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How to Sharpen a Scythe with a File
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Jan 25, 2024
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View Video Transcript
0:00
So this video is all about sharpening a side
0:04
This is aside here. I actually bought it new in a hardware store a number of years ago
0:09
So it's not an antique, strictly speaking, but you'd use it to cut down grain and to cut
0:14
grass and hay and things like that by hand when you don't have any machines
0:18
But in order for this to work, it has to be sharpened properly. The good news is that it's not difficult to sharpen a side, even though it might look like
0:26
it has to be one big, long razor blade. not really that critical how you go about things. I do all my sharpening with this a flat file
0:35
This is the size I use. It's got a handle on it, so it's easy to use. Now, the object is, before I get into it
0:43
the object is to sharpen one side and then repeat the process on the other. Now, the good news here
0:53
is that this blade is extremely thin. I mean, it's thin enough that it's
0:59
that it's flexible. It's really quite a remarkable kind of steel to be able to do this
1:04
And because it's so thin, it's fairly easy to get a sharp edge on it
1:11
And one reason I like the file is because it doesn't just create a sharp edge
1:17
it creates a serrated edge, microscopically serrated, which makes it chew into the grass and
1:24
and grain better. So if you look very closely here, You can see some of the marks left by the file
1:33
I have started to sharpen this and I going to continue but that the marks that it leaves And like I said it kind of like a microscopic little saw that helps to grab the things that you cutting
1:47
So for the backside, what you want to do is you want to have the file angled
1:51
just steeply enough so that it actually brings this edge to a sharp point
1:59
So that would be wrong because you can see the bottom of the blade here is a little bit curved
2:05
If I had the file like this, I wouldn't actually even be touching the cutting edge, which is what I want
2:12
So when I file, I'm always watching this edge. Is it getting shinier at the edge
2:20
I mean, it wouldn't be any good at all if I did it up here, because that's just rubbing away that material there
2:26
I'm not interested in that. But just steep enough that it contacts the leading edge of the blade
2:35
on the bottom. And notice how I'm lifting the file a little bit on the back there
2:44
because a file like this only cuts going forward. So if you just rub back and forth
2:49
then you're unnecessarily dulling the file. So it's a pushing forward and then slightly lifting up
3:04
I should mention too that if If you do this frequently, so you don't let the blade get too dull, then it's a lot easier to keep it up than if you let it get really dull
3:14
And in a minute I going to be showing you how to preserve this blade in the off season so that rust doesn get to it But that essentially just how to do the back And that what I like to start with Now the front is a little bit different
3:31
All sides have a rigid back like this. This is turned up and it gives the blade some strength
3:41
But this also happens to be a great thing for helping you to determine the angle of the file
3:49
So the file should be at an angle at it. It just barely touches this back spine here
3:55
And then the file touches the edge. And then you work your way around like that
3:59
Now, you're going to have to do all this sharpening out in the field. You won't have a bench to hold the scythe in
4:06
So it's good to know how to do it without those sorts of aids
4:10
The backside's easy enough. But here on the front side, putting it down on the ground and stepping on it
4:19
Makes for a good starting point. And it also lets you gauge the angle of the file quite well
4:26
So once again, I'm just pushing it
4:36
I'm cutting on the push stroke only. And that's about it
4:51
So how often should you do sharpening? Well, as soon as you detect that the side isn't slicing through the stalks easily
5:00
when it starts bending things over then that high time to do some sharpening So eventually you get to know what a sharp edge feels like with your thumb and but until then you might just want to try the paper
5:13
test if you slide a piece of paper over the bay they cut it quite handling the serrated edge and it grabs the
5:25
paper and slices it well just like it would grass or hay one of the important
5:31
things to do is to oil the blade before you put it away. And I like to use linseed oil for this
5:37
That's kind of surprising because it's normally considered to be a wood finish, but linseed oil is
5:42
an oxidizing oil, which means that it reacts with the oxygen in the air to form a kind of a clear
5:50
hard film. So it's a great way to seal the blade, and it's completely non-toxic, and it hardens
5:59
so it protects without remaining oily. If your side has a wood in handle, not all of them do
6:07
the lens seed oil is a great protection for that wood. You don't need to do this too often once a year or so
6:15
We'll do the job. Keep it in good shape. One other thing before I finish up
6:21
if you want to keep your files good and you should, because they're expensive and you want to get all you can of them
6:26
make a leather case for them, because a file gets duller banging around in a toolbox than it does even being used
6:35
So simple hunk of leather like this. This comes from half a cow's worth of leather I bought
6:41
and I use it for all kinds of sheets and covers and protection like this
6:45
And it works really well
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