Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Tuesday, July 2. 2013

Custom snaths, made in Maine

They make them to fit your height, weight, and arm length. Pretty snazzy to own a bespoke scythe. They even make them for southpaws.


Scythe Supply.


They have good choices of blades and accessories too, some for brush and saplings. (h/t, reader)


I don't know whether I would have the time or energy to scythe the 8-acre brushy hillside meadow which sits above the bridge, but it would be good for some areas that we can't get the brushwacker into due to slope or boulders.


One of my grandpas, a capitalist industrialist who hated paperwork and hated business, loved nothing more than a weekend day scything at the farm until the sacred cocktail hour. Then Dewar's on the rocks, well-deserved. Usually two of them; one for the blood and one to stimulate the appetite along with Pall Mall cigarettes or a Habanos ceegar. He taught my Mom how to use a scythe, and she taught me. We still have his pedal-powered grinding wheel in the barn with the water pan.


Nonetheless, I enjoy a gas-powered brushwacker. It's a good workout just to muscle that heavy machine around, and it shreds everything to bits, even 2" saplings. Leaves no swaths of cuttings to suffocate the grasses.


Posted by Bird Dog in Gardens, Plants, etc., Natural History and Conservation, Our Essays at 11:41 | Comments (11) | Trackbacks (0)

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Here in central NH I have a large downslope area to a river. I clear it twice a year. It takes me variously 4-7 hours using machines and 2.5 hours using the Maine scythe -- easy choice.
#1 A Ames on 2013-07-02 12:11 (Reply)
Pretty snazzy to own a bespoke scythe

--good idea, modernize that old-fashioned scythe image --bring it up to the Roaring 20s! Mow that field and 23 skidoo!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_skidoo_(phrase)
#2 buddy larsen on 2013-07-02 12:31 (Reply)
American scythes are hard steel, the European version is a softer steel. So you use a whetstone on the European blades, hone it often in the field (a few seconds time and you'd like a momentary break anyway) and peen it occasionally.

Peening soon hardens the edge to a good compromise between hardness and sharpening ease.

I've cut an acre of lawn with one for years. For lawn, peen and hone a very thin sharp edge, quite fragile but works great. Their grass blades are perfect for this. It can't cut woody stuff in this condition though.

Use the more standard shape with a stronger edge for woody stuff.

It's an addictive hobby. You'll soon own all the blades.
#3 rhhardin (Link) on 2013-07-02 13:00 (Reply)
Oh and get pigskin gloves. They don't harden after wetting.
#4 rhhardin (Link) on 2013-07-02 13:02 (Reply)
I bought one the last time you guys wrote about it a few years ago. I added a 19 inch Fux ditch blade.

great tool for clearing vines and light brush. very fast. great exercise.
#5 lonetown on 2013-07-02 14:14 (Reply)
Is it just me, or is anyone else starting to hate the use of the word "bespoke" instead of "custom" or "custom built"?
#6 Dave G on 2013-07-02 14:49 (Reply)
It's OK, Dave. We'll get the last laugh when they realize they need to also buy a spanner to remove the blade.
#6.1 Samsam von Virginia on 2013-07-02 15:38 (Reply)
And you look much more threatening, walking up to someone with your scythe.
#7 Sam L. on 2013-07-02 15:36 (Reply)
--when they start begging you for one more year, sell 'em one for $100
#7.1 buddy larsen on 2013-07-02 16:26 (Reply)
DH has about 2 acres of tall meadow grasses to manage every year. I like to let them grow tall in the spring -- they are so pretty!
But, after that when it heats up and they start to turn brown I like to have it cut down and watered. I was looking at the DR Brushmaster--would you gentlemen care to comment? I thought I would get it for him for his anniversary present. Bird Dog does this one look like the one you have?

http://www.drpower.com/prdSell.aspx?Name=fab-sp-premier
#8 apple pie on 2013-07-03 00:27 (Reply)
Yes, we have the 19 hp DR.

A heavy machine, hard work to use it.
#8.1 Bird Dog on 2013-07-03 08:58 (Reply)

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