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Scythe versus modern machinery
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K
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29 Aug ’14 - 9:54 am
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I need to get me one of those!

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spotted-horses
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30 Aug ’14 - 9:36 pm
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Nice. I had a competition with my ex one year. He was sure he could cut more with the seedeater than I could with the scyth. He was wrong. I just recently dug mine out of the shed that had a bunch of junk piled in it 

cleaning and sharpening next.

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31 Aug ’14 - 10:39 am
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I'm going to hit up the antique shop and see if I can a quality piece, we have a small field in the middle of the woods, going to try and clean it up some

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spotted-horses
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31 Aug ’14 - 12:49 pm
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my biggest challenge has always been sharpening. there is a method that I've heard called peening where you tap it on a block with a ball peen hammer. then use a stone to hone the edge.

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31 Aug ’14 - 1:53 pm
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hey @altofsky any suggestions for sharpening a scythe?

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Altofsky
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31 Aug ’14 - 3:31 pm
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Spotted-horses is spot on.

 

Scythes are traditionally made from low carbon/mild steel. They may be considered high carbon in some industrial circles, but not high enough to be suitable for sustained use as a blade.

 

Because of the low carbon content, they require  constant maintenance. Most farm workers would take a stump anvil out to the field with their scythe to peen it back to an edge and then subsequently use a riverstone to hone it. Theyll get nice and sharp, but they dull very easily. In that first video, youll see the guy with te scythe dig into the dirt on a swing towards the end. Notice how his last couple of cuts werent as clean... his edge dulled in the dirt. But a guy like that could probably peen and hone it back to sharp in no time.

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spotted-horses
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31 Aug ’14 - 5:50 pm
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It also works best in more open areas. You need a good swing.

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1 Sep ’14 - 11:18 am
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I wonder if a japanese one would be better

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