Hand Powered Weed Eater

[caryc]

I have a couple different weed eater power tools and of course the 8N with the Woods M5 mower but still after getting everything cut down there are spots that don't want to give up and still sprout weeds.

I got tired of dragging out and servicing weed eaters to take care of this crap so I did something unusual for me. I ordered a scythe from scythsupply.com

Below is a picture of the one I purchased. You can order different blades but the one I ordered (and pictured) is the bush blade. It is shorter and heavier than the longer blades. The blade has a razor edge on it. It comes with a sharpening wet stone and a belt holder for the stone. It also comes with a peening jig for the blade. The peening process is a little long to explain here but if you go to their site, you can read about it.

You have to give them certain body measurements when you order one of these and they make the snath (wood shaft) to fit you.

I was simply amazed at how good this thing worked when I tried it out on a patch about two feet high that had recently come up by the house. It works amazingly well. Simple and easy to use with no muss and fuss. No messing with fuel. No stink from the exhaust and no vibrating hands when done with it. It was well worth the price.

There is also a pic of the blades they have available. The bottom bush blade is what I purchased. You can see how heavily it's made compared to the grass blade on top.

Most old scythes that you run across have the grass blades on them, usually 36" long. I actually have one of those old 36" grass blade scythes as yard art. Never tried to use it since it's not really in usable shape.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Just DON'T start wearing a black outfit, cape, black hood and riding a White Horse**

**Read about "DEATH" in the Terry Pratchett "DISC WORLD" series, he's quite a ?? GUY??

 

[Fox Mike]

Cannot see anything but the word 'image'. I keep getting a 'threat warning' concerning the two addresses.

 

[Bull Barrel]

Some people call it a sling blade, I calls it a keyser blade, mm.
Its curved like a bananner, sharp on one side n dull on the othern and got a handle on it. Its what the highway boys use to cut down weeds and whatnot, mm hmm.

 

[pisgah]

I use only 100% environmentally- friendly, organically-powered weed-eaters...

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQIFEEsiwCxeMIcc7EfB1fczsNJK-uAvKAD1Vy6_wYQn1OmiwLoEQ

 

[caryc]

Cannot see anything but the word 'image'. I keep getting a 'threat warning' concerning the two addresses.

I see the pictures now. Are you using Firefox?. I went through this crap before. It's Google butting in. They have some stupid program that determines websites with potential problems and the thing went haywire on them. It affected Firefox when opening those sites.

There is no danger with the addresses where the pictures are. They are on my providers server. I thought they had that crap with Google straightened out as all of my pictures were working again.

What browser are you using? Try opening Ruger Forum with a different browser. Before my internet provider got this crap straightened out with Google, my pictures had no problem displaying when I used Microsoft's internet explorer.

 

[caryc]

I use only 100% environmentally- friendly, organically-powered weed-eaters...

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQIFEEsiwCxeMIcc7EfB1fczsNJK-uAvKAD1Vy6_wYQn1OmiwLoEQ

Trouble is they only go where they want to go, not where you want them. Lots of times actually they go places you don't want them to go.

 

[Fox Mike]

Opens fine on my cell with Google

 

[caryc]

Opens fine on my cell with Google

Ok but you didn't answer my question. What browser was it that was giving you problems?

 

[pisgah]

I use only 100% environmentally- friendly, organically-powered weed-eaters...

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQIFEEsiwCxeMIcc7EfB1fczsNJK-uAvKAD1Vy6_wYQn1OmiwLoEQ

Trouble is they only go where they want to go, not where you want them. Lots of times actually they go places you don't want them to go.

A single-strand electric fence, combined with a bit of training is your friend... :wink:

 

[gramps]

We always called them scythes. A swing blade is a Y with a flat blade across the Y
gramps

 

[caryc]

We always called them scythes. A swing blade is a Y with a flat blade across the Y
https://www.amazon.com/Cutter-Sling-Blade-Blade-Handle/dp/B004GIZ85O

I've got a couple of those also. A light one and a heavy duty one like in the link. We always called them grass whips. The scythe is still easier to use and works much better.

Do an "image" search on "grass whip" and you'll see many many pictures of them grass whips.

 

[caryc]

Some people call it a sling blade, I calls it a keyser blade, mm.
Its curved like a bananner, sharp on one side n dull on the othern and got a handle on it. Its what the highway boys use to cut down weeds and whatnot, mm hmm.

I've never seen any highway gangs using scythes. Scythes have been in use since the ancient Romans. The closest thing to it is the sickle.

 

[redhawker]

Sometimes the old ways are the best...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsfIHiBB6xE

 

[Fox Mike]

Opens fine on my cell with Google

Ok but you didn't answer my question. What browser was it that was giving you problems?

Firefox is the browser I have on the PC. Working OK now.

 

[Mobuck]

"I got tired of dragging out and servicing weed eaters to take care of this crap"
When I was a kid we used a scythe to clean up around barns and such. I got all of that a LONG time ago and will do as much "servicing" as it takes to not have to run a scythe any more. A hefty dose of 2, 4-D ester will smack down the broadleafs if that's the major problem.

 

[Bob Wright]

Sling blades always conjure up the image of men wearing striped pants cutting weeds along the highway while Strother Martin looks on with a Winchester in the crook of his arm. On uniformed men on horseback overseeing the work.

Bob Wright

 

[caryc]

Sometimes the old ways are the best...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsfIHiBB6xE

One of the weed eaters that I have is the same one the guy is using in the video.

It's an old Troy Built model that hangs on a shoulder harness and you use the handle bars to control it. But for sporadic weed growth, it's not worth dragging out and getting it running. The scythe works much better.

I don't plan on doing any wheat or hay harvesting with my scythe but for the use I purchased it for it is excellent.

 

[nekvermont]

The old timer up the road from me calls a scythe a Misery Hook. I guess he had plenty of experience with one.

 

[Mega Twin]

A scythe looks like it would work as well as a zumba class for staying in shape.

 

[tinman]

My Dad did commercial mowing for a time. While he ran the tractor, us boys would do all the hand work in those areas that he could not get into. Prior to the invention of the "string trimmer" these type tools were how the job was done. The large scythes were for open areas, weed whips were for grass in ditches and such and a brush axe or sling blade was for the heavier tough undergrowth and small trees. If kept sharp (we all carried a file with us) they worked well at their intended task. The small hand scythe was the most unpopular because it usually meant you were kneeling and bending a lot.

 

[Mobuck]

" But for sporadic weed growth, it's not worth dragging out and getting it running. The scythe works much better. "

You guys must be running the wrong brand of weed whacker. My Stihl (which is 5 years old and has had more heavy duty cutting than 99% of the machines in use)only requires gas and 1-4 pulls(depending on how long it's been since the previous use).

 

[toysoldier]

Just DON'T start wearing a black outfit, cape, black hood and riding a White Horse**

That's exactly why I wanted one, for a Halloween outfit. For two years I watched for one at the flea market and yard sales. Finally bought a nice one, and now see one or two every weekend at the sales. :x

BTW, my outfit will be as noted above (minus the horse), with the addition of a cardboard box over my upper body, painted to look like a microwave. That way, I'll look like Death warmed over. :wink:

 

[Bull Barrel]

Sling blades always conjure up the image of men wearing striped pants cutting weeds along the highway while Strother Martin looks on with a Winchester in the crook of his arm. On uniformed men on horseback overseeing the work.

Bob Wright

That was actually Morgan Woodward, "the man with no eyes".