Scythes were used with a long sweeping movement which made them much less tiring for labourers to use than reaping hooks or sickles though they still involved great physical labour and considerable skill to perfect. Both hands were in use and the operator did not have to bend his back to reach down to the crop. Scythes were not used as often on farms after the mechanisation of harvesting. They were still used for cutting awkward shaped small plots and for opening a path for the tractors. This item is an example of a tool used by the early settlers of the Orbost district.A curved iron blade with one sharp edge. It is attached to a curved hollow handle with two extensions on one side where the scythe can be held by two hands.scythe agriculture tool

Scythes were used to manually mow wheat or grass. Scythes were used with a long sweeping movement which made them much less tiring for labourers to use than reaping hooks or sickles though they still involved great physical labour and considerable skill to perfect. Both hands were in use and the operator did not have to bend his back to reach down to the crop. On farms scythes were sharpened on a sandstone wheel mounted on an axle with a crank handle on one side. This was hand powered and used with water. Scythes were not used as often on farms after the mechanisation of harvesting. They were still used for cutting awkward shaped small plots and for opening a path for the tractors. This item is an example of a tool used by the early settlers of the Orbost district. An iron scythe blade, curved and tapered. There is no handle and the blade is rusted and pitted."ROSE"scythe tool agriculture rural

1. Scythe - Agricultural hand-tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops.Horse drawn machinery and tractors replaced the scythe. The scythe with the metal rod may have been fitted later, replacing a wooden rod. 2. Fern Hook - Used for slashing or reaping plants 3. Long handled sickle - A traditional single handed agricultural tool with a curved metal blade and handle. Used for harvesting. 4. Mattock - Heavy duty hand tool featuring a long handle and a stout dual-headed metal blade used in many ways eg. digging 5. Pitch Fork - An agricultural tool used to pitch loose material such as hay or leaves. 6. Pick Axe - A tool used to break and pry at the pointed end and the axe end for hoeing, skimming and chopping through roots.Douglas used these tools 70-80 years ago (1950s) mainly on his family's farm at Dandongadale near Buffalo River for harvesting as well as clearing land. Some may have been used on a family property at Whorouly as well and at the Dederang family properties from 1964. At Dederang the family had a tobacco farm and a dairy farm - (now 4 properties). Douglas Petzke had a soldier settlement farm in Dederang. Property was 'Woodside' about 1 km south east of the Dederang store. Douglad had 100 acres on each of the top and bottom sides. The bottom side was the dairy farm and the top side was beside House Creek. The farm totalled more than 200 acres. Douglas left Dederang c 2000 and now (2026) lives at Baranduda.1. Scythes x2 - Long wooden and one is metal curved rod with offset handles and a curved 600 mm long steel blade projecting from one end 2. Fern Hooks x2 - Wooden handle with curved steel blade attached at one end 3. Long-handled Sickles x2 - Both have wooden handles one of which is made from a branch of a 'tree' hence the curve. The blade is curved metal 4. Mattock - A long wooden handle with a dual-headed metal blade 5. Pitch Fork - A long wooden handle with three curved metal prongs attached at one end 6. Pick Axe - A wooden handle with a T-shaped metal attachment fixed perpendicularly to one end. The metal has a pointed end on one side of its head and a broad flat blade on the other side. Fern Hook - "116-319 1250 forge steel" Mattock - "783 4 1/2 (half) lbs" "oomatty". On the other side "LTD" and "AM"farm tools, deans family, douglas petzke, dederang

A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery. A scythe consists of a wooden shaft and a long, curved blade is mounted at the lower end, perpendicular. Scythes always have the blade projecting from the left side when in use. Mowing is done by holding the handle , with the arms straight, the blade parallel to the ground and very close to it, and the body twisted to the right. The body is then twisted steadily to the left, moving the scythe blade along its length in a long arc from right to left, ending in front of the mower, thus depositing the cut grass to the left. Mowing proceeds with a steady rhythm, stopping at frequent intervals to sharpen the blade. The correct technique has a slicing action on the grass, cutting a narrow strip with each stroke Mowing grass is easier when it is damp, and so hay-making traditionally began at dawn and often stopped early, the heat of the day being spent raking and carting the hay cut on previous daysEarly settlers and market gardeners used these scythes as they established their farms in Moorabbin Shire c1880A large metal scythe with a wooden handle x 2early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners, moorabbin, bentleigh, brighton, cheltenham, tools, blacksmiths

Used as an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops. It is historically used to cut down or reap edible grains, before the process of threshing. Replaced by horse drawn and then tractor machinery. Used by the early farmers in the Kiewa Valley.The steel blade is curved with a pointy end. It is attached to a long, slim wooden shaft with a slight S curve. It has 2 handles, one about half way along the shaft and another near the top both at right angles to the shaft. This results in the handles being on slightly different planes and makes it comfortable for the user when working. scythe, hand tool, mowing, harvesting

Scythes were used with a long sweeping movement which made them much less tiring for labourers to use than reaping hooks or sickles though they still involved great physical labour and considerable skill to perfect. Both hands were in use and the operator did not have to bend his back to reach down to the crop. Scythes were not used as often on farms after the mechanisation of harvesting. They were still used for cutting awkward shaped small plots and for opening a path for the tractors. This item is an example of a tool used by the early settlers of the Orbost district. A curved wooden scythe handle with two nailed grips attached with metal rings. There is no blade. There is a metal hook at the bottom.scythe agricultural tool farming

Scythe Blade. Remains of two yellow paper labels. One label contains 'Trade Mark W.A. TYZACK & CO LTD. SHEFFIELD' The other contains 'PATENT UNBREAKABLE POINTED SCYTHE' This scythe has an advantage over any other scythe, as The Point cannot be broken in stony or rough ground' An embossed stamp on The scythe has the words 'W. A. TYZACK & Co. Ltd. Stella Works, Sheffield.agricultural implements, farming

Scythe Handle. Wooden Scythe Handle approximately 200cm long and 3cm in diameter.farming, scythe, agriculture

A Scythe was one of the most important of all agricultural hand tools, consisting of a curved blade fitted at an angle to a long, curved handle and used for cutting grain. In modern scythes the handle has a projecting peg that is grasped by one hand, facilitating control of the swinging motion by which grass and grain are cut. The exact origin of the scythe is unknown, but it was little used in the ancient world. It came into wide use only with agricultural developments of the Carolingian era (8th century AD) in Europe, when the harvesting and storing of hay became important to support livestock through winters. Scythes can still be found in use today by hobby farmers and permaculturists. ( producing food, by using ways that do not deplete the earth's natural resources) to cut grass in a more eco-friendly way as opposed to using a machine.A hand tool used for the cutting of crops and grain, modern versions are still being produced today in Europe. The subject item gives us a snapshot into agricultural practices in times past.Scythe with long wood Snath (curved handle) with 1 hand holding piece & curved blade. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Used in the 19th century.A handmade steel wide toothed hay rake head with 14 teeth attached to a wooden top made by Wandin Sebire. There are two large holes where a handle would be attached. It was used to rake hay into heaps after scything in the 19th century. rakes, tools, hay rakes, agricultural tools, agricultural equipment

Used in the 19th and early 20th century.A metal scythe with a long curved wooden handle to manoeuvre the blades. There are also two shorter wooden handles or 'nibs' fitted at an angle to suit the user attached to the main handle by a metal ring. It has two curved pointed cutting blades which are attached by nuts and bolts to the handle.agricultural tools, scythes, cutting tools, agricultural equipment