Scythe Works Compact Snath Design
Once I decided to set on the scythe mission to Asia, the straight, one-grip snath was a natural choice. This design was and still is traditionally used in Eastern Europe and anywhere further East. The fit is more forgiving and it has a good control over the horizontal balance which is a great feature when used with a grain cradle. Also, it is easy to reproduce.
For the traveling purposes, when I first went for the scythe project in Nepal 2012, I designed this compact snath. It fits into the check-in luggage and it is quick to assemble.
The two halves of the one-grip snath are coupled by a piece of 1-1/4″ copper pipe, with a bolt holding each half in place. Attached to the removable grip is a hanger bolt which passes through both halves of the snath (note the diagonal joint) and secures the grip to the pipe.
The grip can be attached to any of the three holes, making the snath adjustable to the user’s height; and the orientation of the grip can be changed to make it suitable for right-handed and left-handed users (with the appropriate blade, of course).
In the photo below, I demonstrate the use of this scythe to cut wheat, using the SW grain cradle designed.
In Nepal, we give step-by-step instructions and left behind necessary tools for making the ‘home-made’ snaths
In 2016, the same snath was used in demonstrations in the scythe project in India and the scythe was well received, thanks to our co-organizers.
When they decided to make the scythe available for Indian farmers, several snath designs were taking into consideration and tested in the field. Even though home-made wild-wood snath is an alternative available to farmers for free, it is not practical for a widespread introduction in the region, where the tool is totally unknown. The two-piece SW snath was chosen for a couple of reasons; it is easier and more economical to source the short pieces of wood locally, and it is also much easier and cheaper to ship shorter parts in the package.
Using the piece of the metal pipe for joining the two wooden pieces together required more precision making sure that all holes properly aligned. This is is not an issue when making a prototype but it needs to be taken into consideration for production on a larger scale. Therefore 2017 we switched from the pipe to the “U” channel, which simplified the production as well as the assembly. The shoulders of the “U” channel are protruding slightly to prevent the grip from twisting. Also, it is easier to cut the bottom of the grip straight, rather than scribing it to the round pipe.
For the traveling purposes, when I first went for the scythe project in Nepal 2012, I designed this compact snath. It fits into the check-in luggage and it is quick to assemble.
The two halves of the one-grip snath are coupled by a piece of 1-1/4″ copper pipe, with a bolt holding each half in place. Attached to the removable grip is a hanger bolt which passes through both halves of the snath (note the diagonal joint) and secures the grip to the pipe.
The grip can be attached to any of the three holes, making the snath adjustable to the user’s height; and the orientation of the grip can be changed to make it suitable for right-handed and left-handed users (with the appropriate blade, of course).
In the photo below, I demonstrate the use of this scythe to cut wheat, using the SW grain cradle designed.
In Nepal, we give step-by-step instructions and left behind necessary tools for making the ‘home-made’ snaths
In 2016, the same snath was used in demonstrations in the scythe project in India and the scythe was well received, thanks to our co-organizers.
When they decided to make the scythe available for Indian farmers, several snath designs were taking into consideration and tested in the field. Even though home-made wild-wood snath is an alternative available to farmers for free, it is not practical for a widespread introduction in the region, where the tool is totally unknown. The two-piece SW snath was chosen for a couple of reasons; it is easier and more economical to source the short pieces of wood locally, and it is also much easier and cheaper to ship shorter parts in the package.
Using the piece of the metal pipe for joining the two wooden pieces together required more precision making sure that all holes properly aligned. This is is not an issue when making a prototype but it needs to be taken into consideration for production on a larger scale. Therefore 2017 we switched from the pipe to the “U” channel, which simplified the production as well as the assembly. The shoulders of the “U” channel are protruding slightly to prevent the grip from twisting. Also, it is easier to cut the bottom of the grip straight, rather than scribing it to the round pipe.