Took a trip down to Dorset to buy three scythes from Simon Fairlie at The Scythe Shop last summer. Simon gave me some instruction and a bit of a demo. He is a jolly mix of gruffness and joviality. His book "Managing Grass in Britain with the Scythe" is the most interesting, thorough and useful I have read on the subject, whether you are making hay or promoting wild flowers.
As well as the blades with covers and snaths (handles), the Friends of Filnore Woods now own 3 allen keys, three files, three wooden wedges, 6 sharpening stones, three steel sheaths for the stones, two sanding blocks and a peening jig. If you want to know more about the peening jig look at Neil Dudman's video on YouTube: "How we use a peening jig". Very thorough.
Scythes are clearly very fashionable. Bunny Guiness of Gardeners' world fame had an article on the subject last July in the Sunday Telegraph.
And Monty Don was using one on "Gardener's World" recently. It's so trendy!
And here is 'Scythe Workshop: How to Mow with a Scythe' by Botan Anderson. Watch this video and the secret will be yours.
We are hoping to make our first cut tomorrow!
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