Rasierschnitt 70cm – LEFT HANDED / CLOCKWISE

Left handed people can use a standard scythe and do not need a special scythe.

Scythe are not considered to be a handed tool. Unlike with tools such as scissors, left and right handed people are able to use the same equipment with comfort.

Blades get called “right handed” and “left handed” but the names are referring to the direction in which the blades mow, not to the kind of people they are meant for.

Still in doubt? The current (and longstanding!) British Women’s Scythe Champion, Andi Rickard, is left handed. She mows with a standard scythe, and even thinks that they are somewhat easier for lefties to pick up then righties.

So called “left handed” blades do exist…

…but they were probably meant for left handed jobs not left handed people.

This make the name “left-handed” scythe blade rather misleading.

Have a look at this excellent pair of articles on the Scythe Association website by Richard Brown. He explores the history of left handed blades and the jobs that they were needed for, and proposes we switch to calling blades “anti-clockwise” and “clockwise” to remove the confusion.

Anti-clockwise scythes – time to put the label “Left-handed” Scythe to bed? Part 1

Anti-clockwise scythes – Part 2 : What then is the point of a clockwise scythe set up??

The benefits of using a standard scythe

• Left and right handed people both mow with ease with the standard set up. The current (and longstanding!) British Women’s Scythe Champion, Andi Rickard, is left handed. She mows with a standard scythe, and even thinks that standard bladed are somewhat easier for lefties to pick up then righties.
• You will have a much greater choice of scythe blades available to you. Only one or two patterns of “left handed” or clockwise blades are made by the manufacturers. Not least because it’s quite hard for the blacksmiths to make a blade backwards!
• It is much easier to mow with a team of people if you are all moving your scythe in the same direction.

The case for a left handed blade

Some people enjoy the challenge of trying to “mow the other way”. Every so often, some left handed scythes will show up at a scythe festival and people will have fun playing with them.

There are also some left handed jobs, for which they are useful. See this article for an explanation of why the left handed or clockwise blade is useful when cutting the sides of drainage ditches in the Fens.

Yes!

You will need a snath set up with a set of grips that allow you to use it with your LEFT hand on the lower grip and RIGHT hand on the upper grip (opposite to usual). This lets you mow in a clockwise direction.

You cannot simply turn standard grips around, it doesn’t work!

If you don’t already have a snath set up to mow with a left handed blade you can…

• …make a bespoke snath
• … buy the blade AND a set of left handed grips. These will fit a standard Fux snath and convert it for “clockwise” / left handed mowing.
• Alternatively you can opt for a blade and a snath complete with left handed grips, clamp, wedge and allen key. This will allow you to keep one snath permanently set up for clockwise mowing.