' is what brought it to my attention. I kinda wondered what the chances were it was coticule that was bought from Ardennes, shipped to Germany, and restamped. At the end of the day I decided that probably wasn't the case and it wasn't worth the (admittedly small) risk to find out.
So, as adrspach stated, different scythes serve different purposes.
I have two snaths. One is wood and the other is steel. The steel one is much lighter and fairly strong but I pushed it too hard and bent it last year. It will either be repaired or replaced. The other is wood, heavier, and slightly less ergonomic, but it can handle anything. Both are European style snaths, which are way more ergonomic than the unwieldly American snath I used as a kid on the farm.
I have four blades. One is for grass and one is for hay. Both are long and are not much different. I also have two shorter blades with one called a ditch blade and the other a bush, or brush, blade. For the work I tend to do helping on the farm, I mainly use the two shorter ones for clearing fences. They work great for that and can much more readily handle the hilly areas of the farm where no tractor can go. They can cut half inch tree/brush stems but still can cut grass and weeds--lots and lots of weeds.
There is something meditative about using a scythe. You know what the difference is between good and not so good scything? A sharp edge! You have to touch it up about every 10 minutes--more frequently if you are cutting a lot of heavy brush and crap, and when you are doing that kind of cutting, the honing excuse is handy for getting a bit of a rest! Occasionally edge work requires heavier work--peening with a hammer and special anvil to draw out the edge further. This is followed by honing through a progression of grits. Sound familiar?
:)
Of course my brother can cut much faster with a brush cutter on the back of a tractor, but I'm different. If I ever retire to a small farm, I would be putting up a few acres of hay every year with a scythe and a wood rake; and he would think I'm nuts. He's right.
Call me crazy, but that does sound like a good time. Any excuse to pla-ehm, work! with a sharp edged object, I guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
I remember many hours of watching my friends dad peening them. Could not get my head arround maturing new blades burried in manure.
To return back to the original hone. I had few simmilar in my hand and they looked and felt like ceramic manmade material, simmilar to material used for old school fuse housings.
I understand peening the blades, but why were new blades buried in manure? How were they "matured" in manure?Quote:
Originally Posted by adrspach
He was probably putting on a patina to help prevent rust - that'd be my guess.
How it was explained to me was that the acidity from the manure would thin the blade while also protect it from further rusting, but I am not sure how it would work. What is the fact I have seen them buried in the manure repeatedly by few people.
I with the Snaths I have learned with metal one and to be hones it was arkward thing. Then i had chance to use wooden one made out of Ash for cutting grass and it was completely different league. then I have tried one made for wheat and could not get on with it at all.
I have been peening my razors wrong all this time !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn70UfJcULI
Most razors require very little peening, but Gold Dollars definitely need a lot of it.
learn something every day. that last guy said "you can cut through things like butter". I've never seen a butter field.:confused:
No, butter fields are a myth. You use the scythe to cut cold hard butter in the kitchen. You just need to clear enough room to get a good swing.
Have seen leg above ankle right to the bone. does it count?
Otherwise at present I do not have any scythes but as my frien recently died and the anvil and the scythe peening hammer were left in his workshop for scrap I have them and hopefully in future I will have property where I will need to use the scythe and the accesories again.
