[Homestead] Tools for homesteading

Clansgian at wmconnect.com Clansgian at wmconnect.com
Sun Mar 2 11:55:25 EST 2008



> For a practical tool avoid an old, antique American scythe- its a  
> different animal from a European scythe.  A European-style scythe is  
> a truly wonderful thing

Right.  The main difference is that the American scythes are stamped steel 
and the European types are damasked steel, that is, a soft layer and a hard 
layer are annealed together, often several layers.  The hard layer can take a 
razor keen edge and the soft layers can be reworked without heating the blade.  
That is, if the American type blade gets a nick, there's little you can do.  But 
if the European blade gets one, you peen the steel back out even with the 
rest of the blade and it's as good as new.   The ability to peen (flatten out and 
draw out) the metal allows you to rework the entire edge from time to time so 
that the metal is very thin and takes a much sharper edge.

For a brush blade, ditch blade, or short blade to replace the string trimmer, 
I would use an old drop forged or stamped blade until I got the area very 
free from debris and large stems.  Then I'd use a short damasked blade.  

James   </HTML>


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