One Blade Scythe Set – Lawns and Meadows
Price range: £197.50 through £212.50
This is the set you need if you will be mainly mowing large areas of soft green vegetation, such as hay meadows, lawns or large grassed orchards.
Scroll down for help deciding which options to select.
Description
This set comes with a Profisense blade
A fine blade for mowing meadows, soft weeds and lawns. This blade sets up and mows easily so is ideal for learning to scythe.
Which blade length do I need?
Most people can mow well with the 75cm blade, given an open situation with at least 6ft of width to mow in.
A longer blade will allow you to move forward further with each stroke of the scythe and so mow a given area more quickly. But the mower will have to move the weight of more grass across the stroke, so a compromise has to be made between speed of mowing and the weight the mower is able/willing to move.
In more confined areas, or with grass that is very thick, collapsed and leaning a 65cm blade is more appropriate.
- In light to medium meadow grasses and lawns a longer blade is best.
- A shorter blade may be preferred in heavier grasses or in confined areas eg small lawns, paths, “garden meadows”.
FAQs
Each kit contains
- One Scythe Blade
- An adjustable wooden snath (inc movable hand grips, clamp and wedge)
- A whetstone holder (for carrying the sharpening stone whilst out scything)
- A natural Sharpening Stone (for regular sharpening of blade when scything)
- A Peening Jig (What is Peening?)
- A Garryflex block (for cleaning the blade prior to peening)
- An artificial Stone: Carborundum (for use after jig peening)
- A Quick Set up Guide
Snaths are available in four lengths. The length needed depends on your height
Your Height———Snath Number
Less then 5ft ———Size 1 (small)
5ft – 5ft 10————-Size 2 (medium)
5ft 8 – 6ft 4————Size 3 (long)
6ft 2 – 6ft 5————Size 4 (extra-long)
6ft 5 and taller——–Size 5 (xx-long)
Each size of snath has adjustable handle positions so it can be fine tuned to suit your height and mowing style.
If you are at the edge of the height range you may not be sure which snath length to choose.
If your legs are long in proportion to your body length you should choose the longer snath. If they are short in proportion to your body length choose the shorter snath. This should give you the most useful range of adjustment of the handle positions.
La Saurat
As standard, we recommend a La Saurat sharpening stone as we find this stone offers a good compromise – it is easy for a beginner to use, yet is fine enough that it does not wear away the peened edge too quickly.
Rozutec
As you gain experience with sharpening the finer Rozutec stone will enable you to achieve a good sharp edge whilst removing even less metal, increasing the length of time a peened edge will last.
The peening jig is an accessible entry point into peening, both in terms of skill and price, and it is where Phil began.
It helps you learn the basic principles of peening and get a good result, whilst lessening the need for accuracy of hammering.
The Peening Guide tells you all about peening and has a specific section on using the peening jig.
Each set comes with a printed copy of our Quick Set Up Guide.
Additional instructional books you can add to your set:
Learn to Scythe by Steve Tomlin
We highly recommend adding this comprehensive instruction book to your scythe set. It is clear, informative and easy to read. It’s the next best thing to going on a scythe course!
£10.50Add to basket
Managing Grass with a Scythe by Simon Fairlie.
Newly revised and extended edition, this excellent book contains guidance on how to manage grassland with a scythe, everything from hay making to mowing the lawn.
£8.00Add to basket
All new blades should have the lacquer cleaned off the cutting edge to prevent it clogging the sharpening stone. See this guide for further details.