The scythe kit 2 consists of
1. An adjustable snath ( please measure the distance from the ground to the bone on your right wrist and tell us so we can select the correct snath for you.)
2. A blade. By default we include a blade that we have in stock, but you can choose any grass blade or the Red Bush blade
3. A copper whetstone holder
4. A whetstone.
5. A choice to include a counterweight (+$15.00)
A pdf of instructions for putting the kit together is included.
Note: wedge is no longer included (even tho it is in the photo!)
We send all longe parcels with Post Haste courier.
Therefore freight will be a minimum of $20
The Austrian scythe is quite a different creature to the English or American ones most commonly known in New Zealand. They are lighter, more nimble - a real pleasure to use and not hard on the body.
Choosing the scythe that is right for you
The kit is made up from items we have in the shop. We are guided by customers who find the process of choosing all the bits separately.
The default kit 2 is a medium snath, a or black 75 blade, a copper whetstone holder and a medium whetstone.
1. You need to buy the right size snath, so measure the distance from you wrist bone to the ground and tell us which one you need.
Snath fitting
Medium :suitable for those with ground to wrist measurement 800-930mm
Short: suitable for those with ground to wrist measurement 690-850 cms.
Junior: extra price $40
Long: suitable for those with ground to wrist measurement 880-1040mm extra price $40
2. Choosing the blade.
There are 2 main considerations when choosing the correct blade.
a. the work the blade is to do and
b. the terrain it will be working on
The Considerations
The Grass Blades- Red, Black and Green are all for vegetation which is usually up to one year old. It is still green, not woody.
While you are working, you will keep the edge keen with a whetting stone (mainly the medium one).
After a while- depending on how much you use it the blade will need peening. This is cold forging and does not remove material, but compresses it and makes it harder.
These blades are wonderful for flat land and gently sloping land.
The Green (Orchard/Garden) Blade We have 75 blades at present.
The Black Blade is the blade of choice in Austria, where they have been scything for centuries. It is fabulous to use on flat ground- like a lawn, where you want the grass short. With a Black or Tui blade you can cut grass very short- even when someone has been through with a mower! We have them in 40 and 75.
The Red Blade is another lovely blade to use, (but not by beginners). It is the lightest blade in our range. It is more curved than the black or tui blade and is also most suitable for flat land. we have these in 65, 75 & 85 cms
We have found that once the grass has been cut with one of the bush blades (as we do not know in long grass where the hazards are - bricks, rocks, logs fences and wire) then keeping the grass down is easy and delightful with a grass blade
The Red Bush Blade (50cms) - can handle woody vegetation like blackberry.
They are maintained with the whetstones- mainly the medium one and sometimes the course one. They are great at restoring those areas which have been neglected (often because you have not had the right equipment). They are wonderful for blackberries, bracken, gorse, thistles etc. The woodier the plant the shorter you want the blade- or you run the risk of putting too much force on the ring clamp and bending it.
Red Discovery is a wonderful blade but it is not a suitable blade to learn scything on. Its good to use, once you know how to scythe, for area that has been neglected, where you are not sure if there are rocks, wire, stumps etc. under the long grass. It is a blade maintained by a whetstone or a file, not peened. It can be easily fixed if damaged. It is 66cms long. It is also cheaper than the other blades
