Scythe AUSTRIAN SCYTHE User manual

QUICK SETUP GUIDE
FOR THE AUSTRIAN SCYTHE
Scythe Courses
www.scythecymru.co.uk/courses/
www.scytheassociation.org/courses/
Join the Scythe Association
www.scytheassociation.org
Books
Learn to Scythe by Steve Tomlin
Managing Grassland with a Scythe by Simon Fairlie
Instructional Videos / Web Pages
There are a lot of videos and information out there, of
varying quality! The following videos and weblinks show
good techniques
Scythe Cymru Information Section
Contains an ever increasing resource of information on
setting up and using your scythe, plus land management
and hand hay making.
www.scythecymru.co.uk/using-a-scythe/
Also a pdf version of this leaflet with clickable links.
www.scythecymru.co.uk/scythe-quick-set-up-guide/
Basic Mowing
www.scythecymru.co.uk/holding-the-scythe-and-mowing/
All About Peening
www.scythecymru.co.uk/peening-sharpening-resources/
Using a Peening Jig
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEqAmrc4H3k
Useful YouTube Channels
Scythe Cymru
www.youtube.com/channel/
UCJqmplOo-ORoKtzVFYZoABQ
One Scythe Revolution
www.youtube.com/user/Scythesman8
This guide is intended as a quick reference and aide memoire.
To get the most from your scythe
we strongly recommend you attend a Scythe Course and
read the book “Learn to Scythe” by Steve Tomlin. Rib
Beard
Clamp
Snath
Right Hand
(lower) Grip
Left Hand
(Upper) Grip
Scythe Blade
Tang
Allen Key
Wedge
Clamp
www.scythecymru.co.uk • [e-mail] • 07813 464990 or 01559 371485
Produced by: Michelle Lainé and Philip Batten of Scythe Cymru
Tip
A digital version of this
setup guide is available on
our website:

Taking care of your new blade
Before first use
Clean the lacquer off the edge of the blade (bevel) to prevent
it clogging the sharpening stone.
• Place the blade on a flat surface.
• Using a rubberised sanding block (“Garryflex”) or a
piece of emery cloth (60-80 grit), clean the lacquer off
the 4mm bevel at the edge of the blade, on both the
front and the back.
After every use
Wash and dry your blade before putting it away.
This prevents the accumulation of dirt and discourages rust
formation
Using a rag and water, wash down the blade to remove any
vegetation and sap sticking to the surface.
After washing, use a dry cloth to thoroughly dry the blade
If storing your blade for a length of time, you can optionally
apply a coat of olive oil or other non-drying oil to the surface.
Lower grip
• Place the bottom end of the snath on
the ground next to you.
• Hold the handle of the grip level with
your greater trochanter (the point
where the leg rotates at the hip when
lifting the knee) and offer up the other
end of the grip to the snath. (Fig 1)
• Note the hole in the snath that the end
of the grip falls nearest to. (Fig 1)
• Remove the bolt and washer from the
end of the grip. Keep the washer on
the bolt.
• Thread the bolt through the required
hole from the smooth side of the snath
to the ridged side.
• Fix the bolt back into the grip, making
sure the carriage bolt inside the grip is
correctly aligned. Tighten the bolt using
a 10mm spanner.
• The ridges on the end of the grip will
align with the ridges on the snath to
hold it secure and prevent twisting.
• ders. If the grips are correctly placed
they should slip easily either side. If
they are too tight, adjust the top grip as
necessary.
Upper grip
• Place your elbow on the outer end of
the now fixed lower grip and reach up
towards the top of the snath.
• Position the upper grip at the hole
nearest to, or slightly above your finger
tips. Note which hole you will be fitting
the grip into. (Fig. 2)
• Remove the nut and washer from the
bolt. Leave the bolt in the grip.
• Thread the bolt through the required
hole from the ridged side of the snath to
the smooth. Replace the washer and nut
and tighten using a 10mm spanner.
• The ridges on the grip and the snath will
align as before.
• Tighten the nut sufficeintly that the end
of the bolt is drawn slightly into the wood
of the grip.
Check the position of the grips
BEFORE ATTACHING THE BLADE - Hold the
snath horizontally and try to put the grips
either side of your shoulders. If the grips are
correctly placed they should slip easily either
side. If they are too tight, adjust the top grip
as necessary.
Setting up your new scythe
1) Position and attach the hand grips
The following will give you a good first approximation. Adjust as necessary to get a good ergonomic mowing position.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Bevel or Peening Zone
SAFETY
Be careful of the sharp edge when cleaning and
handling the blade.

*For a video on how to attach the blade see
www.youtube.com/watch?v=guRoJBNYtm0&t=2s
2) Attach and adjust the Scythe Blade
Loosen the grub screws in the clamp. Hold the snath in front
of you with the metal plate facing towards you.
Using the left hand, hold the clamp and the top of the snath
as shown in the picture.
Pick up the blade with your right hand, gripping it by the
back rib to keep your fingers away from the edge.
Slide the tang into the clamp. Then slide both the tang and
clamp down onto the snath until the tang lug engages in the
hole in the metal plate.
The top edge of the clamp should sit about 5-10mm below
the end of the snath. Tighten the grub screws until they just
hold the blade, ready for checking the lay and hafting angle.
Check and adjust the lay
Hold the scythe in a relaxed mowing
position. When the back of the blade
is on the ground the cutting edge
should be about ¼ inch above the
ground.
If the cutting edge is too low, place
a wedge between the blade tang
and the snath to adjust the lay of the
blade.
*For more information on the lay
see www.scythecymru.co.uk/scythe-
blade-angles
Wedge
Fig. 3
Check and adjust the hafting angle
Place the upper grip on the knee, with the scythe pointing
straight in front of you. Mark the position where the beard
of the blade lies on the ground.
Using your knee as a pivot point rotate the scythe clockwise,
until the tip of the blade is in line with where the beard was.
As a rule, the tip of the blade should fall 3-5cm inside of the
beard, depending on blade being used.
To adjust the hafting angle, slightly loosen the grub screws
and move the tang in the clamp. To open (increase) the
hafting angle, move the tang towards the back of the
clamp. To close (decrease) the hafting angle, move the tang
towards the front of the clamp.
Once the hafting angle is correctly set, fully tighten the
grub screws so the blade will not move in use.
NOTE Check the hafting angle is correctly set and the
grub screws are tight BEFORE EVERY USE.
A loose blade or a v open hafting angle (especially in
combination with a blunt blade and forceful mowing)
puts excess stress on the clamp, blade and snath and
can lead to damage or breakages
SAFETY
Using the allen key with
the long part engaged
in the grub screw keeps
your fingers away from
the blade. Use it in this
safe position as much as
possible (fig 4)
Use allen key in this
position (fig 5) to get the
extra leverage needed
for initial loosening or
final tightening of grub
screws only. When doing
so, keep the long handle
on the opposite side of
the snath from blade. Fig. 5
Fig. 4
The difference
between the
start position
of the beard of
the blade and
the end position
of the tip of
the blade is a
measure of the
hafting angle
(see A)
Rotate snath
clockwise
Start Position
End Position
A
Back of
clamp
Tang
Front of
clamp
Upper grip
positioned on
knee to use as
a pivot point
Mark the start position
of the beard of blade
before moving the
snath eg with Allen key
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
*For a video about adjusting the hafting angle, see:
www.scythecymru.co.uk/scythe-blade-angles-hafting/

Holding the Scythe and Mowing
Stand with your feet level and facing the direction you will
mow in. Hold the scythe in front of you with the back of the
blade on the ground. Your hands should be about level and
close to the body.
The basic mowing stroke
• Start with the tip of the blade in line with your right
foot (fig 9). Move the blade in a semi-circle in front of you
(fig 10) until the tip reaches about 10 o’clock (fig 11).
Return the blade back along the same arc.
• Keep the snath close into the body throughout the
movement.
• Practice the basic mowing shape on short grass so you
can clearly see how the blade moves.
• A part-arc can be used for trimming eg paths etc
For more information on mowing with a scythe and videos see
www.scythecymru.co.uk/holding-the-scythe-and-mowing/
Sharpening (honing) with a Stone
This is an effective way to hone your blade. Whenever you
are mowing carry the stone on your belt in the stone holder,
half-filled with water.
• Use a bunch of mown grass to carefully wipe debris
from the blade.
• With the snath in your left hand, kneel, lowering the
scythe with you. Place tip of the blade on the ground
(Fig 12).
(See link below for alternatives to kneeling.)
• Using the narrow edge of the stone and short,
overlapping strokes, hone one side of the blade at a time
until you are confident with the angles required (fig 13).
• First hone the cutting edge of the top of the blade. As a
guide for the correct angle to use the stone at, place the
tip on the rib and lay the stone down to meet the edge.
Hold this angle as you move the stone (Fig 14).
• Then hone the back of the blade to remove the burr
pushed over by the first pass of the stone. Hold the
stone parallel with the tang. Look carefully to ensure it
fully contacts the edge (Fig 15).
*For more information on sharpening see:
www.scythecymru.co.uk/sharpening-scythe-honing-stone
Peening
Peening is used to periodically reshape the edge of the blade
so that it can hold a sharp cutting edge. It is a necessary
part of the maintenance of your blade.
It’s time to peen when the mower has to sharpen more
often, the blade is not holding it’s edge so well and mowing
is becoming harder work. For more information on
peening see:
www.scythecymru.co.uk/peening-sharpening-resources/
Note Do not lift the blade off the ground at the start and end of the stoke. This can
lead to a “golf swing” style of mowing, which is less efficient at cutting grass and is
more likely to damage your scythe and strain your body.
Note Hone your blade frequently whilst mowing to
maintain sharpness. Aim to sharpen every five minutes
or less. The short time spent sharpening is easily saved
in the increased ease of mowing.
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 15
Ensure
stone
contacts
edge
Fig. 13
Use the narrow edge
of the stone with short,
overlapping strokes.
Fig. 14
Blade
edge
Use back
rib of blade
as a guide
to angle of
stone