The Scythe Book, 2nd Edition

by David Tresemer

Book Overview

"I can report that I laid waste to a quarter-acre of weeds, including occasional poplar and sumac shoots up to a half-inch in diameter. I felt good after performing this chore. Last year I did the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0911469192
• ISBN13: 9780911469196
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: Alan C Hood & Company
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

_The_ Scythe book

I haven't seen any other scythe books - but I don't think I have to. As the book has two different writers work, and they don't always agree, it presents a balanced view on the best side of using scythes. After reading it all I feel like I should be able to achieve a good result, and make the best use of the tool.

How to Be a Human Weed Whacker

It takes a certain kind of person to choose cutting grass and weeds by hand over more conventional technology and this book will appeal to those that choose the less beaten (and noisy) path. A gentle combination of how to and philosophy, The Scythe Book is for those who aren't in a hurry and want to learn about the tool, it's history, and it's use in a manner of respect and appreciation.

more historical reference than how to manual

First, this book is primarily about the European scythe, not the American scythe. The author mentions the American scythe very briefly before dimissing it as too heavy to use and an inferior tool. I haven't used a European scythe, and perhaps I would find it easier to use if I tried it, but I do have a couple of beautiful antique American scythes that I picked up at a farm auction and they work just fine. I was disappointed with the author's dismissal of the tool. What the book does have is a very in depth description of the history of the scythe, including a discussion of early short handled sickles, the steps involved in crafting a scythe, harvesting techniques and quotes about harvesting from a wide variety of literary sources. After reading this book, I'm thinking about hunting down a copy of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina just to read the sections on harvesting. I was hoping for a little more "how to" info, but I think perhaps that is best obtained from an experienced user who can not only show you how to do it but critique what you're doing as you do it. The basics are here to get you started, and the author's passion for hand tools is obvious. Keep your blades sharp and your back strong and you'll be surprised what you can accomplish.

A great book about a traditional hand tool

This book covers the history, the care and the operation of an ancient farming tool--the scythe. It offers a fascinating history such as answering the question of how an acre came to be a unit of area. You will want to use a scythe after reading this book!