Standard Austrian Blade: for grass and light weeds.
BLADES • SNATHS • PEENING EQUIPMENT
STONES AND HONING • BEGINNER'S SETS
SICKLES • THE SCYTHE BOOKAustrian scythe blades are recognized around the world as being of the highest quality. That is why, if you search around on the internet, you can find cheaper imitations described as "Austrian-style scythes". These could be made in Eastern Europe or China. Unlike many of these models, Schröckenfux blades come triple-peened by the factory's technicians, and require only a short honing in order to mow satisfactorily. All the bladesI sell now carry the same tang angle — so no fiddling around when you change blade.
I also sell what I consider to be the best currently available snath (handle) — made in Switzerland, from ash wood, it is very light, and will adjust to suit any person's stature. If ever I locate a better snath, I will stock that instead.
By scrolling down the page, or clicking on the menu above, you will find information about whetstones, peening equipment and other ancillary equipment. You may find it easier to buy one of the specialy designed beginner's sets.
BLADES
THE RANGE OF BLADES
I stock five basic patterns of blade.
(1) Austrian grass blade : standard blade, for grass and light weeds. (Length: 40 cm, 60cm, 75 cm, 85 cm).
(2) Oriental: elegant, hook-nosed, grass blade; for meadows and lawns; the connoisseur's model. (70 cm; 85 cm).
(3) Stone-Blade: for topping rough weedy vegetation, especially on bumpy or rocky ground. Formerly sold in the UK as the "Turk scythe". (60cm).
(4) Ditch Blade: hook-nosed blade for tough grass and weedy vegetation; ideal for hedgerows, fencelines, in between fruit bushes etc. (55 cm, 65cm). The most versatile blade.
(5) Bush Blade: for woody growth; thick as a light billhook; no good for grass. (50cm).These blades are described in greater detail further down the page. All these blades, except the Bush Blade (5) are capable of cutting any kind of vegetation from grass up to coarse non-woody weeds, including dock, thistles, bracken, green bramble shoots, hogweed etc, but are designed to be particularly appropriate for certain conditions. Do not worry too much about which blade to buy — the most important factor is how well you learn to sharpen it and use it.
LENGTH
These different patterns of blade come in different lengths.
Tiny blades (40cm) These are most likely to be useful for mowing ground cover around cultivated plants: for example undersown green manure to serve as a mulch, around daffodils, around closely planted fruit bushes etc. If everything is getting out of control and weeds threatening to outgrow cultivated plants, mowing with a short blade is usually a lot quicker than hoeing, and hoeing easier after you have mown,
Shorter blades (from 50cm to 65 cm) are for working in confined or constricted areas, or between plants that one wishes to preserve. 55 cm is good for narrow paths, gardens and allotments; 60-65 cm is good for between closely planted trees, along fence lines, banks and ditches. If you have bumpy ground you will be better off with a short blade.
Long blades are for open ground. 70 to 75 cm is a good length for novices tackling open grassland. 85 cm - 90 cm is for more skilled mowers. Anything longer than this is normally for competition use.
It is common for people to keep two blades, one long and one short. Often the longer blade will be kept finely honed for grass-mowing, while the shorter blade is kept less finely profiled for rough weedy patches, and for lending out.
SWAPPING OVER BLADES
All blades now come with the same tang angle, and so can be fitted to the same snath without fiddling about with wedges or shims. It takes about one minute to remove one blade and fit another.
BEGINNERS
If you want an easy all round blade to learn on, I suggest a 60cm Austrian grass blade. If you graduate to a longer blade, this one will still be useful for confined areas, bumpy land, tougher vegetation etc.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF BLADES
Standard Austrian Blade: for grass and light weeds.
These are a standard pattern of grass blade used throughout Austria and neighbouring countries. Besides grass, they will also cut bracken, nettles, one-year old brambles, and most other annual growth before it has gone to seed. They are 50 millimetres wide and like all the blades I sell, are hand-forged. The following blade lengths are normally in stock: 60cm, 75cm (60 cm pictured)
Oriental Blade: for meadows and lawns.
This is my blade of choice for scything meadows, and the best blade for mowing the lawn; but I do not advise a beginner to use it for heavy duty work. This pattern of blade is popular in Near and Middle Eastern countries. It is the style of blade recommended by Peter Vido, and he and his family are using a similar form blade (but not exactly the same model) in this video: http://www.scytheconnection.com/adp/video/index.html.
These blades are light and have a hooked curve at their extremity, for the last six inches or so, a bit like a parrot's bill though not as exaggerated. In open field mowing this helps distribute the burden of the work more evenly along the whole length of the blade, whereas a blade with an even curve invites a disproportionate amount of the cutting at the front end. The hook-nose also makes it easier to work along fence lines without snagging the blades. The tip does not curve upwards as much as on other models: this facilitates the even cut necessary for lawns.
Many accomplished mowers prefer this style of blade, but it is less forgiving if you are making mistakes. It is particularly important to ensure that the blade is attached at the correct angle for your stance (instructions are provided). I currently stock the Luxor model .
They are also light and nimble, so my shorter blades are now all of this model. Length: 40cm 50 cm, 75cm and 85 cm.
Stone Blade: for stony ground and topping weeds.
I stock this because it is similar to the Turk blade, available in the UK in the 1960s to 1980s. It is a slightly more robust blade than the Oriental and Austrian Standard Grass blades, 60mm wide, with a reinforced point. It is designed for stony ground, and I recommend it for topping rather than mowing, and for general weed clearance, for example nettles, brambles, bracken etc. It can be honed to the same sharpness as the Grass Blades, except at the very tip, and will sever grass just as well, but it is not as well-shaped for mowing a meadow. It has a more accentuated upward curve along its length, which means that it is less likely to hit stones or dig into the earth, but if you are mowing grass may leave a ridge of topped rather than mown grass to your left. It is about 15 per cent heavier than the Grass Blade. A good all-round blade to give to novices so that they don't ruin your best blade. I currently keep 60 cm blades in stock.
Ditch Blade: for weed clearance.
These are classier blades than the Stone blade, designed for mowing tough grass and weeds on ditches, banks, in gardens, around fruit bushes etc. They are an Italian model, originally designed for mowing around vines. They are more robust than the Grass Blades, but not as tough as the Bush blade. The model I stock also has a stone point, like the Stone blade.They are much flatter than the Stone Blade, and mow closer to the ground. They have a hooked curve at the extremity, where the blade is also quite narrow, but are quite wide at the near end (making them stronger, and more effective at shifting the cut weeds out of the way). The hooked nose makes it easier to avoid snagging the blade on fences when working a fenceline. I currently stock these blades at 65cm and 55cm (pictured above).
Bush blade: horny weeds and woody stems.
This blade is much more robust than those listed above. It is a thick, heavy duty blade, 60mm wide, and about the same gauge tool as a light billhook. It is capable of cutting most woody plants up to half an inch in diameter, or bigger, depending on the species; but it is not recommended for grass. Typically used to work in areas where there are small saplings, fruit tree or thorn suckers, or weeds with woody stems. Care must be taken to keep the blade sharp, since heavy use of a blunt blade on tough material could damage the snath. The blade length I keep in stock is 50cm.
Competition blades
I sometimes have a small consignment of competition blades, the same form as the Standard Austrian blade, 110cm long. I can order them in any length up to 135cm.
Left-handed blades
I can get hold of left-handed blades (only one size and model, 70 cm Standard Austrian) and left handed snaths, and sometimes have them in stock. Left handed blades are not traditional, because a left handed scythesman cannot mow in a team, unless all the mowers are left handed. Because the movement of mowing is symmetrical, most left-handers have no problem adapting to a right handed scythe. The only good reason I can think of for buying a left-handed scuthe is that you have a good excuse for not lending it.
Specialist Blades
I currently have a small number of specialist and vintage blades from discontinued lines or from factories which have closed down, from 35cm to 90cm long. Please enquire for details.
ETYMOLOGICAL NOTE The word snath can be spelt about as many ways as the name Shakespeare: snaith, snathe and snead are the most common variants. The Oxford English Dictionary gives ten different spellings which it says are "irregular and difficult to account for". The word comes from the word snead or sned , meaning a lopped pole or branch from a tree, and a snedding axe is still the term for the tool used for limbing felled trees. It is related to the German schneiden, to cut. The US pronunciation (which is what I use) rhymes with US pronunciation of the word "bath" or the English word "hath". In the UK, as well as the US pronounciation, I have heard snathe (to rhyme with bathe), snaith (to rhyme with bathos), sned (to rhyme with bed), sneed (to rhyme with bead), and snuth (to rhyme with the Northern bath), but never snarth (to rhyme with the upper-class bath).
The Swiss Adjustable Wooden Snath
Finding a good snath can more difficult than finding a good blade. Your stature, your style of mowing, the blade you use, the topography of your land, and the kind of vegetation you are cutting all influence the shape of the snath that is right for you. If the snath isn't right for you, or isn't set up right, then you will tire quicker, or experience muscle pains.
The main challenge for a snath designer is to get the right hand grip and the left hand grip swinging at approximately the same level, even though they are attached to a shaft which is held on an incline. This can be achieved either by making an S curve in the wood (as in the traditional Anglo American snath); or by sticking the right hand grip on a spur projecting from a straight shaft; or by a combination of the two (as in the Adjustable Wooden Snath).
For two years, I sold a choice of snaths — fixed and adjustable, metal and wood. However, I found that almost every single person, of the seventy or more people who visited my shop, chose the Swiss adjustable wooden snath, even though it was more expensive. I therefore now only stock this snath.
Swiss adjustable wooden snaths are designed by Peter Vido and technicians at Schroeckenfux, in conjunction with the manufacturer. They have a lightly curved ash shaft (the curve deviates 2 inches from a straight line). Both the right and left hand grips can move along the shaft. The method of fixing the grips to the snath, which involves a single bolt, is ingenious, secure and not at all cumbersome. The snaths are light, quite slim at the top, but with sufficient meat at the bottom to trim the end to adjust the angle of the blade. The blades I sell are all compatible with the wooden snaths I sell.
The adjustable snaths are supplied in two sizes of shaft, and three sizes of right hand grip. Here is what I estimate the ranges of sizes are, bearing in mind that there is considerable variation in people's preferred stance, and in the length of their limbs:
Size 1 (fits Ronny Corbett) Short snath, short right hand grip. For people up to 5ft in.
Size 2 (Ronny Barker) Short snath, medium-sized right hand grip. For people from 5ft 1in to 5ft 11in.
Size 3 (George Bush) Long snath, medium-sized right hand grip. For people from 5ft 10 in up to about 6 ft 3in. It can be set for use by shorter people, but for people under 5ft 10in, a size 2 will be preferable
Size 4 (John Clees) Long snath, long right hand grip. Over 6 ft 3.
If two people of very different height want to share a snath, this can sometimes be achieved by buying an extra right hand grip; please phone or e-mail for advice.
Children — Some children of eight years and over take to mowing. For a child under 5 feet tall I recommend a size 1 wooden snath, with a 50cm or 60 cm blade.
All the above is rather complicated. Please phone or e-mail for further advice, or else stipulate the height of potential users and I will sort out the correct combination for you.
Snaths should be treated from time to time with raw linseed oil.
An adjustable wooden snath, with a 60 cm Austrian style blade (left) and with a 75 cm Oriental blade (right).
English-made snaths from English timber
I have a limited number of adjustable snaths made by Tim Benians of Sussex, from English grown ash. These snaths have a straight haft, with adjustable left and right hand grips. There are more settings than on the Swiss snaths, which means that this snath is suitable for people from about 5 foot 4 inches to 6 foot 4 inches tall. The handgrips are angled both downward and outward to accommodate the natural position of your hands; they have been left quite broad so that you can whittle out a form that is comfortable for your hands. The blade is settled into a sacrificial wedge, which means that if you abuse your snath and it breaks, you will probably only have to replace a wedge rather than the whole shaft. I have a pilot consignment of these snaths, which are cheaper than the Swiss snaths. (THIS ITEM IS NOW OUT OF STOCK WHILE WE MAKE ASSESSMENTS OF ITS PERFORMANCE)
Why I No Longer Stock Other Snaths
I have deliberately stopped stocking fixed grip wooden snaths. This is for a number of reasons:
(i) They are no good for tall people, or people with short arms.
(ii) Of all the customers who have come to the store (probably about 70) and compared the snaths, not a single person has opted to buy a fixed grip snath, because most people consider the extra £20 to ensure comfort is well spent.
(iii) They take up a lot of room, and I am short on space.
(iv) They are awkward to pack.I do not stock metal snaths for reasons (i) and (ii) above and also (iii) because it is hard to adjust the angle of a blade on a metal snath and (iv) because the handgrips are turned cylinders of wood rather than shaped and angled to fit the human body.
I am aware that the adjustable snaths are expensive. If you want a cheaper or a metal snath try http://www.get-digging.co.uk/. (This site also sells a large range of Spanish mattocks).
BASIC ADVICE
• If you plan to mow grass on any scale you need to understand what peening does (see the guide to the Austrian scythe) and consider acquiring peening equipment.
• If you only want a scythe for occasional weed control, then you may be able to do a satisfactory job without peening.
What Is Peening?
More than half the skill in scything is learning how to keep it sharp. However repeated honing brings the edge back into thicker and thicker metal, and makes the bevel at the edge bull-nosed. If you aim to cut grass in any quantity you will need periodically to peen or cold-forge your blade. This involves tapping out the edge of the scythe to get rid of the bull-nose and make it thinner. Peening takes about 15 minutes.
Peening is also used to reshape the edge of the blade after filing out the cracks or chips that can occur if blade meets a stone, tree stump or other obstacle.
Peening with hammer and anvil requires some skill, and unless you have experience at working metal you will benefit from tuition. Peening instruction is a considerable part of my day courses for beginners. Courses There is more information on how to peen the blade in the section on "peening" in the guide to the Austrian scythe; in The Scythe Book; in the instruction book I supply with every scythe; at http://www.scytheconnection.com/adp/docs/peening.html; in illustrations on www.scythesupply.com ; and on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/user/ndudman8 and http://www.youtube.com/user/Scythesman8
If you only want a scythe for occasional weed control, then you will be able to do a satisfactory job without peening. However you will need to file the blade down to a thinner bevel every so often. A chainsaw file can be used for this job, but you have to be very careful not to rip into the edge of the blade (and not to cut your fingers). An alternative is a Tormek grinding wheel, or similar, providing it is running through a water bath, but I reckon a file is better.
I stock three kinds of peening equipment, but advise that beginners get either the bar peen anvil, or the peening jig. The hammer and flat anvil system is trickier, but is useful for repairing chipped or cracked blades.
Bar Peen Anvil
I stock Picard bar peen Anvils from Germany and also sometimes have cheaper ones from Eastern Europe. This system involves placing the edge of the blade upside down on the anvil, and tapping it with an ordinary carpenter's hammer, of 16 to 20 oz. Most people find this an easier method than the flat anvil system described below, because it is easier to determine exactly where you are hitting. It is also cheaper because you normally only have to buy the anvil, not the special hammer. I don't advise beginner's to start with this system unless they are confident at using hand tools generally, or else have someone to teach them.
Peening Jig
The jig is an alternative to the hammer and anvil which ensures that you hammer out the blade to a prescribed thickness. It requires less skill than freehand peening, but on its own will not achieve as good a result as accomplished freehand peening. The jig is also not as effective as a hammer and anvil for repairing cracks and nicks in the blade.
The jig consists of a cylindrical polished metal drum, about the size of a small pot of face cream, with a spike coming out from the underneath to fix it in wood, and a machined metal column projecting upwards from the centre of the top circular surface. The blade is held the normal way up flat on the anvil with its edge touching the base of the column. A hollow cylindrical cap is placed over the column. This is accurately machined so that when tapped with a carpenter's hammer, it will compress the edge of the blade in the correct place. The blade is moved along, a millimetre at a time, as you tap. A second cap will compress the extreme edge of the blade even finer.
There is a lot to be said for peening initially with the jig, to get the basic profile right, and then finishing off with hammer and anvil to get a keen finish.
Peening Hammer and Flat Anvil
An alternative peening system comprises a cross-peen hammer and a small flat anvil (pictured above), with a face about two inches square (though in fact it is slightly convex). The blade is held flat on the anvil, normal way up, and the edge gently tapped with the narrow head of the hammer. It requires skill, concentration and practice. This is the trickiest way to peen — but somer people prefer it and it is the best set up for hammering out chips and small cracks.
I currently sell a a hammer designed for peening made by the German firm, Picard (pictured), which has one face a flat surface, and the other a thin peening bar.
The flat anvil is also from Picard. However, you can make a serviceable flat anvil by grinding and polishing the top of a splitting wedge, or the back an old axe head, or the head of a splitting maul, to a slightly cambered curve.
Fux Table Anvil
This is a bar peen anvil recently developed by the peening geeks in Schröckenfux's research department. Don't be influenced by the poor quality photo, this is the Rolls Royce of peening anvils, made of very high quality steel. It comes with two removable guides: a table which helps position the blade vertically, and a side plate which helps position it laterally. This is the anvil I prefer to use myself, though I don't bother with the table. The only drawback is that it is expensive. I recommend this anvil for groups and organizations, especially if the anvil might be used by people of differing levels of competence; or for people who want the best and for whom price is not an issue.
HONING EQUIPMENT
Whetstones
I supply four kinds of stone. All of them come in the "boat" shape (as opposed to the "cigar" shape, customarily used on English scythes). These are depicted below with the coarsest on the left and the finest on the right.
To mow grass competently you need at least two of these: a coarse artificial stone for occasional use, when larger amounts of metal need to be removed; and a fine natural stone for regular touching up in the field. To keep the price down in the cautious set I supply two stones, the coarse synthetic stone, for profiling and repairs, and a natural stone for regular touching up — but the committed scythesman will find three, or even all four, useful (especially if you drop one of them on the floor and break it).
For information on honing, see The Scythe Book or: http://www.scytheconnection.com/adp/docs/sharpening.html; or http://www.scytheconnection.com/adp/docs/peening.html ; or the videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/Scythesman8 and http://www.youtube.com/user/ndudman8
• Synthetic coarse whetstone, silicon carbide, 23-24 cm long. This is mainly used for profiling the edge, repairing nicks and cracks, and after using the peening jig);. It will get the blade moderately sharp, with a rough slightly serrated edge, good enough for topping weeds — but if you use this blade for regular honing you will eat through your steel quickly. These are cheap, but wear away quickly.
• Synthetic medium whetstone "Silicar", silicon carbide, 220 grit. A high quality intermediate stone, longer than the others. It is less aggressive than the coarse stone and lasts a lot longer. It can be used: (a) as an intermediary stone between the coarse and a fine natural stone, eg after a repair, or peening with the jig; (b) directly after freehand peening with the anvil prior to using a natural stone; (c) for refreshing a tired blade at the end of the day when really it needs peening. Also, if you insist on a "one size fits all" whetstone, this is probably the best choice.
• Natural fine grit Bregenzer sandstone; about 300 grit; this will get a good working edge on your stone, but it is not as fine as the Rozsutec — cheaper, but more fragile. It will break easily if you drop it. This stone is riven, rather than sawn, so its broad faces are rough and cannot be used for honing. Some people use this rather than the Rozsutec for honing in the field.
• Natural extra fine grit Rozsutec sandstone, finer than 600 grit; this is the stone to use to get a well-peened blade as keen as you can. It will also get a good edge on a pocket knife.
If you break these stones in two, they can be glued back together with epoxy resin, after very thorough drying.
Files
If you want to avoid peening, then an Oregon flat file (made by the Swiss form Vallorbe), 6 inches long by 0.5 inches wide, is the best tool for filing down the shoulder to regain a fine bevel. Also used for filing out cracks, dents, tears and bumps that may appear in the blade.
The 7/32" round chain saw files, also made by Vallorbe, are perfectly adequate for filing out nicks and cracks that may occur in the blade, and they are cheap.
Stone sheaths
I normally stock copper sharpening stone sheaths. These attach to the belt and hold water, allowing you to move around with your whetstone in easy reach. Since it is desirable to give your blade a few passes with the stone every five minutes or so, these are more useful than one might think. I also often have cheaper galvanized sheaths.
Hand-carved wooden sheaths
These are hand-carved from chestnut by Steve Tomlin. They are more comfortable than a metal sheath, hug the body more faithfully, and don't slop around so much.
Cow horn sheaths
These are polished black and white cow horns which attach to the belt and hold water. Imported from Europe. Very classy, some might say posey. I find them handy because you can take them off and stick them point first in the ground if you need to share a stone.
Leather sheaths
Peter Montanez has made some very comfy and handsome leather sheaths, waterproofed with beeswax.
A note on sheaths — sometimes the shape of your stone is such that it wedges in the bottom of the sheath. If this happens simply jam a tiny wad of cloth at the bottom of the sheath.
Garryflex rubberized sanding blocks
These hand-sized rubber blocks, impregnated with sanding grit (medium, 120 grit, medium coarse 60 grit, ) are much the best tool for cleaning rust and gunge off your scythe blade, prior to peening and honing. 120 is best for the edge, 60 for polishing up a whole blade). They last for ages, and are useful for many other tasks.
x 10 Magnifying Lens
These little eye-pieces will open up the wonderful world of friction to you, so you can view enemies like burr, cracks and rust in all their ghastliness. They are handy for understanding what is going on when you are learning how to peen, profile and sharpen a blade.
BEGINNER'S SETS
If you just want a scythe for occasional use knocking down weeds, then you can get by with just a blade, a snath, and one or two stones — plus every so often doctoring the blade with a file.
However if you want to mow grass competently and on any scale, then you will sooner or later need to peen your blade. With this in mind, I supply two beginners sets, one designed for the cautious beginner, and the other for the more confident or ambitious beginner.
Cautious Beginner's Set (with peening jig)
This set is basic, cheaper, and contains a peening jig, which is easier to learn to use. It includes:
•One Adjustable wooden snath with clamp • One blade (any kind except the competition blade) • One peening jig • One Bregenzer sharpening stone (medium fine) • One synthetic sharpening stone (coarse) • One steel stone sheath • One rat tail file • One copy of Notes on the Use of the Austrian Scythe.Confident Beginner's Set (with bar peen anvil)
This set is more comprehensive, and contains everything a professional scythesman might need. Instead of the peening jig, it includes a bar peen anvil, which produces a better result, but is trickier to learn. I do not advise starting with this set unless you have either (a) experience and facility with using hand tools generally, or (b) some experience at metal work, or (c) someone to show you how to use the anvil. It includes:
• One Adjustable wooden snath with clamp • One blade (any kind except the competition blade) • One bar peen anvil (German) • One Rozsutec sharpening stone (extra fine) • One Silicar synthetic sharpening stone (medium) • One synthetic sharpening stone ( coarse) • One copper stone sheath • One rat tail file • One 120 grit sanding block • One copy of Notes on the Use of the Austrian Scythe.Both sets are designed for convenience of decision-making at your end, and of packing at my end; and they work out a bit cheaper than buying the goods singly. But the discerning customer may prefer to pick and choose items individually from the price list. Someone who is competent but short of cash can get by with a couple of stones, a bar peen anvil and a beer can for a stone sheath. Well-off newcomers to the mysteries of manual work might wish to purchase both a peening jig and a bar peen anvil, to compare them, or to graduate from one to the other. (Until 2008 I supplied both peening methods in all the sets I supplied, but the collapse of the pound has persuaded me to provide cheaper options).
Sickle
A very neat, lightweight hook, made from quality Schroeckenfux steel. Weight 255 grams. Length along the back 53 cm; internal diameter from tip to beard 23 cm. This sickle has shallow-angled bevels on each side which can be maintained with a file. The edge can be peened, though the heavy curve means that this must be done with care. I also sell a left-handed version of this tool.
Che's Mate (anag)
These bush knives can be peened to whatever edge you require. Their blade is 16 inches (40 cm) long and the tool weighs just under a pound (420g). Brings out the Errol Flynn in you. Latinos can mow lawns, peel oranges, and slice wasps in mid air with them. More reach and more swing than a billhook, but no hook to gather up cuttings.This is my preferred tool for bramble bushes.
INSTRUCTION AND BOOKS
Instruction Manual
All complete scythes are sold with a 28 page A4 information pack called Notes on the Use of the Austrian Scythe. If you come to the store to buy a scythe, I will spend up to an hour explaining how to set the scythe up, use it and maintain it. There is no charge for this but I accept tips such as a bottle of ale. Please phone for an appointment. I give advice over the telephone, and if you are having problems will do what I can to help you overcome them.
Managing Grass In Britain with a Scythe
This 44 page booklet by Simon Fairlie provides a broad explanation of how temperate grassland ecosystems flourish and explains what special approaches you need to take towards grassland management when your main tool is a scythe. The chapter headings are as follows: Three Important Characteristics of Grass; Soil Fertility in Lowland Britain; The Restitution of Wildflower Meadows; The Scythe in Small-Scale Productive Farming; Maintaining the Sward; Progressive Haymaking; Mowing Difficult Meadows; Weeds; and Lawns. It contains 21 colour and black and white illustrations.
The Scythe Book
I sell copies of The Scythe Book , by David Tresemer with a 70 page addendum by Peter Vido, published by Alan C Hood and Company, Chambersburg Pennsylvania, USA, paperback 191 pages.
The Scythe Book provides a history of the Austrian scythe, explains why it is so effective, and gives detailed information on how to choose the correct scythe for your purpose, how to use it and how to maintain it. The book is unusual because Vido disagrees with Tresemer on quite a number of points.
For people who like reading on line, a transcript of the original version, without Vido's addendum, can now be found at http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/JF/417/06-273.pdf while much of Vido's material can be found on his website, http://www.scytheconnection.com/
The Story of Grass
The Forgiveness of Nature: The Story of Grass, by Graham Harvey. Grass is the UK's biggest crop, and a major natural habitat. This is the only book recounting the history of grassland in Britain, from neolithic times to the 20th century — covering everything in between from shielings and watermeadows to rye-grass leys and cricket pitches. Graham Harvey is agricultural adviser to the Archers, and author of The Killing of the Countryside. Hardback, published by Jonathan Cape, 371 pages.
