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Who's scything at the moment, and what are you mowing ?
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gil
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 11 7:17 pm    Post subject: Who's scything at the moment, and what are you mowing ? Reply with quote
    

I'm part-way through mowing the front grass. Going is good in some parts, though very blown about and lodged in others, in all different directions.
Forecast is good. I could make hay if I could be bothered. But I can't.

Mowed at home this morning.

Ran a jig-peening course this afternoon, and then we went and practiced mowing someone's paddock. Worse condition than my own grass, blown over and trampled by livestock, very thick. Quite a challenge.

Got yesterday's mowing raked into piles earlier this evening.


What are you mowing ?

Dogwalker



Joined: 20 Mar 2007
Posts: 1231
Location: Mid Wales
PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 11 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Last week I cleared the banks up the track from the yard to the lane. It looks like a car will fit again even if the downpours have made the ruts even worse to drive over.

The scything was really hard work, I did a little each evening over 5 days. I was seriously considering getting a strimmer but I'm not sure my shoulder and elbow would like that any better.

I have bought a lawn mower for the grass around the cottage. I find a scythe really good for the long tough stuff and nettles, thistles etc but I'm useless at the soft grass, just flatten it.

Sally Too



Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2511
Location: N.Ireland
PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 11 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Got two mighty blisters scything a bank in the garden here. We have a strimmer, but this area was a bit close to the bees and I've heard they don't like the noise.

Didn't notice the blisters till I'd stopped. One turned to a blood blister and has left a very dramatic black circle beneath my little finger on my right hand.

Quite satisfying the scythe I found. I'll use it again. (Just not near anything I value as I'm not that accurate.... )

Mutton



Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 1508

PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 11 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Dogwalker wrote:


The scything was really hard work, I did a little each evening over 5 days. I was seriously considering getting a strimmer but I'm not sure my shoulder and elbow would like that any better.


I bought a low end electric cable strimmer years ago, the sort with nylon cord and it drove me up the wall. The cutting cord broke easily, the "just smack the reel against the ground and it feeds out more cord" didn't work half the time. Then you had to take it apart and disentangle, then you had to fight the spring to put it back together. Stopped using it.

These days we have a very fine STIHL petrol brushcutter that you use wearing a harness to take the weight, so no tug on shoulder other than you've got a harness over both shoulders. Not ever used it with the strimming cord, just the blade head. What we've found is that
1. You do need to put on the safety kit.
2. There is a set up time, mixing the fuel, getting it to start (we don't use it that often).
3. With gorse and stiffer things it is brilliant, but with softer things, especially reeds, it tends to clog. (Presumably should swap to the nylon strimmer reel, but haven' been able to face the fiddle or dealing with another cord reel - though it might work better than the cheap one, just haven't tried.)
4. It is noisy and smelly.
5. I get vibration problems in my hand and can only work on it for an hour at most and notice my hand feeling numbish for a while after.

We bought a scythe last year and much prefer it for cutting the roadside nettles and grass, the reeds and such like. Quicker to get out to work, quiet, no hot safety gear, no smell of petrol. Basically it works really well for the lighter jobs.

Went



Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 6968

PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 11 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Scythed and cleared the wild areas of the garden - brown matter raked when dried to release meadow seeds, then added to compost.

Dogwalker



Joined: 20 Mar 2007
Posts: 1231
Location: Mid Wales
PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 11 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I don't like the idea of a petrol strimmer for all the reasons you say, Mutton. I might see if a friend will let me try his next time he's around, although I don't think he'll let me. Not the sort of thing women should be using as far as he's concerned.

I think maybe I need to find the scything instructions, sharpen it up well and go back to basics. I just couldn't get the feel of it right this year.

gil
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 11 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Still mowing the front and side grass. I reckon another day or two should get it finished.

pink bouncy



Joined: 14 May 2005
Posts: 174

PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 11 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've been scything for the first time this last week. Mostly to clear thistles from a very weedy field but this morning I started a strip along the edge of the field which I'm intending to turn into hay. Its around half an acre in all and will make good hay if it stays dry. We have a massey 35 with a haybob to turn it with but no cutter so since its only a small area, the scythe is the thing. I'm so glad I have had the last week cutting thistles with it to build up some stamina, scything is very hard work!

JohnB



Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 685
Location: Beautiful sunny West Wales!
PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 11 11:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I put a couple of coats of linseed oil on my new scythe today. Maybe sometime this week it will get set up, and I can start attacking the weeds, brambles and a few patches of grass!

gil
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 11 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've almost finished the front grass (including carting the wilted stuff and turning yesterday's mowings), but I disturbed a nest of bumblebees, so have scarpered back indoors for a bit.

Think I'll go and rogue some big weeds this afternoon - give the mowing blisters a rest.

JohnB



Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 685
Location: Beautiful sunny West Wales!
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 11 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Finally got my scythe set up today, and started cutting my field. Good thing I bought a ditch blade, as I'd probably wreck a grass blade! I can feel some blisters appearing .


Dogwalker



Joined: 20 Mar 2007
Posts: 1231
Location: Mid Wales
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 11 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Did part of the side garden today,until the bees swarmed again and I had to deal with them.

Made better progress, think it must be the angle of the blade needs adjusting somehow because it was better on the slope cutting below where I was standing. (If that makes any sense)

gil
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 11 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Dogwalker wrote:
Made better progress, think it must be the angle of the blade needs adjusting somehow because it was better on the slope cutting below where I was standing. (If that makes any sense)


Check the lay of the blade; make sure it's just turning upward when you have the scythe out in front of you with the big bottom handgrip balanced on your knee/thigh, and you are pressing on the blade where the label was (1/3rd of the way along the blade, from the tang/snath. You might need to use the wedge that came with the kit.

That, or else check your handgrips are in the right holes.

As you start to use your scythe, you may find that you need to adjust the handgrip positions away from what the book / set-up instructions say to start with. e.g. more space than a forearm/cubit between top and bottom grips : you move the top one up; leave the lower grip in place, your leg is still the same length.

Also, if it is cutting better 'below' your height, have you been mowing with the scythe closer to you / arms moving less ?

@John B : nice work !


I finished mowing the grass and removing it on Thursday morning.
Still got an area of weeds to mow, but should be fairly easy, and only needs a rough topping.

JohnB



Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 685
Location: Beautiful sunny West Wales!
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 11 9:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think I've got mine set up according to the instructions. I can just about get a nice close cut on good grass. I think with enough practice I could almost get a nice manicured lawn, especially with the right blade.

Cutting the field in my photo, I'm having to try to keep the blade a bit off the ground, as it's quite bumpy, and I keep digging into the sticky up bits! When the field is done, I can start on the brambles, weeds and other rubbish in the wood, with my bush blade! If I can keep going, I should soon be an expert on the rough stuff!

Dogwalker



Joined: 20 Mar 2007
Posts: 1231
Location: Mid Wales
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 11 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thank you for the suggestions I'll try tomorrow if the weather's still good.
Having a day off today.

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