The Scythe Shop
Elsdon's Lane
Simon Fairlie (Scythes), Monkton Wyld Court, Charmouth, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6DQ, UK.
01297 561359
Profile:
I import Schröckenfux hand-forged scythe blades into the UK, direct from the factory in Austria where they have been made since 1540. Austrian scythe blades are recognized around the world as being of the highest quality -- which is why I import them and not cheap imitations. They are lighter, nimbler, more elegantly formed and easier for the novice to sharpen -- yet no more expensive than traditional English scythes. I also import other equipment you might need to make up a complete scythe kit: snaths (handles), sharpening stones and peening equipment. And I sell copies of The Scythe Book, by David Tresemer, with an addendum by Peter Vido. These products are described on other pages of this site. There is a revival of scything in the UK. Scything summer growth by hand is usually quicker than using a strimmer, and there is no noise, vibration or pollution. Mowing an acre of grass with a scythe is probably less hassle than maintaining and using a motor scythe. Once you have learnt how to sharpen and use an Austrian scythe properly, mowing a meadow by hand becomes a joy, rather than a struggle. Scything with a good tool relaxes the mind and attunes the body. As Levin says to his brother after a day's mowing, in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina : "You can't imagine what an effectual remedy it is for every sort of foolishness."