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The Scything Handbook: Learn How to Cut Grass, Mow Meadows and Harvest Grain with a Scythe Paperback – October 3, 2016

by Ian Miller (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 42 ratings
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The Zen approach to mowing lawns, wacking weeds, harvesting crops, and building modern homesteader abs!

Dreading the weekly law mow? Need to whack the weeds in your orchard? Cringing at the drudgery and incessant blare of the mower? Imagine instead long sweeps of an elegant scythe cutting your grass and pesky weeds in blissful, meditative silence.

That is the power of the "scythe revolution" sweeping North America.

Written by a master of the scythe, professionally trained in Austria, and drawing deeply on research into original German texts, The Scything Handbook brings centuries-old scything techniques into the twent-first century.

Detailed illustrations cover scythe assembly, perfecting the stroke, blade selection, honing, peening, and aftercare, as well as background on how scythes are forged. Also covered are the basics of making hay and mulch by hand, and how to grow and harvest gains at the home and homestead scale for self-sufficiency.

Scything promotes health, flexibility, mind-body connection, and a meditative contemplation of the natural world while producing beautiful lawns and luscious mulch for the modern gardener and homesteader. This is truly an heirloom tool to master.

Join the scythe revolution!

Ian Miller followed a career in music with a degree in Agroecology from UC Santa Cruz. During a two year stint on a biodynamic farm in Austria he learned how to scythe and delved into historic scything texts in German. He has worked for Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa and is developing a twemty-acre scythe-based homestead near Decorah, Iowa, where he grows his own grain for bread making and makes hay by hand.

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  1. Print length
    160 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    New Society Publishers
  4. Publication date
    October 3, 2016
  5. Reading age
    16 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 0.32 x 9 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0865718326
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0865718326
  9. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
42 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • David B.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful..........
    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    As with any skill, the more you know, the further you are ahead of any potential problems, this book simply adds to your base of necessary knowledge.
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  • Linda Beasley-Bradford
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what he wanted!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    My husband loves this book!
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  • Rambo Tribble
    4.0 out of 5 stars Scythes: European vs. American
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    DISCLAIMER: I just want to mow my lawn.

    Both books offered by Amazon on the scythe, The Scythe Book and The Scything Handbook, offer worthwhile presentations on the European scythe, its construction, fitting, use and maintenance. Of the two, SB offers the more exhaustive coverage of the actual mechanics of mowing, while SH provides historical color and hay processing techniques the other text does not.

    Did I mention I just want to mow my lawn?

    Unfortunately, there appears to be a substantial vein of snobbery surrounding the subject of scythes. Rather preposterous claims are made that American scythes were only designed for this or that purpose, but not for real mowing. Nonsense.

    The sad truth is that accurate information on the American scythe is hard to find. I recommend the videos of Mr. Chickadee on YouTube as a good place to start. One of the best texts on the American scythe can be found on the Baryonyx Knife Co. blog page, it is titled "A Primer on the Selection, Use, & Maintenance of the American Scythe". It provides comprehensive information on properly fitting an American scythe, and offers a wealth of usage and maintenance information, as well. One feature of the American scythe is its nibs are able to rotate around the shaft of the snath to obtain perfect balance. It is a crucial adjustment; if the scythe is out-of-balance, the difficulty in working it quickly multiplies.

    You may wish to note that European scythes use tensioned blades which the experts say require sharpening every 5 minutes. My experience suggests in good conditions you can go double that. American blades are untensioned, and require honing much,. much less often. European blades also require periodic peening, a task requiring skill and special tools.

    If you, like me, really just want to mow your lawn, check out the resources on the American scythe before you dismiss it. If you want to explore a lifestyle, the books are great, but contain much that is extraneous to the mowing task.

    Additional resources I would recommend are: The Penn State Extension page on "Mowing With a Scythe" for some good tips, especially about grass. Online you can find "The Big Book of the Scythe" which is another comprehensive text on European scythe. It is available free, in PDF format. Be aware, these are both biased against American scythes.

    A final thought: The European scythe represents 16th Century technology at its finest. The American scythe represents 19th Century technology at its finest. With the advent of the aluminum snath, the American snath acquired a mid-20th Century enhancement. So the question is, do you want a romance, or do you want to cut your grass?
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Joe P.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not a bad book but
    Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I have used a scythe for over 10 years to make hay for our small flock of sheep. I hoped that this book would provide more comprehensive information on sharpening, repairing and maintaining scythe blades; it did not. On the whole, I was very disappointed in this book. Some information was helpful but I can get better guidance from my scythe supplier.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Turner H.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very good
    Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    A good introduction with plenty enough detail to get you started. Enjoyed this book very much.
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  • J.D.
    5.0 out of 5 stars American Scyth
    Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    All you need to know about the American scyth, good book.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • sue
    5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I have so far given a copy to three friends, all whom have said it is the perfect gift. Gives all the information needed for someone keen to master the art but is also a delight to browse through even if you are not going to be scything.
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  • Paul McFarmer
    5.0 out of 5 stars well packed and good condition. Very interesting and well written
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    The book came in time, well packed and good condition.
    Very interesting and well written.
    Will follow a course this month, very curious.
    paul
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  • Patrick C Ramsey
    5.0 out of 5 stars very good
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    lots of detail and easy to follow about using and maintaining yous scythe.
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  • Moorjock
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tip Top
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 30, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent, brought back to memory what I was taught years ago. Would recommend.
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