Relative e-Bay Fairy

Apparently bonobo chimps are our closest relatives. Not sure about you, but my brother and my kids are my closest genetic relatives, and none of them look even vaguely like a bonobo.

Look what the e-Bay Fairy found for me.

A genuine English scythe with a steam-bent, ash snath and a reasonably solid bramble blade - only £30 from the other side of Cirencester. Chap who sold it wasn't aware of its true worth and got a bit of a shock when I told him.

The handles were a bit loose and the bolts had seized, but a bit of judicious force and they came free. A touch of oil of the threads and a nip here and there was enough to have them as good as new. The bolts on the clamp that keeps the handles in place is reverse thread due to the way your hand rotates when scything - it took me a bit to worth that out. Then a quick blade change to the 3 foot blade that belonged to Hay's great-uncle Sid.

Et voila! It works perfectly - the attack angle is just right.  I also have 2 spare blades now of varying lengths.

Tested it and I must have the meanest scythe in the area and can start entering competitions. Might paint a go-faster stripe down the blade, or a flame motif. Could go the whole hog and strap a pair of stereo speakers to the snath.

Digging through a box of old ironmongery brought Hay's great-uncle Sid's cigar stone to light too - bottom left in the photo - so the blade and cigar stone have been reunited.

No more scythe posts - I promise.