I lover the little kid with the scissors just cutting a bit of grass. it's adorable

I am new to scything this being my first year, but I have a few acres under my belt and would like to add two comments.. First it is much easier to acknowledge the angle/relationship of the blade to the grass and ground if you use your scythe on short grass, you can just visually see it much much better and then can adjust your handhold to adjust the blades orientation to the grass being cut and the ground. Secondly when you had your camera in front of you it appeared your using much too much arm and not enough of the rotation of your torso, if you rotate your torso and let your core move your arms and the scythe you not only get better cuts but man you can go for hours without getting very tired. Just a few things which have helped me this summer, I am excited to get to it next spring. Good health and strength to all.

"Why am I talking to myself? That's a good question..." :-D

The little boy just added to this video's charm. He looks like he's gonna be a good harvester/farmer etc. one day.

This was an extremely helpful video for me to start using the scythe we found in our basement (from the previous owners of the house) in the garden. The POV camera is very useful. After watching this video I just went out to try it and I had SO much fun. It's fantastic.

i saw this one old guy use an English scyth and he said it was easy and made it look easy. he didn't have to bend over and instead of using all your arm strength like you're doing, he used more of his body. kind of like when you twist your body to swing your arms around. it makes longer fuller cuts with less arm energy

"Why am I talking to myself? That’s a good question." -me to myself

I just started. Boy it's tough and like everything else in life, it's all about simple and effective technique. This video helps. I see that it's not about nice broad 1/2 circles but more like quick s d tedious increments. Definitely outstanding excercise and considering the amount of land you have, you must be strong as hell by now! Ppl fear/respect soldiers but they should really fear/respect farmers...they're the ones who know how to keep us alive and are tough SOBs

you should do a longer video of just you using the scythe on early morning grass, when it's easier to cut, as a soothing video. that was fun to watch and so relaxing to listen to.

I love scything but only had one chance to use the technique so far, cutting Phragmites reeds on a nature reserve. Now considering getting a scythe to replace the mower and keep the wildflowers happy, this was a great refresher thanks!

Thanks for the information. It gave me a greater appreciation of labors and laborers of the past, and the technology I have available to me.

Great thank you. I’ve just had a barn find of an old scythe similar to yours. I was sharpening it incorrectly. Now about to go and sharpen it properly and get cutting! Great video. Love your little one helping with his scissors ❤

I wonder how many weebs came here to learn epic scythe moves. But instead learned that a scythe is farming equipment

I watched this video and felt motivated. I showed my friend this video and he felt motivated and thankful. We rented a projector and displayed this video in a big field for our whole village to enjoy and we are all motivated and thankful.

Excellent little video. Well presented, very well presented, informative, pleasant, and seeing your little son there too is wonderful to encourage our society overall to go back to more wholesome things like workouts producing something of value, and family. God bless you and thank you for the video.

Thank you! Little 6 minute video really improved my technique. Only just started.

Hi, it's always wonderful to see sopmeone using this marvellous tool on a daily basis! It is hte most useful farm tool I reckon. You have probably improved since this video was posted, so my comments may be superfluous, coming from a self-taught scyther with 6 seasons of haymaking now under my belt. But your hafting angle is waaay too wide. The tip of the blade should be at least 2'' lower I would think, for that length of blade. As it is, the angle seems like 90 degrees to the snaith. That means you are chopping into a wide chunk of grass each stroke, instead of hooking into a narrow slice. It's like the difference between slicing a soft loaf of bread, versus pushing down on it with the whole blade. Also, you're doing a straight cut across the front of yourself. You should be pushing the scythe around to your right with your left arm as far as it will go, then pulling with your left arm, as far round to the left as you can, to create a half-circle around the front of you. The tip of the scythe then enters the grass to your right side, not out in front of you. You don't have a "radius" in this video, because you aren't making a half-circle. And you're only cutting about 4 feet across, not 6. It actually looks like easy grass to cut, if you adjust these details. Also, I think your honing technique could be better. Watch Peter Vido in "Living Lightly". Don't use such an obtuse angle with the stone. The closer your stone is to parallel with the blade, the thinner the bevel will be, therefore sharper. Don't pull the stone down, but slide it along the blade as it comes down. The stone should barely do anything on the underside, just enough to flatten the burr. The underside of the blade edge should always be parallel to the blade. If you are trying to "sharpen" the underside by using the stone at an angle, you are really blunting it, because your edge bevel will be twice as wide. It's a common error to think that creating a bevel on both sides of tools like the scythe, is making them more sharp. It does the exact opposite. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for this video. You made it look easy but I know it is hard work.

Great intro to scythe mowing. You are right about it being a fantastic workout! And pulling is definitely more efficient than pushing. I wonder why the blade is digging in? My scythe came with a wooden wedge to set the tang angle (I think that's what its called) more like 20 or 30 degrees up from the ground. I rarely get mine to dig in. It almost floats. Now rocks and wire fencing are a whole 'nother story!

Fascinating information on the scythe. This pointed out good body mechanics that would be similar even for using a weed whacker. I always have instinctively used this same motion. It's like qi gong swimming dragon. That's a pretty decent exercise. It's good to relax your body and get in a nice flow with it, as you've shown here. Thank you.

Very useful introduction and describing the pressure used for the whetstone was well done.

Thanks for the video John! Very useful for young people like me!

Great video, love how your child is around and looking up to you , chips in with ground breaking wisdom, kids eh! Keep on sything, way quieter then a weed wacker

This is basically ancient lawn mowing and was popular everywhere..

I just ordered mine. We have acres of overgrown fields. These had been abandoned for more than 80 years. No tractor or other machinery here in the Andes...we have to clear and the hoes, machetes and rakes are not working out so well. This may not be the perfect solution, but I believe it is better than what we are currently doing.

so relaxing, already love your content :)

This was such a satisfying video to watch - both because I need a scythe in my life, and also surprisingly, from an ASMR perspective.

excellent work out and better for the environment, I will get one too

Nice and very useful video. Thank you

Thank U. Very informative. Gonna start sything here soon

Wish we could turn time to when working the fields was just that. Now it's all loud, air polluting, power equipment. Thank you for the nice video.

I've been scything for years and I can't agree that scythe mowing grass like you're cutting in this video is "a lot of work". It isn't effortless, but it's gentle, near to no impact, measured in pace, full body involvement. I like to express the action as the lead hand pulls transmitting the power and the rear hand guides controlling blade position. Power is generated through rotation of your torso and a weight shift between your feet. Watching your stroke, I would suggest that you could probably get another foot or two of length to your cutting arc by rotating further in both directions ;)

Great video.

A clip of an environmentally preferable method of mowing preceded by an ad for Roundup. I know OP has little say in what ads are shown, but this I had to mention. Cool video by the way :)

your toddler is so cute and learning so much! in fifteen years he'll be the one I want on my zombie apocalypse survival team.

Thx for the tip mate, it worked well

"WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO YOURSELF" i love it😂

Thanks for posting this! I'm kinda scared to use a lawnmower tbh, plus I really like this method as I love working out :D

thanks for sharing your knowledge :-)

Hey man, thank you for the nice instructions and the trick with pulling through stroke. I went out today for the first time in my life to use a scythe and it surpassed my expectations! I will buy a new scythe (this was an old rusty one) and use it a lot. I mowed a wild grass around my club's rugby pitch. I did it before with Stihl Trimmer and it was slow and exhausting and laud and smelly and bits of grass all over me... I lookd some youtube videos of scythes befopre but this time I finally gave it a go and happened to watch your video for instructions before I try. I sharpened the blade with japanese diamond stones I have for woodworking. I got to the gras, made a first swing and it was - magic! Like some laser beam cut everything in reach! Anyway I just had to say thank you, I will convert all the guys in the club to scythe, gasoline mower only for the pitch! Also adorable and smart kid ("Good question" :))

Nice, thank-you for sharing 👍

Subscribed! (And your lad is aborable!)

This is so cool.

Thank you for the informative video. Would you be so kind to do a video on how to make your scythe handle? I need to make one.

I'm actually here just cause I'm just a huge Children Of Bodom fan and bought a scythe just because It seems actually fun to use it, nice

Very useful. Thank you sir

Thanks for the tutorial! So I have to scythe a first-time field with high grass, I'm afraid to hit stones that I can't see and damage the scythe. Do I need to wade through the waist-high grass to check for that first?

Fresh cut grass is awesome in your Methane digester ! Use the Methane to heat your Rocket Mass Heater and you have free heat.

I'm so glad that my uncle taught me how to mow with a scythe

You need to rest your stone on the spine of the scythe. That way you won't take off as much metal by doing it at that steep angle.

Very helpful for removing the reeds from our lake thanks

Thank you!

Good video. I can relate to the uploader, i could use a trimmer but i like using a Scythe instead, even if it is hard work on thick and fairly long grass!

Thank you for this. What is the brand of your scythe? It looks like it can be adjusted to a variable height?

Nice work. I’m puzzled though as to why you about turn and mow against the windrow. This increases the effort as you’re pushing the fresh cut grass up against the windrow. It’s more common to mow in the same direction with each row, so the cut grass falls onto your previous swath. I know you want a workout but at the same time it’s all about making life easy.

I could listen to this sound for hours

brilliant lol. love the question about why you are talking to yourself

That seems totally fun.

Do these still work well I was thinking about giving one a go on our lawn cause it grows heaps fast

Never been blistered in my like I was the first time I used a scythe.

I've never done this but from others I've seen the technique seems to be to take less forward movements for each stroke and to take a wider whole body swing. I also think that these work better for harvesting dryer more rigid rows of cereals. I'd imagine normal grasses would be be "gummy" if that makes sense.

Hello. Would you tell how you done scythe first preparations after buying? (Mean, beating, sharpening)

I realized how hard dogwood is down in Kentucky when my neighbor cut his tree down and i chipped the brush for my garden. It is hard...and we have ash here...mostly dead now but its here. Never chipped hedge, but i guess its harder.

Were do i buy a scythe?

Where I can buy one of those? Can you send me the link to it.? Thank you.

Windrow gardening. Leave the windrows in place as a mulch. Eventually plant in the mulch. Thats what we're doing this spring. No need to move the cut grass. Could give the little guy a sickle

I have a very old scythe that belonged to my great grandfather. I never actually used it because I use a sling blade or a weed eater to cut tall grass.

Good job i like hard working

"Daddy, who are you talking too?" LATER AT HOME: "Mommy, Daddy is scaring me. He is out in the back talking to his self."

I need to dry and bundle those cuttings. Poor mans hay- mainly for the chickens nesting area :) I have a Scythe that must have been my grandparents....It hasnt been started up and run in decades! Thankyou for the walkthrough.

mate you could only use a lawn mower if grass is no longer than 10 inch. I work in landscaping in uk and we are always behind with work. thankfully, my romanian grandad teach me how to use a scythe so when grass on lawns gets to hay, i use a scythe so we don't kill the strimmers and the lawnmowers. works like a charm

I used a scythe as a teen. Now I'm a broken down guy in his 60's, but I've got this ditch... I think I have the answer, but would you suggest a full sized scythe, or maybe a long handled sickle for keeping ditch weeds at bay? I've had too many close calls with the zero turn mower.

I went to Lowes, home depot and tractor supply looking for one, we're did you acquire a scythe to begin with?

It's easy to cut grass like that which is all the same kind of grass with long fine blades. What most people have is a mix of grass, some of which have very thick woody stems which wear out the blade very quickly.

I’m here because I’m reading Anna Karenina, & scything sounds satisfying.

Your little boy's adorable.. 🙂

Did you ever learn how to scythe? This was six years ago. No pull, no push. You slice. Keep an ark. I’m in my 50s. Super sharp peen and it slices like Buddha. Bless you.

Looking for recommendations on a good scythe to purchase. Seems there are a fair number that are not that great.

I’m going to buy a scythe and mow my lawn with it

Is that scythe setup from Scythe Works on Vancouver Island?

Where would you purchase a good scythe? I'd like to find one but they're hard to get hold of for me, any help or suggestions would be appreciated

Ik the 30$ ones probably don't perform as well as the 100$+, but do they still get the job done right or should I just invest on a higher priced one?

Great video. Subscribed! Where do you buy one of these classic tools? I checked Lowe's already. I need one of these to clear a path before installing my portable electric fence for my goats. Otherwise, the grass and weeds will short out the charge. I've been 100% free ranging them for years, but I finally caved after they broke into my garden and tore down my physical fencing recently. Btw, you should feed that cut grass to rabbits. Another reason I need a scythe. That's actually all I ever feed mine, except for the very rare handful of scratch grain.

May i ask a question if its ok how come you dont use a lawnmower if i may ask

It's good exercise, I use mine in places that are not safe for the tractor.

Use your hips more. twisting your whole upper body with your lower body. only use your arms for a little extra umpf. This will make it much easier for extended periods of time.

The explanation is very thorough, but I can't see your stance or hold, when you use a go-pro. Am I supposed to lean forward a bit? Arms straight or no?

Hopefully you can help me. I am having trouble with the left handle loosening on me as I move through the stroke. What am I doing wrong? Or is something slipping inside the handle in the mechanism. With this handle moving on me I have a hard time getting a consistent stroke.

Thanks. I wonder if that was your full waist motion?😁.

I already know what scythes are really used but I want to see how they do it

Future little Scyther 😊

Hey :) How long does it take you to do an acre?

Does the repetitive motion cause for stress on the body? I can’t seem to think of the technical terminology used in industry. I believe the field of study is ergonomics. Is there such a thing as a scythe that is designed to be used in the opposite direction? To help balance the repetitive motion?

I had a European style snath made, would an American blade like the Seymour work with it?

Bit of a weird question here, but it seems pretty strenuous and repetitive while favoring one side of your body. Do you worry about muscular imbalances, potentially painful ones down the line? Have you considered switching hands/sides and doing it from the left (with a left-handed scythe?), or is that even a thing? My bodybuilding senses are pinging hard right now :) Great video, I wish you the best!

What’s quicker a scythe or a lawn mower?

what is the tool name u use to sharpen the scythe?

Where is available this product pl.s reply

What kind of grass is best

Where can one buy these long handled (angled) scythes??