Selfsufficientish.com

I was using my big old scythe tonight and after one sweep I noticed something roll over in the grass. It was a big old toad and was completely unharmed. I sent it along to the veg patch to eat some slugs.

Well, well, well. Whilst dragging the scythe from the shed, I found another one - much smaller, straight handle, very much like a Japanese kama (yes, I had to look it up). Anyway, after a few practice sessions on the lawn, today I decided it was time to attack the orchard. The big scythe was used for the open areas and the smaller one came well into its own as I got nearer to each tree.

Apart from one narrow strip right at the back, it's finished!!!!!! I couldn't believe it (my back believes it, though). It's not billiard-table stuff, but the four-foot high nettles and docks are all down and I can now walk all the way to the back of the garden.

One up, then, for the old hand tools - I don't believe that even a petrol-driven brush-cutter would have been that fast.

MKG wrote: One up, then, for the old hand tools - I don't believe that even a petrol-driven brush-cutter would have been that fast.

specially when you throw in trying to get teh damn thing started.. going to look for some oil/ 2 stroke /whatever.. by then you could have done the job with a hand tool. and its not noisy!

himself is getting pretty good at it, cut some 'hay' around fruit patch and its laid in neat lines - just like its sposed to go!

Found this, which may be of interest, on Motherearthnews

Quote "To mow, the blade is drawn from right to left in an arc. Only the leading third of the blade enters the uncut grass. This shearing action slices the grass like scissors. Falling grass caught by the blade and snath is deposited in a tidy pile at the end of each stroke. A stroke takes about as much effort as paddling a canoe. The mower can set a pace that is sustainable. The European blade has a curved back that allows it to ride in close contact with the ground. The blade remains in contact with the ground during both the cutting and return stroke: There is no reason to lift it.

The stroke does not require great physical strength and does not rely on blade speed. It is not necessary to quickly rip the scythe through the grass. The stroke is deliberate and accurate. The shifting of your weight from side to side and the twisting of your torso power the blade. Occasionally you must stop to hone the blade and look behind to admire the precision of the windrow that's formed. In a good stand of grass even a child can cut a 7-foot-wide swath with each stroke. For full details on how to use and maintain a scythe, see the workshop pages of Scythesupply.com."

Not sure I'd want a child of 7 to try thought!

Swishy, swashy, swishy, swashy

Dad-in-law cut the waist-high grass on our new allotment with a scythe. We got a really 'close shave'. However, I can't see me ever wanting to use it. The potential for injury is just too huge.

Oh, I'm very jealous! I got to use a lovely old one while house sitting for my G/f's boss and it was easy even one wet grass - was my first time and took about 2 min to figure out how to use it.
I'm devastated that she wouldn't sell me one of her other 2 dilapidated blades to try and refurbish. It pains me to watch potentially good tools rust away - i fixed up my parents old sickle o.k.