#00 - "The Hand-Powered Weed Whacker"

Although we consider the term "weeds" when used with reference to plants an inappropriate one, the moniker "21st Century Weed Whacker" was coined by us. It is meant as a satirical acknowledgment of the fact that a significant portion of the North American scythe-owners-to-be tell us that they've grown tired of breathing the fumes of the string trimmer and their primary reason for obtaining this tool is to "knock down some weeds".
Using the common terminology, this could be referred to as a light "brush" blade, heavy "ditch" blade or a "forest culture" blade. (All of these terms are only somewhat accurate at best, and misguiding at worst. See: What in the World is a Grass Blade) Nothing like the workmanship of say #5 or #24, it nevertheless is a perfectly functional blade which will fill the need of the economy-minded and, as is the case with blade #0, can also readily be used for the practice of peening. (Should you mess it up, simply file or grind off the 2mm of the edge and have another go at it. In no case, by the way, should beginners attempt to peen a zone wider than that!!)

#0 - The "Learning Blade" - 80 cm - 790g.

Here is an economically-priced blade to aid your learning process in at least two ways: first of all as one on which to practice peening -- be it with the jig or freehand. The edge was already factory peened -- and rather well -- but you can continue to play with it. If you wish, make it as "thin as paper" (Scythe Supply's peening advice) which will probably cause whatever millimeters of the bevel you attack to lose tension and become wavy. But no worry. Grind or file all that paper away and start over.

Please understand that this blade was not intended to be a "dummy for beginners" and it actually sported one of the old trademark labels (which we removed). But the lot of them was more quickly made, probably for a dealer in one of the less wealthy countries. The body lacks the typical polish and has what we consider as one flaw -- the area of the beard is as thin as that same model in a quality edition used to be, while the rest of the body is noticeably thicker. (Making thinner blade bodies always took more time and with this batch the company obviously did not want to take it...)

However, it is an exceedingly strong-bodied blade with the characteristic North German style "high back" and has practically no flex. The design logic of that high back was precisely to reduce on the torsion which the light-bodied blades were inevitably subjected to under the strain of cutting in a very heavy stand. (You must understand that in the past every mower wanted as thin-bodied blade as was still efficient (i.e. didn't flex too much and/or lose its tension) under the conditions he intended to use it for.

In any case, these are perfectly functional blades, which will not buckle under the strain of heavy and/or mature "weedy" meadow, although at that weight, I personally would not last swinging one of them for many hours... In addition, I consider this blade "unbalanced" (a term I would stick on many contemporary models) because in relation to the heft of the body it should have a heavier neck. A well designed blade of old production with that heavy a body would have had also a thicker neck. This is the only place I can imagine an over-zealous person breaking one. Still, this blade is no china doll; at the outermost of the neck's curve, it is 5mm thick (while modern Austrian "grass" blades are 3mm).

Whew! That was a lot of writing just to describe the second cheapest blade we sell...

#1 - These blades are leftover inventory from Green River Tools (the company founded by David Tresemer). Made in the late 1970s by BTSU of Germany, the workmanship is first class and fully on par with #10. This one has a slightly thicker and thereby stronger body with factory prepared bevel.

#2 - Classical Iranian blade pattern. Made in Austria in 1983. We recommend these light blades for sensible folks (with less brawn than brain) and for children. (Our farm's working scythes are equipped primarily with blades of this weight per length.)

#3 - Made in Germany for the Belgian market more than 40 years ago. Read also the descriptions for #19 and #30.

#4 - Close to age and quality of #16, this is still a bargain in now non-existent workmanship. Its tang (acutely tilted toward the point) does not make it a good match to the common snath models as they are. However, should you retrofit them -- or for a homemade snath of any style, albeit one with ergonomically placed grips -- this tilted tang feature is excellent.

#5 - Sold out.

Forged approximately a decade later in the same factory as the "Green River" blade (#1) and of a similar "Bavarian pattern". The 65cm is a little wider than the other two and a little older (i. e. more carefully made).

#9 - Sold out. A stiff blade which should not buckle when a less sensible mower runs it into a clump of mature goldenrod stems. An excellent value.

10 - Underneath the pretty fairy-tale label is an example of now-obsolete workmanship. (The caption in German reads, "Jokele, you go on ahead. You have the best blade.") Although this could be said of many blades in our present selection, in some cases it is more so than others...
By the early to mid 1980s the world's best scythe blades were very likely forged in one of two factories. This meticulously-finished batch from the same period was made in one of them. Although those hammers stopped moving 20 years ago, in careful hands these blades should last a mower's lifetime and a half...

#11 - These were made in the late 1970s for Argentina, where they served as the general-purpose blade. According to the somewhat arbitrary classification of blade types presently used (an issue we address here), this fits somewhere in the "ditch" category. For the economically-oriented mower, these blades are a bargain.

#12 - Sold out.

#13 - For similar purposes as #12, with slightly more weight and length. The steeper tang is more suited to taller people and/or straight snaths.

#14 - Sold out

#15 - Sold out

#16 - Sold out.

#17 - Sold out.

#18 - From our present listing this is probably the most abuse-tolerant blade. We could call it a hefty "grass" blade (because you can peen its edge thin enough to cut a lawn) or a "ditch" blade (because most ditches can be cleaned up with it) or even a "bush" blade (because, given good technique, green saplings of most woody species can be cut without damaging it).

#19 - Sold out.
This is a blade for serious work. Its extra strong neck (thicker than that of contemporary Austrian bush blades) and back was made to reduce flexion under the strain of thick and heavy forage stands in regions of high fertility. The thickness of the body is not excessive (so it would not contribute unnecessarily to the overall weight). However, the edge had been prepared in the factory for the cutting of succulent rather than woody material. The bevel is extra wide, tapering to a very thin profile -- precisely the shape desired by competition mowers or, for that matter, the cutting of dense lawns. But while for lawn work, longer blades have decided advantages, there is no need to swing one of this weight (#2 listing is all the overall strength lawn cutting requires).
Thus this blade is recommended for heavy stands (irrigated alfalfa, red clover, Johnson grass and vigorous cereals of high stem density) -- but not one containing woody plants -- unless you first file away the 1-2 mm of the very edge (which would be a shame, because what this North German enterprise managed in quality edge-making 40 yrs. ago is difficult to achieve by the hand of even an experienced person).

#20 - Sold out.

# 21 - We wish we could offer these (especially in the "B" version which is older) in every length from 55 to 90 cm because they represent about as ideal a weight/length/strength relationship as any scythe blade. But we can't; made from 30 to 40 years ago, these are the last of them to be had...forever.

#22 - Previously we had another nice blade (now listed as #100 in the Italian blades section) in this place. This trio of light short blades might look too delicate for cutting the odd sapling and various weeds in tight places but that exactly was their application 50 years ago. However, we consider them to be too special to be recommended for insensitive hands. Made by Sonnleithner of Austria in the early 1960s -- the era of superb workmanship.

#23 - Made in 1979 for Spain. (Tang is stamped with Spanish inches which are longer i.e. 20" = 53cm) The 16" is a slightly heavier model. Fine example of Austrian workmanship of that era.

#24 - Sold out.

#25 - A trimming blade with a rather highly elevated Alpine-style point. Product of South Germany's industry of mid to late 1960s, an era of still superb workmanship. Appropriately strong neck and back but with a thinner body than #12 or #27 and thus not recommended for rough hands.

#26

#27 - Sold out.

#28 - Sold out.

#29 - Sold out.

#30 - In contrast to the only other 75cm blade we presently offer (#2 - which is about as light as a scythe blade could be made today), this one is as strong in the back and neck as a 75cm ever needs to be.
Whatever is explained about blade #19, in principle applies to this blade (as well as #3 and #29); all are the product of the same enterprise during approximately the same period. All are very strong but come with edges initially not well suited for cutting of fibrous material.

#31 - Stronger than necessary for what would probably be considered an average scythe task -- but within the category evidently popular by the average user on this continent today.

#35 - A French model made by Schroekenfux (Austria) in 1982.

#36 - A slight variation of #35, a little older and with its point somewhat more elevated.