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Saw this today, and I saw so many parallels between his reasoning for choosing a scythe over a weedwacker and my reasons for choosing a straight over the fusion, I can't help but look into it some more.
YouTube - scythe faster than a string trimmer
If I had a lawn, I would seriously be considering one. Since I don't, I can only read and wonder.
Found a nice site for anyone interested in learning more. Seems to be the SRP of the scythe world.
Scytheconnection: Welcome
Really cool! looks intimidating... Just like straight shaving at first.
I want one. Now all I have to do is buy a house with a large enough back yard to grow enough weeds to justify buying a scythe.
I have a scythe and love it. It is pretty easy to be able to cut weedy, succulent plants; you could be mowing down 'coarse' stuff a few minutes after getting one in the mail. I use mine to cut bedding and food for my chickens, cut grass mulch for the garden, and mow some of the yard.
If you have thoughts about mowing your lawn with one, it will take a large amount of developing new skills-- and practice. It took me one whole frustrating year before I could cut short grass well!
This is an Austrian style scythe, interestingly it is sharpened largely by hammering the blade! (called peening--makes a straight razor guy cringe!), and also with a whetstone. There is a saying 'well peened is half mowed', and that is the honest truth. If you are wanting to mow a 'suburban style' lawn, I would say focus on learning to peen foremost....trouble is there is no one around to show you how to do it right, so it takes some trial and error. That scythe connection site is the bomb. My scythe would be busted in 2 pieces and rusting behind the shed if not for all of that good info. I bought mine from Marugg, and have been very satisfied. Also look up 'scythe peening' or 'sense dengeln' on youtube...Feel free to PM me too.
Vid is not me, but shows someone actually mowing a lawn with a scythe. For a LONG time I was convinced it could not be done!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdFvHyfq97o
This reminds me of the miserable version of a scythe I had to use on the farm. It was this serrated looking demon golf club. You could get it to cut if you swung it like a baseball bat at the intended target...
Ha!
I never can resist a scythe thread!!!
Yes, a scythe is an extremely efficient means of cutting a lot of grass, as long as the blade is sharp and the cutting stroke is done correctly. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Ummm yea way cool, I might be sold on this one, I HATE my lawn mower lol
-dan-
Thanks for the overlook of the style of this stroke, over exaggerated, which helped alot!!!!
I wouldn't use a scythe bare-footed.
It's just as well I have a rock garden...