Austrian scythe (Part2)

Its only six weeks since I cut the bracken and it has re-grown to head height in some places. Cutting it with the scythe is more like felling small trees than mowing but the aluminium snath and a smaller, tougher blade does the job well leaving neat windrows that wilt and dry quickly.

Aluminum snath and giant bracken

It's been a good year for bracken its grown higher and faster then in any previous years . Perhaps it was the very wet winter, who knows? Anyway, after this second cut I intend to follow up with spot treatment using Roundup (Glyphosate) on the surviving plants.

"The Austrian Scythe (Part 1)" has been one of the most read posts so perhaps its appropriate to give some more information on this superb lightweight tool the fusion of a few thousand years of design with modern technology. If you want training or to buy a scythe have a look at Simon Fairlie's website; www.monktonwyldcourt.co.uk there should be a link from there to The Scythe Shop.

Setting the handles 1

Some ancient wisdom! If you set the two handles the distance from your elbow to outstretched fingers that distance will be correct for you height and build.

Setting the handles 2

Standing on level ground the bottom handle should be the height of your hip.

Then of course you have to learn to peen and sharpen the blade which will have to be the subject of a further blog, " The Austrian Scythe (Part 3)".