I want a scythe like Brian Kerkvliet's

WOW! I've never seen a scythe in action. That was amazing!

Another problem with string trimmers not mentioned in the video is the permanence of the bits of 'string' that break off. I used a string trimmer several years ago and am still finding little bits of flourescent green plastic in my yard.

Oh, yeah, another problem: my working (as opposed to dress) cowboy boots were dyed green for months after that little ear-splitting, nerve jangling experience.

Thanks for the great video, Paul! And please thank Brian Kerkvliet for his demonstration. I'll be looking for a good scythe now.

yeah that scythe definately looks like a really fun tool to use!
thinkin i may just have to get one one of these days, also it looks great for chop and drop or whatever, also great for harvesting wheat and other grains(obviously) but, could one use a sharp scythe for mowing the lawn?

You can absolutely mow your lawn with a scythe. It helps to have a really sharp blade, and some finesse, not the easiest way to learn to use a scythe.

Check out this website as an awesome starting point for super detailed information on just about everything you could want to know:

http://www.scytheconnection.com/adp/techn1.html

I have cut my own lawn many times with a scythe. It ends up pretty decent looking with practice, and the great thing is that all the grass is collected in rows to use as mulch in the garden. My lawn is about an acre (with lots of fruit trees)

I am convinced for sure. As soon as we can save up for one, its no more nasty weed-eaters!!! One question though... this appears to work great on grass and weeds in nice flat, cleared fields, but what happens when you live where it is easier to grow rocks than grain? I'm talking about the SW Missouri Ozarks. Are there rugged sapling and bush versions that laugh at the ocassional rock and stump, or are we just out of luck? We switched to doing our whole yard and garden area (about 5 acres) with a weed-eater because the lawnmower broke down once too often and went to a nice manicured lawn in the sky.

Deb Stephens wrote:I am convinced for sure. As soon as we can save up for one, its no more nasty weed-eaters!!! One question though... this appears to work great on grass and weeds in nice flat, cleared fields, but what happens when you live where it is easier to grow rocks than grain? I'm talking about the SW Missouri Ozarks. Are there rugged sapling and bush versions that laugh at the ocassional rock and stump, or are we just out of luck? We switched to doing our whole yard and garden area (about 5 acres) with a weed-eater because the lawnmower broke down once too often and went to a nice manicured lawn in the sky.

Yes there are brush clearing scythe blades, but they still don't laugh at rocks.

Well, I was pretty sure -- after looking at all the mangled lawn mower blades we went through before giving up -- that I was asking for the impossible, but I thought I would give it a shot anyway. I guess there are no magic tools out there. Will brush cutter blades clear really dense, tangled brush with 1 or 2 inch saplings and shrubs springing up all through, it or is the brush cutter blade more for finger-sized or smaller woody stems? We've got some areas where blackberries, poison ivy, sumac, etc. are really getting thick, and there are a ton of young trees popping up in there too. We used to have a lot more goats -- who did a great job of eating all that down periodically -- but over the years, our little herd has dwindled from 15 to 6 and they just don't keep it back as well as before. (We have some very fat goats!) Plus, they tend to eat a lot of the stuff we don't want to cut down -- along with what we do. These areas are really close to the garden, so its like giving them carte blanche if we turn our backs on them for a second when they get into that area.

I would be very interested in information about heavy duty scythes. I figure if we could knock some of this back for a few years, it would eventually be easier to clear with an ordinary blade. If I keep picking up the rocks at the same time, who knows? We may yet get some of that nice grassy stuff to cut.

http://www.scythesupply.com/blades.htm

A ways down the page they say 3/4 saplings. I know you can cut bigger with good technique and sharpening, but you will be stressing the blade.

I always carry a hand pruner with me so I can trim the suckers from trees I want to keep.