How to Sharpen a Scythe Safely and Effectively
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.พ. 2017
- Smallholder, Stuart Anderson, takes you step by step through the art of sharpening a traditional Austrian Scythe, a beautiful hand tool for cutting grass and hay. He describes how to repair a blade by peening (peening means to hammer the edge with a special device) and how to use whetstones safely and effectively. In a few short minutes you can gain the important basics of scythe maintenance which will transform your ability to cut grass in the most efficient way possible.
Please see our selection of Austrian Scythes for sale: shop.permaculture.co.uk/catal...
We’d like to thank the French organic gardening magazine, Les 4 Saisons du Jardin Bio, for letting us share this video for you. Stuart originally made it in French to accompany an article he wrote for them and has now adapted it for Permaculture magazine. Stuart would be grateful if you would like the video on the French FB page ScopTerreviv... - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
This works if your scythe isn't one with a hardened steel edge, like American pattern scythes have. For those you need to file, or use a slow, cooled, grinding wheel to establish the initial edge, and then hone with stones. Peening them will break the edge.
The sound the stone makes when sharpening the blade brings up so many memories.
I always tear up when I hear it on some remote hill.
Concise yet thorough. Thank you
thank you, the way you explain it just makes it infinitely more understandable
I would think you already know what your doing
Fascinating. Thank you, I have not used a scythe before. I grew up on a farm, 1956 to 1972. They were used until industrial agriculture took over. I moved away, but spent a number of years helping others. I've trained to use chainsaws. I am now keen to pick up the useful skills.
Thank you!
This is so very helpful.
Plus setting the angle of the blade using the first handle made scything much more comfortable than ever before. Again, thank you.
sam smith my old scythe ..top handle broke position.. don't want to force the bolt... have oiled it...
First video that shows up close how you are sharpening the blade. Thanks, just purchased a mowing blade and today was the first use of it. Started with a bush blade and now this blade. Looking forward to early morning and late evening cutting. Thanks!! again.
What a brilliantly clear and concise video.
Glad it was helpful
Excellent video, everything we need to know about sharpening a scythe, added to our tools and equipment playlist. thanks
Best explanation yet thank you
Superb vid!!
I love your tiny sheep!
Perfect explanation, thank you.
🇬🇧
Excellent clear information 👍🇬🇧
Thanks alot.... great tutorial!!!
What a video! Amazing!!!
That was very good! Thank you.
Excellent video, thanks
Awesome video. Thank you
Good lesson Love your animals
Good job. Professional
What about a 90cm blade? I don't have six fingers. By the way, really good instruction video. Very clear. Good quality, 1080p. Audio was high quality.
I'm gonna go and say this is the best start out instruction video
Excellent
good info thanks
That is such a satisfying sound...
Behindtheblackstump I totally agree!!
I know right! Music to the ears.
bees don t like it
When he is talking? I find irritating.
I have an antique scythe which I need to use effectively..
But no regularly and Not over a large area..
Is there a way i can get it effective with the stone i have and get it precise later when I have money?
There is plenty (relatively) left on blade but I do not have much other than the stone I was given and some wilkos random emery paper
Hey from metal-botherer (armour-maker/restorer) to another, nice demo. I bought my first scythe from a second-hand shop here in rural France yesterday. I could not get out the door for older people offering their kind advice re, use, safety and sharpening of said Scythe (faux in French). But interestingly all the women said that the easiest was to sharpen a Scythe was with a Buthchers' steel. I have just sharpened mine with a stone to start then I will compare tomorrow with a Steel. Interestingly my stone is a medieval sharpening stone I found in the 1980's whilst metal-detecting (no of course it is not made of metal, stone was lying on the surface). I would love to hear your thoughts re the butchers steel, and thank you for this very satisfying video. Best wishes from me and all the mice.
nigelcarren I think the butcher's steel makes most sense too. It's longer, light, and it's lovely and smooth esp the non-fissured ones with absolutely no grain
A rounded cylinder stone is easier than the stones in the video - you don't have to worry so much about hand position.
@@matthewholborow9942 While Stuart doesn't mention this in the video, the shape of the "canoe" stones helps you maintain the correct angle for your edge geometry.
I have an old scythe that seems like good quality. But right now it won't cut ANYTHING. Can you recommend a place I could go to post pictures/video to get input on whether or not it's worth restoring? I love restoring old tools but this one is so foreign to me I don't want to waste a bunch of time if it wasn't ever really intended to be used as a functional scythe to begin with.
Hi. Great video but I can't make out what you say at about 1.46ish abiut a jig. What's it called? Thank ee
Although I don't use a scythe, I do have a sickle (classic "Soviet" shape) which I use often for harvesting dye crops. From what I've seen elsewhere online, peening and sharpening a sickle is supposed to be quite similar to the process with a scythe. Do you have any special considerations or cautions I should keep in mind when sharpening my sickle?
nice farmer 👍
So the blade can be sharpening on both sides like a knife?
I was taught to sharpen them on one side like scissors.
Not mentioned in the video: The blades and the wooden snaf are from Austria. These light weight blades are quite different from English or American blades.
I can't find a jig to buy. Any recommendations?
I live in the USA right now and just have one scythe to cut some hay for the goats, but have never been able to get the thing sharp. I have a Seymour blade made in Austria, with two beveled edges (not one beveled and one flat) in high carbon steel. Is this the type of blade you are sharpening here? I think the blade that needs to be peened is of a softer metal, possibly?
I remember my Grandfather home in Newfoundland never used a stone, and never peened a blade to my knowledge (I've never seen the instruments you use) but always just a file, which he called a "rasp", to get a decent cutting edge. I was wondering if that's what one would use on high carbon steel, or should I use a stone and peen the edge? I think these Seymour blades are the ones we used to get at home. Also, in your video, you never mentioned what grits your sharpening stones were? And I take it you dip them in water?
Anyway, thanks for the video. I liked the seat and the stump and your audience there. All the best!
This is an excellent resource for European scyth sharpening. American scythe blades need to be ground though
Cute sheep
Recently bought a scythe, paid the company to sharpen it so it would be ready to cut when I got it. It was so dull. I could ruin my thumb with the blade and NOT get cut. Do I need to peen because the whet stone doesn't touch it for getting the blade sharp. I'm so frustrated with this thing. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Hi, sorry for your problem. Peening is usually used when the blade is dented or slightly split to get it back to sharp but you could try and use the technique as per the TH-cam to get an edge if the steel can take it.
@@PermacultureMagazine thank you
@@PermacultureMagazine "Peening is usually used when the blade is dented or slightly split"
Er well no. If the blade is dented or slightly split, you can conclude that is has been in service already for too long or that it has been neglected and needs some mending.
Of course, it also calls for peening, but in the first place, peening is done to thin out the first millimeters of the blade, in order that only a few quick passes with the stone can restore its full sharpness. As very well explained in the video, after some use, due to the wear, the blade gets too thick and one would have to hone it for too long, and the blade would wear out too quickly.
Hay man is very good this video I have one question where bay this tols?
You can find 4 scythe sets here shop.permaculture.co.uk/garden-tools.html
I will literally watch anything
That was lovely thank you.
But you didn't show how you repaired the small cracks etc. You only mentioned it and showed it from afar! Is it in another video yeah?
Thanks again though lovely stuff
The only way to get rid of a crack in the blade is by using a abrasive (file/stone/sandpaper). He mentioned that all of it needs to be removed otherwise the crack would propagate further into the blade. He says he uses a small round file as extra information.
So grind away the metal on the sides of the crack until there is no sudden change in the edge any-more (there will be a gradual change where the crack was).
How you do this doesn't matter much because you are going over the blade peening several times and then you finish it with a fine stone (and maybe a strop with polishing compound).
Thank you. My new excuse for not being able to get a nice edge on my dunse is i havent peened it.
I'm totally confused. I see majority of peening vids. working top-side edge of blade. Some peen underside. Can't find any specific info on which is correct method, if there is one. Anyone care to comment? Thanks.
Well, if you work with the cross peen, you use a broad anvil and work directly the top side of the blade facing you (it may be difficult to hit the right spot).
Conversely, if you work with the flat part (actually, slightly convex) part of the hammer, you use a (more or less) narrow anvil. The blade is then turned upside down, yet the work itself happens, like in the other method, on the top-side edge of blade. All methods are correct, it is more a matter of personnal preference.
@@samueldougoud3289 Thanks for that, Sam.
@@jonjaudzems4428 You are welcome !
This man is direct and to the point. He clarifies this in the video. Your position, up or down will depend on whether you are using a flat anvil with a pointed peening hammer or a pointed anvil with a flat hammer.
Man, Austrian blades just seem like so much more maintenance than American blades.
Im guessing theres a good reason why I shouldn't heat the blade and then peen?
How much did all that equipment to sharpen the scythe? Wouldn't it be cheaper just to buy a new blade?
No
@@marcuszc3172 thank you I've literally been holding my breath this whole time waiting for the answer
oempaloepa
Peening is hopeless if the tool is hardened steel.
Excessive
Use a flat steel file and sharpen in one direction. That hammering will destroy your expensive scythe blade. You ONLY hammer if it has a tremendous tear or dent in it, NOT to sharpen it! You don't sharpen a blade with a hammer. STEEL SHARPENS STEEL. These guys are all lying to you to get you to destroy your gear. Get a flat file and sharpen it in like ten seconds and get back to cutting. THE END. You are welcome! Remember, STEEL SHARPENS STEEL.
I have to agree with you. I've switched to a very fine flat file instead of peening and find I can get my blade much sharper without having to be a "master craftsman". I'm sure peening works in the hands of a skilled master... but the average person doesn't have years to devote to getting a blade sharp... at least I don't.
Different grasses require different types of edges. That’s why being a “master” craftsman is so important to use a scythe. A serrated edge does not cut 4” dry Bermuda lawn grass or baby wild rye grass.. But a razor sharp edge will. I tried the serrated edge to find tat it would wear down my metal faster. And that may be just fine if it works for someone else and they don’t mind replacing the bade every few years.
Even for first use you dont hammer? And while cutting,,, how often to sharpen?
Don't listen to anybody that talks about stones. They are full of it. Sharpen it when it snags in the grass, maybe each time you take a break. You'll never get it sharp messing with sharpening stones and peening hammers are ridiculous. The blade can be ordered with a razor edge but if not just run the file until you see the shiny edge. Don't listen to "masters" the devil is in all those details.
What if I have fat or skinny fingers? Couldn't you just give us a proper measurement? Unacceptable
I take a finger to be around 2cm. I have a short (55cm) blade and set it for a difference of about 5cm which seems to give a nice angle
@ finally someone with real answers here
At 1 minute 39 -40 seconds you use a word regarding the profile you are after....Foxesstat Profile it sounds liek ? what is that please? or what is it you are saying . Thank you .
Looked up this video AFTER I slice my index finger wide open, all over the front porch.🤢🆎🩸
First video that shows up close how you are sharpening the blade. Thanks, just purchased a mowing blade and today was the first use of it. Started with a bush blade and now this blade. Looking forward to early morning and late evening cutting. Thanks!! again.