Who else uses a scythe?

Ah! Gotcha'. I don't have them in hand yet, but the seller listed their dimensions as follows:

Block #1: 5/8" x 2-1/2" x 15/16"

Block #2: 1/2" x 2-1/2" x 15/16"

Block #3: 13/16" x 2-1/16" x 15/16"

Block #4: 11/16" x 3" x 15/16"

She also sent me a picture of one of the pages that showed both the first blade and the hay knife on it. Apparently the blade it was depicting is a Little Giant/North Wayne Tool Co.! I have a soft spot for them so talk about good luck! :D
 
HERE is the link to the download page for the MASSIVE catalog. Scythes begin on page 179 of 642 in the .pdf document, or on page 129 if using the page numbers in the catalog itself. There's actually a decent number of Austrian blades in there, too.
 
Glad you find it interesting! In other news I banged out this li'l description of proper American scythe technique whilst composing an email to someone. Figured I might as well make use of it for the greater good while I was at it! :D

While the European scythe is operated primarily from the coil spring-like sweeping rotation of the user's trunk the American scythe employs a pendulous pivoting action primarily supplied by the shoulders and arms. The lower nib acts as a pivoting point and the direction of curvature [of the snath at the upper end of the snath] is to provide greater travel for the left hand as it operates that motion. This is the reason why the threads on nibs are reverse-directional. As the most resistance would be experienced as the cut is executed (rather than on the return to the stroke) it prevents the nibs from being inadvertently loosened. [...]

The motion is most easily described as being somewhat similar to the operation of the oar on a rowboat with the oarlock being the lower nib. The approach to the cut is "opened" as the right foot steps forward and the majority of one's weight placed over it. The arms open towards the target with the left arm traveling furthest, and the point is brought to bear on the start of the swath, with the heel of the blade very slightly raised. Upon the full opening of the swing and nearly all weight being brought to bear on the right foot the weight of the body is shifted left in an almost falling motion as the the left foot is extended forward and the cut closed with a pulling motion primarily actuated by the left hand. As the cut is executed the heel finishes low, completing the slight lateral rock or "scoop" to the cut. This compensates for the presentation of the blade by maintaining the the edge at a fairly constant height relative to the target. The appearance of the technique in action resembles a faltering shuffle due to the forward/back shift of balance.

While this approach to use requires a greater use of muscle due to the scythe not being rested on the ground like a European scythe, the muscle employed is primarily providing support. This is rapidly built by the user, providing proper form is employed, but there is the expectation for a neophyte to experience soreness as these muscles develop as they've likely not used them with much duration before. Once developed fatigue is of minimal concern, as is the case with most pursuits that employ the use of specific specialized muscle groups. Most of the work is done by the momentum generated by the shifting of balance and the pendulum action of the business end of the scythe. When the motion of the body and the forces acting on the scythe are properly in balance the only force necessary beyond the natural action of gravity is the minimal effort required to keep the action in motion and to support the scythe itself.
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Hmm, sounds familiar. ;) Actually, that is a good description, thanks for sharing it here. I would have to say that so far I've learned more about the American scythe from you (via this thread) than anywhere else.
 
Thanks very much for the kind words! I consider it to be a great compliment and I accept it humbly. I'll confess that I still have much to learn myself, both through research and experience, but that I'm very glad to have approached the American scythe with an open mind and the stubbornness and tenacity needed to unlock its secrets with almost no instructive materials available. In the journey along the way I've learned much about the heritage of my state, as well, and it makes my heart swell with pride that Mainers not only knew a thing or two about good axes, but about good scythes to boot. It and its European counterparts are both beautiful and marvelous tools on so many functional and philosophical levels, and I'm glad that I've had something to contribute to the cause. :)
 
Snapped a couple of pics of my ditch blade and hefty seymour snath. I used this one for cutting small trees, and really dense late growth crap. its a goodun for that stuff.

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I love beaded webs, especially when they're nice and crisp like that. :)
 
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Here's the tangs of the two English blade I got. They look stouter than yours 42. They are fairly thick as well. the 46" one is the one with the closed in tang, for obvious reasons. That thing with require a seriously closed hang to cut easy.
 
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Yeah--looks like the original owner actually ground away the heel of the blade just for snath clearance because of how closed they modified the tang! :eek:

Those printing blocks and a 5 pack of nice old TrueTemper Briar Edge weed blades landed today. Will take pics tomorrow when the lighting is nice.
 
A few blades I've got had obviously been "sharpened" with a big wheel grinder or something, the edges being all wavy. These English blades are some of the worst. lotsa file work to fix that....
 
A couple of the weed blades I got exhibit some wrinkles near the edge from sloppy finishing that, when ground at the factory (the edges are clearly original) made the bevel look like it has a series of rolling hills. The edge itself is flat, but varies a little in thickness in those spots. Ugly, but functional!
 
G-pig said:
A few blades I've got had obviously been "sharpened" with a big wheel grinder or something, the edges being all wavy. These English blades are some of the worst. lotsa file work to fix that....
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I think the" or something",if you are referring to treadle grinders:thumbup:.
 
garry3 said:
I think the" or something",if you are referring to treadle grinders:thumbup:.
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Thats what I was thinking of. I've seen some other whacky looking scythe and sickle sharpeners that would eat up a good blade as well. An electric grinder would likewise be a massacre of steel.
 
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