← Tools and machinery H05-02 · Module 2 of 7 · Pages: 22 · Worksheets: 6

Traditional tools: scythe, sickle, hoe, axe

How to choose, haft, set up and use a scythe, sickle, hoe and axe, how to restore an old tool and what it is called where you live

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Traditional tools: scythe, sickle, hoe, axe

In short

  • A scythe is set to your body: lower grip at hip height, the gap between grips about a forearm plus hand.
  • Mow in the dew, early in the morning, with shallow swings from the hips; the heel of the blade glides on the ground.
  • Hone every 10–15 minutes, and peen when the whetstone no longer brings the edge back (H05-03).
  • The head of a hoe or axe must sit tight on a wedge. Soaking it in water is only a temporary fix.
  • Never heat an old tool with a flame: the steel loses its temper and the edge goes soft.

What's inside

Chapters

  1. Why traditional tools still matter
  2. What the tools are called
  3. The scythe: parts and choice
  4. Setting the scythe up for you
  5. How to mow
  6. The sickle
  7. The hoe and the mattock
  8. The axe
  9. Other traditional tools
  10. Restoring an old tool
  11. Common mistakes
  12. Printable checklist

Worksheets

  • Your local tool glossary
  • Scythe set-up and mowing calculator
  • Shopping list for traditional tools
  • Mowing and tool log
  • Traditional tools calendar
  • Pre-work check and tool restoration

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This guide in other languages:

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