Baymule
Herd Master
Do you like the straight shaft versus the curved shaft?
Bought a scythe!
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BaBaaHMonica
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OOOh yet another thread for me to gather answers! Among the many boxes in Dad's barn is a huge scythe & I am most certain it is antique. It has a beautiful swoosh to the wood and the metal has long been rusty, but I know he used it within the last 10 years. Would it be better I wonder to just buy a new one and keep the old one as one of his treasures? He was a very frugal and thrifty man and it was quite rare for him to buy anything new, I think he would like it if some of his things were still being used. I will have to keep clearing out more of the barn so i can reach it, but it is definitely something to treasure.
Baymule
Herd Master
Count your blessings! How fortunate you are to have a barn containing your fathers things. I have a few of my fathers tools and I treasure them. A scythe! Post pictures when you find it!
I will have to keep clearing out more of the barn so i can reach it, but it is definitely something to treasure.
Cotton*wood
Loving the herd life
They only make straight shafts if you're shorter than something (I don't remember what, but I'm definitely under that height.). You send in your measurements--from the ground to your hip, the length of your forearms, and something else--so that they can make the snath fit you perfectly. The taller one (with the bent shaft) that came with the farm was for someone who just happened to be the right dimensions for the HIS scythe.
Cotton*wood
Loving the herd life
I would be so tempted to clean it up, and see if it works for you. Tools should be USED, and what better legacy than to have a good tool that used to belong to him. It's probably better made than anything you could get today (though the scythes from Scythe Supply in Maine seem to be extremely well made).
I will have to keep clearing out more of the barn so i can reach it, but it is definitely something to treasure.
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secuono
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Started sharpening it, then a quick progress test.
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Naval Jelly removed rust from metal fast. Apply it and get most of the rust off then probably a small wire rotary brush head in your power drill would take off the rest of the rust. Next just get it sharpened and Voila! If you just want to hang it on the wall instead, I would clean it up, lightly sand the shaft, and apply clear Varathane to the blade and shaft both to keep it from weathering or rusting again. Eventually rust will eat right through the metal so removing the rust is a good thing whatever you do with it. I have a curved shaft scythe I bought in an antique store and 2 sickles that Daddy picked up somewhere and gave to me. The sickles are packed in storage somewhere and I will get them out when we move to TX.
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Replying to my post?
Mine I bought to use, rusted over winter.
What oil can I spray on it to prevent rust when sitting for long periods of time??
Ridgetop
Herd Master
I would think any kind of mechanical oil would work. Oil the blades and wrap them in a greasy cloth for the winter? Similar to what gardeners do with their tools when putting them away for the winter.
Margali
Herd Master
Different kind of sharp object- My mom and I used the silicon impregnanted rifle sleeves from Cabelas to keep our swords from rusting.
