Who else uses a scythe?

Bregenzer and Rozsutec stones...any more info on these? It's whats commonly recommended on many of the scythe sellers sites. I've read that the Bregenzer (grey, rough cut) stones hadn't been quarried since WWII in Austria?

Also, I nailed a rock the other day and right at the tip of my blade there is a pretty good gouge, is this something that peening will handle or should I file this out withe me bastard???
 
getridone said:
Bregenzer and Rozsutec stones...any more info on these? It's whats commonly recommended on many of the scythe sellers sites. I've read that the Bregenzer (grey, rough cut) stones hadn't been quarried since WWII in Austria?

Also, I nailed a rock the other day and right at the tip of my blade there is a pretty good gouge, is this something that peening will handle or should I file this out withe me bastard???
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I don't have any extra info on them, but I bet you that Scytheworks of Canada would, as it's run by the Vido family and they have their Austrian scythe history down pat. As far as stones go, I've actually been experimenting with a Jewelstik "Stubby" diamond steel and results so far are great. It's a short li'l thing no longer than a traditional stone, and the oval cross section with the same grit on each side allows you to use the typical stroke across the blade. I'm likin' it a lot!

As far as the gouge goes, do you have any pics? Also, is it an Austrian/Euro blade or an American pattern?
 
Hey 42,

Yeah I wondered about what modern/manufactured stones that would probably fit the bill.

No pics of gouge right this minute, but I've got an Austrian pattern. It's a 24 inch I bought from Marugg out of Tennessee. Currently mounted to my friends scythesupply snath. Not quite big enough for me I don't think, and when they glued their handles on the geometry doesn't quite fit me either.

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I love the fact that Scythe Supply is a Maine company, but their snaths aren't nearly as good as the ones sold by Scytheworks or Lehman's. Given that yours is an Austrian, I'd try peening it out first. Chances are you'll be able to correct it pretty decently.
 
getridone said:
Also, I nailed a rock the other day and right at the tip of my blade there is a pretty good gouge, is this something that peening will handle or should I file this out withe me bastard???
Click to expand...

Without quite knowing what the gouge looks like, my suggestion is to file it out along with some of the surrounding metal, making a even transition along the edge. Then peen it. Depending on how deep it is -- how much you have to file out -- it should probably have several passes under a hammer to thin out the edge. (Do you use a 'peening jig', or hammer and anvil?)

I'm cringing at the photo of your scythe… I would seriously throw a fit if anyone tried to make me cut grass with that (no offence meant!), however, I'm really spoiled when it comes to using finely-tuned well-fitted 'Austrian-style' scythes.
For one thing, your blade is hafted way too far out, (here's some info on that: http://www.scytheconnection.com/adp/snathmaking/snath2.html#haft)
which makes it pull "like a bobcat by the tail" as the locals here would put it -- basically it's much harder to use than any scythe ever should be… It's likely that that particular blade CAN'T fit properly on that snath due to the angle of the blade's tang… another reason that snath would make great firewood! ;)

And by the way, ScytheWorks (Alexander Vido) usually forwards technical inquires to ScytheConnection (Peter Vido and family), but questions can be sent to either! :)
 
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You would be spoiled when it comes to scythes now, wouldn't you? :D Nice to see you on the boards!
 
Yup, I'm pretty much spoiled rotten when it comes to good scythes! All of the snaths I've used have been perfectly fitted to my size, light and well balanced. If my blade gets a little nick in it, or I've used it for a couple hours and it's not taking an edge as well when I hone, I just take the blade off the snath and alert my dad to the fact that it needs peening... I don't mind exerting energy, just not while using a scythe! :D
 
I think I'm likewise spoiled--I'm not sure I'll ever find an American pattern grass blade better than the Rixford I've got now. Proper angle to the tang and a slightly lifted toe, beaded web, and exceptionally light for an American. And the snath I use has a nice balance and compound curvature with functioning and undamaged nibs. The adjustability of the mounting collar is actually almost over the top--I've never had to adjust the angle beyond just using the left or right hole, but the whole plate can swivel about 30 degrees either direction.
 
Sparrow92 said:
Yup, I'm pretty much spoiled rotten when it comes to good scythes! All of the snaths I've used have been perfectly fitted to my size, light and well balanced. If my blade gets a little nick in it, or I've used it for a couple hours and it's not taking an edge as well when I hone, I just take the blade off the snath and alert my dad to the fact that it needs peening... I don't mind exerting energy, just not while using a scythe! :D
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How many acres on your farm get mown by hand with a scythe? Is it about 50 acres, each mown several times a year?
 
So a blade hung closer to a right angle pulls harder than one that is pitched inward, or do I have that backwards? Or completely off mark?
 
Steve, good question, but I don't really have a good answer. :) I could take a guess though... Of our 225 acres, about 100 is cleared land; pastures and hayfields, often in rotation. We regularly cut several acres with scythes, two to three times per year. Smaller areas of grass around our yard get mown more often, but the hayfields usually get cut twice.

G-pig, you have that right.
 
G-pig said:
So a blade hung closer to a right angle pulls harder than one that is pitched inward, or do I have that backwards? Or completely off mark?
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Bingo. Which is why you want to hang the blade with a "closed" angle on more resistant targets and more open on lighter ones (a more open angle increases your swath)--or at least that's my understanding of it.
 
Sparrow92 said:
Without quite knowing what the gouge looks like, my suggestion is to file it out along with some of the surrounding metal, making a even transition along the edge. Then peen it. Depending on how deep it is -- how much you have to file out -- it should probably have several passes under a hammer to thin out the edge. (Do you use a 'peening jig', or hammer and anvil?)

I'm cringing at the photo of your scythe… I would seriously throw a fit if anyone tried to make me cut grass with that (no offence meant!), however, I'm really spoiled when it comes to using finely-tuned well-fitted 'Austrian-style' scythes.
For one thing, your blade is hafted way too far out, (here's some info on that: http://www.scytheconnection.com/adp/snathmaking/snath2.html#haft)
which makes it pull "like a bobcat by the tail" as the locals here would put it -- basically it's much harder to use than any scythe ever should be… It's likely that that particular blade CAN'T fit properly on that snath due to the angle of the blade's tang… another reason that snath would make great firewood! ;)

And by the way, ScytheWorks (Alexander Vido) usually forwards technical inquires to ScytheConnection (Peter Vido and family), but questions can be sent to either! :)
Click to expand...

Ha ha...thanks for the reply, no offense taken. :) Good eye, your analysis is spot on, I have indeed been playing with the bobcat and I don't like it much. Cut grass all day and had to hold the darned thing at the strangest angle, anyways soon I will make my own snath, and it will be finely tuned.
 
That makes sense. Would be especially important on a euro twig scythe (:D). Always had trouble using my hippy neighbors scythe supply scythe with carrying through the swath. At the time I didn't think of the hang angle, just that my American with brush blade was hung very open and was heavy enough to carry through the cut.
 
Also, different blades often have a different degree of openness in the set of the tang, which affects how you'll want to adjust the hang. With American blades I find that the typical New England pattern blades tend to do best with a closed hang, while the Dutch pattern, with its prominent beard, often does a bit better in an open hang. My TrueTemper weed blade has very nearly enough beard to be considered a Dutch, but I'd consider it a Yankee.
 
I picked up a good snath with 2 grass blades today, finally. The snath is excellent, no delamination, no rot or borer holes. Nibs turn freely and stay tight. Has three different slots for the tang. One blade is 30", stamped "M.B.", came with the snath. The other blade is 36", rusty but not too bad. Paid 25 bucks for this stuff, an auxiliary crosscut handle, No. 18 jennings auger bit and an extra scythe nib. Not bad =D
 
Looking for a new computer soon. I'm running a Windows Millenium so my camera isn't compatible. The good thing is that I am spending more time on tools and less on the computer. Speaking that, just got in from mowing with the new snath and 30" blade. Incredible. Effortless. Even my brother who is a notoriously bad scyther was making it look easy. Gonna race my neighbor with the european scythe soon.
 
G-pig said:
Looking for a new computer soon. I'm running a Windows Millenium so my camera isn't compatible. The good thing is that I am spending more time on tools and less on the computer. Speaking that, just got in from mowing with the new snath and 30" blade. Incredible. Effortless. Even my brother who is a notoriously bad scyther was making it look easy. Gonna race my neighbor with the european scythe soon.
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You could always just get a card reader. ;)

Congrats on the good find. Like I said, they aren't as easy to come across as ones in crap shape. A GOOD tool makes all the difference, regardless of pattern.
 
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