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#1
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Scythe sharpening?
Does anyone have directions for sharpening a scythe? I take it there's
a technique as opposed to just winging it. Mine's gotten noticeably duller, and I read it's common to sharpen them in the field in fact. Not that they're common in the field, but given that you have one there, odds are that it's being sharpened. -- Ron Hardin On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk. |
#2
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Scythe sharpening?
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 22:30:08 GMT, Ron Hardin
wrote: Does anyone have directions for sharpening a scythe? I take it there's a technique as opposed to just winging it. Mine's gotten noticeably duller, and I read it's common to sharpen them in the field in fact. Not that they're common in the field, but given that you have one there, odds are that it's being sharpened. -- Bless google : A couple of years ago I used to watch a gardening show with husband/wife hosts. In one episode the husband showed how to use and take care of scythes. I could only remember that her name was Barbara and they were in/from New England. With a few good keywords I found it was Barbara Damrosh and Eliot Coleman. Then I did a search on "Eliot Coleman" + scythe, and following the trail of leads I found this webpage which has info on sharpening (peening and honing) with how-to photographs! http://www.scythesupply.com/links.htm It seems that there is a lot on the internet on scythes. Well, at least I accomplished *something* today : Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself! |
#3
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Scythe sharpening?
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 22:30:08 GMT, Ron Hardin
wrote: Does anyone have directions for sharpening a scythe? I take it there's a technique as opposed to just winging it. Mine's gotten noticeably duller, and I read it's common to sharpen them in the field in fact. Not that they're common in the field, but given that you have one there, odds are that it's being sharpened. I sharpen all kinds of things (I have an active woodshop). I'd use a wet Arkansas stone, maintaining the same original angle and using equal number of strokes on both sides of the blade. It may help to secure the scythe in a vise during the operation. For field sharpening, I'd use a diamond file (these are more expensive than a $1 Arkansas stone). I don't use any special guides or tools for sharpening garden tools. Sharpening with direct sunlight is best. |
#4
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Scythe sharpening?
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 22:30:08 GMT, Ron Hardin wrote:
Does anyone have directions for sharpening a scythe? I take it there's a technique as opposed to just winging it. Mine's gotten noticeably duller, and I read it's common to sharpen them in the field in fact. Not that they're common in the field, but given that you have one there, odds are that it's being sharpened. They sell a little stone and belt pouch you carry with you. If I remember correctly the pouch holds water to keep the stone wet. It's a long stone with an oval cross-section. There's also a little anvil(sort of like a railroad spike) you hammer into a stump to work on the blade. Extreme caution is advised when sharpening a scythe blade. Even when the blade is not at its sharpest it can cut skin pretty well. After you nick yourself a few times you'll get used to the right way to hold the stone and the blade. |
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Scythe sharpening?
Curly Sue wrote:
...I found this webpage which has info on sharpening (peening and honing) with how-to photographs!... There are two different materials that scythe blades are made from: high carbon steel and low carbon steel. The high carbon steel blades are harder and are fairly easy to sharpen, but when (not if) they hit a rock, they get a gouge in the edge. To get the gouge out takes some work with a stone and eventually will thin out the blade. The low carbon steel blades are softer and will bend when it hits a rock. The rough sharpening is done with a hammer and (small pocket size) anvil, cold working the steel. Final honing is done with a water stone. The blades have a lip on the dull edge that defines the angle for the sharpening stone. In addition to the materials, the blades come in different lengths. The grass blade is 3-4 feet long and fairly thin. The brush blade is shorter, 18-24" long and is thicker, since it is built to cut heavier stuff. I generally use the brush blade since I'm not usually mowing fields, but just trimming around edges. I have the high carbon steel blades and generally carry the stone in my back pocket. The scythe is the 4th level weeding implement, coming after the rake, torch and hoe, but before the chainsaw and backhoe. |
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