Using a scythe to cut grass

Champion mower Simon Damant shows how to wield one safely. The air is filled with birdsong and the buzz of insects as Simon Damant mows the meadows on the Wimpole Estate where he works as a forester. The scythe in his hands makes barely a whisper using a scythe to cut grass it slices effortlessly through a stand of grass and wildflowers in a wide arc.

Sometimes the old ways are best. Scythe lawn mowing was once a very common way to manage high grasses. In many countries it is still the preferred tool since a scythe is portable and easy to manage. Mowing a lawn with a scythe isn't something you see every day in modernized regions, but the tool is adaptable, easy to keep sharp, and a lightweight piece of land management. It is also eco-friendly and adds no noise pollution because it is human, rather than gas powered. A scythe is a curved, sharp blade at the end of a long pole.

Using a scythe to cut grass

The answer is yes and there are many people in the UK doing just that! Lawn mowing can be a test of a scythers skill, it takes some thought and practice to do well. Here is a summary of the factors you need to consider if you are thinking of scything a lawn. Part 1 is about your lawn; Part 2 will be about your scythe and blade; and Part 3 about scything techniques for short grass. Lawns as we know them arose in 17th century England at the homes of large, wealthy landowners. Beyond the ha-ha , vegetation was controlled with livestock. Close to their homes landowners employed teams of scythers to create close cropped lawns. Only the rich could afford to pay for the labour needed, so a lawn was a mark of wealth and status. As short grass is more challenging to mow, letting your lawn grow longer between mowings will help your learning process a lot. Have a look at the area you are planning on mowing. Do you need a bowling green finish across the whole lawn? Can you leave it longer between mowings? If the area is large, can you divide it up and mow parts of it at different intervals?

Harnessing the velocity of the snath handle allows him to slice cleanly through the grass with minimal effort.

One Scythe Revolution. Whetstone Holders. Secale multicaule. Contact Info Reviews In the media Links. How to Mow with a Scythe.

Champion mower Simon Damant shows how to wield one safely. The air is filled with birdsong and the buzz of insects as Simon Damant mows the meadows on the Wimpole Estate where he works as a forester. The scythe in his hands makes barely a whisper as it slices effortlessly through a stand of grass and wildflowers in a wide arc. The tool he is using might look primitive but, Simon passionately believes, it has yet to be bettered, whether you are cutting small garden meadows or the paths in your allotment. Simon is a regular champion at national scything competitions and has made good on this claim in strictly adjudicated conditions on many occasions. Even so, by the Second World War many in the UK had largely abandoned this traditional low-cost, low-impact tool in favour of motorised lawn mowers and combine harvesters. Only the Grim Reaper and a niche group of environmental enthusiasts kept hold of their scythes.

Using a scythe to cut grass

Home » Grass. It takes practice to learn the correct technique. Place the scythe blade on the ground and extend your arms. Sweep the blade in a semi-circle in one fluid motion through the grass or weeds in front of you. The blade should pass along the ground, cutting through the plant stems near the base with a shearing action. Short grass is often harder to cut with a scythe than long grass.

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Company No: How to Mow with a Scythe. Buying round bale hay can introduce a lot of weed seeds. Useful links stay in touch About us Contact us Job Opportunities. Early in the morning whilst the dew is still on the grass is ideal, else on a drizzly damp day or in the evening as the dew falls. Deep hay mulch, smothers a lot of weed types, but not quackgrass, nor Canadian thistles. The resulting cut grass makes excellent hay for fodder. As a skilled mower, Simon uses very little energy to wield his scythe. After that, mechanization methods took over. It is better to let the grass grow to a height where the blade can capture it easily. Web Hosting by iPage.

Are you looking for a way how to use a scythe to cut weeds and grass?

Harnessing the velocity of the snath handle allows him to slice cleanly through the grass with minimal effort. Contact Info Reviews In the media Links. Even so, by the Second World War many in the UK had largely abandoned this traditional low-cost, low-impact tool in favour of motorised lawn mowers and combine harvesters. Registered in England. It is sharpened with a whetstone, while American scythes require grinding. With practice and experience, your fine-tuned co-ordination will develop and you can then naturally start putting your weight into each stroke, for greater efficiency, as in the video below. Can you support Lowimpact. I wanted to harvest the green grass for hay and mulch, but did not want to get the dead, musty, thatch grass mixed in with it. The European version is made of alloyed steel that is easier to peen than the American tool. It is better to let the grass grow to a height where the blade can capture it easily. This will also raise the tip up and make it easier to slide the blade over the well flattened thatch, and cut just the green grass above. We will see. Evening mowing around the forest garden.