There’s more than one way to cut a lawn and probably many more ways to cut grass without a lawn mower than you ever realized. One of these lawn mower alternatives is the scythe, which is a very old-school lawn care tool that dates back to 500 BC, and is very simplistic in terms of its design when compared to the modern lawn mower. But there is a growing number of people that are returning to this traditional tool to take care of their lawns. It works, so why not.
Comparing the lawn mower vs scythe, they both have a blade that cuts grass, but that’s where the similarity ends. Most lawn mowers are motorized (with the exception of reel mowers), while scythes rely on you to drive the blade. Mowers can collect clippings, while scythes will leave clippings deposited on the lawn.
I’m going to continue to compare and contrast how lawn mowers and scythes function and talk about a few factors you might want to consider if you’re not sure which is the right tool for your yard.
Lawn Mower vs Scythe: Key Factors to Consider
This is not like choosing between a gas mower and an electric mower. “Lawn mower or scythe” is like choosing to travel by car or by bicycle. If you’re debating which option to choose, I’d recommend you consider the following aspects of handling your lawn care with these tools:
Motorized vs Hand Powered
With a lawn mower, you have the option of choosing a motorized model, which obviously significantly reduces your own physical input into the cutting process. Your job will be simply to guide your mower around your lawn, and the mower will take care of the cutting for you.
But there’s no such thing as a motorized scythe. The thought of one is actually quite scary! Cutting grass with a scythe is much more physically involved than it is with most lawn mowers, and this has to be something that you think about before you decide to buy a scythe vs lawn mower.
Are you physically capable and willing to cut your lawn with a scythe? Definitely a factor you don’t want to overlook.
Environmental Considerations
Human activity is moving back towards older pre-industrial solutions whenever it’s possible for one simple reason – it’s a lot better for the environment. A gas lawn mower causes significant pollution, and even though emission regulations are now stricter than ever before, the fact is that they still pollute. And even electric and battery-powered mowers will increase your carbon footprint.
So if you’re really intent on not contaminating the planet when you mow, you either need to buy a reel mower or a scythe. Both of these options use your energy rather than a fuel source to power them, so have the lowest environmental impact.
Convenience
There’s no doubt about it that for most people, a lawn mower is far more convenient. Your technique is not going to have a big impact on your ability to mow your lawn, like it is with a scythe. Virtually anyone can take a mower out of their garage or shed, roll it out onto the lawn, power it up and push. It’s really very simple.
This is a factor in the lawn mower vs scythe debate that has a lot of people leaning toward the first option. You see with a scythe you need to use the right technique, otherwise not only will the results be poor, but it’ll take you forever too.
Time It Takes
This follows on from the point of convenience that we just discussed. Generally speaking, cutting with a scythe will take you quite a bit longer – at least until you master the technique. If your lawn is relatively small, the difference might not be too drastic. But over larger areas, you’re talking about a considerable difference between using a scythe vs a self-propel or ride-on lawn mower.
How big is your lawn? Are you willing to spend the extra time that is going to be required to keep it in check with a scythe? I promise I’m not trying to put you off – I just want you to be fully aware of the implication of both options.
Dealing with Clippings
This is something that will also increase the time it takes to handle your lawn care duties. With a lawn mower, you have several different options with regard to what you do with the clippings. You can bag them as you go or mulch them and leave them on your lawn (if you’re using a mulching blade). You can also discharge them and collect them up afterward with a rake.
With a scythe, you only have that last option. As you cut the grass, the clippings will be left behind, and you’ll need to go back and collect these all up at the end. And that can take quite a bit of extra time.
Maintenance
The maintenance requirements of a lawn mower obviously depend quite considerably on the type of mower that you opt for. Reel mowers need very little maintenance (cleaning, blade sharpening and occasionally oiling), while gas and battery-powered mowers are more involved. Storing gas, changing oil, proper charging and storage of batteries, etc. There’s just more to think about with many lawn mower models vs the humble scythe.
A scythe will need even less maintenance than the reel mower. All you really have to occupy yourself with is making sure that the blade is kept sharp. A scythe’s efficiency is totally reliant on that. But that’s really the only maintenance consideration. There is something to be said for simplicity!
Durability
They often say that the more complicated a product is, the more that can go wrong. When you look at a scythe, it’s clear that there’s really not much that can go wrong. If the blade is properly maintained, the only other problem that you could potentially run into is splinters forming on the handles. And even that’s an easy fix.
Lawn mowers by comparison – again with the exception of reel mowers – are far more complicated in design, and I don’t think I’d be incorrect in saying that the average lifespan of a lawn mower would be very short compared to that of a scythe. Many of the cheaper units just aren’t built to last. So whereas a scythe is essentially a “tool for life” you’ll almost certainly be replacing your lawn mower every few years.
Safety
If you have small children or lots of pets running around your yard, the safety aspect of whether you should choose a lawn mower or a scythe might be important to you. I think it’s important to stress that both of these tools can be potentially dangerous for young children if they’re left unsupervised with them. Likewise, both of these tools can be very safe if you as the operator know what you’re doing and have complete control of the tool.
Having said all of this, I know a few folks that have experimented with both options and felt safer with a lawn mower. There are some mowers that have the blades exposed – cylinder mowers for example – but the vast majority of lawn mowers have a design whereby the blade sits underneath a cutting deck and remains concealed while the mower is in use.
A scythe however requires the blade to be exposed at all times. I just see that as a slightly higher risk.
Storage
That’s no doubt about it that a scythe is the winner here. The amount of storage space they occupy is minimal, so it’s great if you’re pushed for space.
Some lawn mowers fold up pretty neatly to minimize the storage footprint, but they still occupy a lot more space than a scythe. Unless it’s a reel mower, which can often be hung up on the wall.
Lawn Mower vs Scythe: Summing It Up
I’m happy with my mower, although I am a sucker for “old-fashioned” ways of living and doing things, so I do like the idea of cutting grass with a scythe. But if I was really undecided between the two, the following is a quick snapshot of how I’d weigh this decision up:
- Lawn mowers are more convenient and will allow you to get the job done faster
- Lawn mowers take up more storage space than scythes
- Scythes are a great, affordable option for smaller lawns
- For larger lawns using a scythe would be a lot of work
- There’s more that can go wrong with a lawn mower
- The learning curve with a scythe is steeper – proper technique is key
- Lawn mowers require more maintenance than scythes
- Scythes are more environmentally friendly
- Using a scythe with small kids around could be too dangerous
There are probably other factors that you could consider, but for me, these are the main ones. You need to go through them and decide what works for you. Just because a mower is my preference, doesn’t mean a scythe might not be a great solution for your needs.
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