Hello Mutineers! If you’ve followed us here on the website or on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, you know that I like to share the things we actually use around Mutiny Ranch. Since our interests are diverse these items range from animal care to gardening implements but also footwear and kitchen gadgets. No matter what the item is though if we recommend it here then we personally own and use it or have researched it enough to have it on our “wishlist”.
The Mutiny Ranch Item of the Day for 5/25/2021 is the Folding Scythe Grass Saw Pruner Trimmer. Obviously, this tool comes from overseas (I believe Turkey) and the translated description is somewhat scattered. I read about this tool after listening to a podcast about permaculture. I have some stubborn grasses and patches of alfalfa that are too tough to pull up and I had been seeking a solution for a while. This tool seems to fit the bill.
Do you ever find that you have a patch of thick grasses or woody-type weeds with deep roots that make it nearly impossible to remove? Or maybe you have things popping up in cracks and corners where weedwhackers would do more damage than good. Or perhaps you’re growing a cover crop that’s now too tall to mow down and you want to just “chop and drop” the plant material. You need to check out this handy little scythe.
I’ve been working on my garden area for a few years now. I’ve never tilled it up and each year I try to lay down more cardboard, straw, compost, and old leaves to build up the soil and stifle the weeds. But there are still plenty of places where grasses and alfalfa and bindweed continue to show up. Some of those plants are just too freakin’ tough to pull up.
In the past, I’ve resorted to garden shears to cut the weeds down to a manageable level but it’s a chore. No matter how sharp the blades the shears never seem to do a good job and it takes so much hand strength that I often need to take breaks and my right hand and forearm ache the next day.
After testing out this handy scythe I finally have a solution to these issues.
The blade is serrated and extremely sharp. The handle is some kind of dry, untreated wood but it fits nicely in my hand. It has no safety mechanisms…it simply flips open and closed…so it’s probably not the kind of tool you want laying around if you’re concerned about kids (or anyone else you don’t think can operate it safely). It’s meant to be used as a saw…by simply grabbing in one hand the thing you want to cut and using the blade (facing away from you) to swipe or saw the stem(s).
I’ve heard these called Turkish harvesting and pruning knives and seen them recommended for grape harvesting as well as for cutting rice stalks. I’ve used it to cut sunflower stems, thin cottonwood and elm branches for fodder, clumping grass patches, asparagus, and alfalfa…so far. It works like a dream. And I feel a little badass.
Handheld tools are essential in my garden and farm life. The fact that this scythe folds up and can be carried in a pocket or (safely) in a basket is a big plus for me. The cutting action is clean and fast making most jobs kinda fun…and if not fun then rewarding. But do be careful…this thing is very, very, very sharp. And, since the wooden handle is raw wood you might not want to leave it out in the elements…or you might consider staining and sealing it if that’s your thing.
Here’s a little video I posted to Instagram showing how it works. You can also get an idea of the size. BTW, if you’re not following us on Instagram you should be because I post a lot of videos that aren’t shared on other platforms!
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