I am a recent convert to this form of edged tool. I am charged with the duty of maintaining a 12 acre dog park. A major part of my work is done in the seat of a tractor with a 6' finishing mower. There are quite a few areas that are not readily accessible with a tractor. Even large weed eaters tend to get all wrapped up in long grasses, causing me to spend half my work time cleaning them. Plus I hate all the nasty refuse that covers my body after using this tool.

After trying quite a few "hand" tools I rediscovered the scythe. I think just about everyone would be amazed to see what a scythe will do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVv597m848s&feature=related

There is another video I could not find of this same teenage girl putting some massive dude with a major big weed eater totally to shame in a head on contest, OWNED! The amazing thing to me was the scythe not only cut 2-3X times as much area, it did a much neater cut too.

Apparently there are only a few decent scythe blade manufacturers left and none in the US. Good old blades are now a growing business here in the states and Europe, since "they just do not make them like they use to". I understand that all the better blades are hand made.

It occurred to me that both my brother junkers and our hosts might have some interest in this increasingly hot topic.

Heres to the hand mowers,

Mick

scythes can cut tall grass fields pretty quick no doubt, I havne't used one in a long time, but yea it is a pretty cool tool

When I was a kid I dug out some of the scythes my great grandfather used on the farm (I grew up in the farm house he built). They were pretty dull with half century plus worth of rust on them, but they still cut very well. Very cool tools and more fun to use than a weedwhacker too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiser_blade heres another handy tool i dont see to often , thats is kinda on the same level ......

wouldnt that be nice with a little res-c?

That Kaiser Blade looks like a total machete killer, I would obviously buy one with Res-C..

i had a flash ..... a nice single long peice of sr77 with 2/3rds in a res-c kinda like the like the regulator , with a dog bone kinda shape... make it smooth too so gloves can slip a bit ...... i would pay a decent amount for that fantasy lol....

gerber also makes a small 1 handed version.....

I've seen those in hardware stores sold as a "Ditch Bank Blade".
Also, Gerber makes a short version that they call a "Brush Thinner".

Any recommendations on what companies still make a good scythe?

Suggestions for finding good scythes is pretty easy. There is a good company up in Maine called Scythe Supply. The long double handled device that holds the blade is called a snath. Scythe Supply makes their own snaths in their own workshop. They import some pretty good scythe blades from Austria. They also have all the accessories you will need. They offer a starting kit that has everything you will need in it too.

If you want state of the art you have to go to Canada and Scythe Works. Swedish made snaths with ergonomic handles... Canadian made bent hickory snaths with the best handles in the business IMHO. Andrew even offers information and parts for those who might want to try their hand at making their own snath(s). I just happen to have 6-8 promising lengths of young trees drying right now. Andrew is the scythe guru and he can make sure you are properly fitted. Andrew imports older scythe blades from Germany and Austria that are from a time when scythes did it all. I can/do study those old blades for hours. I would not normally admit to such a thing but I think I am among friends here.

Since I don't think this is a competing product, however much I might wish it were, I guess it is within the rules to post links:
http://www.scythesupply.com/outfits.htm
http://scytheworks.ca/index.html

Get into the swing with a scythe,
Mitch

See the website posted on that YouTube video?

http://scytheconnection.com/

Hi Andy,
Right, Scythe Connection. That one confuses me. I thought that site was the same family as Scythe Works but just looking it over again I am not sure. If you look at the product listings they are almost to the item the same.

I thought I had asked and had been told that Scythe Connection was just an older site. If you read the About Us it may hold a clue. Apparently Scythe Connection was originally a compilation of hand written materials put together by a family who was working internationally to promote the use of the scythe and improve scythe design. An individual at a university apparently made personal donations to encourage the family to make a web site to host all their information. If I understand correctly, that site was made by the gentleman at the university who served as the web master for some 3 years, eventually teaching a family member how to maintain it. Then and maybe even now the funding for that site comes from the gentleman at the university. I think it existed/exists more as a project to promote the scythe, its use and the improvement of the various physical elements of the scythe.

I think Scythe Works grew out of Scythe Connection and now serves as the more commercial venture, but I was almost wrong once before...

The Scythe Connection is definitely a great place to glean information on the scythe. I did not mention it because the other sites link to it pretty heavily.

glean on,

Mick

Hey! Just imagine the amount of zombies one can take out with one swipe! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />