Restoring and Sharpening an Old Grass Hook Sickle

Hey everyone, I decided to clean up and sharpen the grass hook I picked up at a garage sale. I'm probably going to be using this quite a bit, though I'm not sure if I'm using it right. If you have any tips on using a grass hook or hand sickle, please let me know!
Thanks for watching and enjoy!
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Nicholas Tomihama
P.O. Box 354
Camas, WA 98607

[@aflyingtulip]

Previously, I never would have thought that I would find restoring old tools interesting. After watching your videos, I have to say that I am hooked. No pun intended. Thanks, Nick! Keep them coming!

[@troutfisher7182]

Grass hooks are one of my favorite tools, yours turned out beautifully!

[@imonittonite]

The best tool I've found to sharpen mine is a small, round, chain saw file. I file away from the edge, rather than into it. I believe it gives a better edge. I found mine in an abandoned shed. It is identical to the one in the video. I never thought about removing the years of patina. I look at the handle and think of all the hand that held it in order to give it it's special look. I look at the worn rustic looking blade, and wonder about the grass and weeds it cut, and the aching backs of the users. If I bought a brand new hand scythe, having never seen one, thoughts would not occur to me.

[@carolinesuemagruderraybin3490]

I'm going to use a pair of leather gloves before doing anything with my Razorback grass hook! Thanks for this video!

[@maxdecphoenix]

It should cut easier by adding more of a slash or slicing motion. You're grabbing the vegetation and dragging the blade toward you trying to plow the blades, you need to be moving more across the body or flicking your wrist. It's a shearing cut, not a chop.

[@57WillysCJ]

Old tools can have a lot of life left in them for the person that cares.

[@nicholastomihama1943]

They do! Thanks for watching!

[@mungandadattatreyulu3513]

కాటూరు కొడవలితయారు

[@paultroiani255]

gotta love old tools! Great work!!!

[@nicholastomihama1943]

Yes, definitely! Thanks!

[@user-ri7bm8mw7i]

great video nick,i can always learn something from seeing you work ;)

[@nicholastomihama1943]

Thanks! Glad you like my videos!

[@rasnac]

It is interesting to see you sharpen the sickle with a file like a knife. In my homeland I saw farmers sharpening sickles by hammering the edge on a small anvil with a ball-peen hammer. It becomes as thin and as sharp as a razor.

[@nicholastomihama1943]

That's one of the main differences between American sickles and the rest of the world. Most sickles are made of softer steel and are peened to refresh and thin the edge and then honed with a stone. Many American sickles are hardened or have hardened edges, so peening can actually break them or crack the edge. When an American sickle or scythe blade gets dull, it's edge is ground thin and kept sharp with a file or stones. Sometimes both are used.

[@rasnac]

Nicholas Tomihama Thank you for explaining :)

[@CSGraves]

I have a European style sickle and scythe, and I tried peening the latter on a specialized anvil, but I found it to be very tricky. So now I just use a grinder and honing belt/strops on them.

[@Kaufeetimevideo]

Yea, I remember those. Go have fun with it! Used them extensively long before weedwackers. Remember they are dangerous they can cut your ankles and feet so wear tall leather work boots. Keep up with the great videos. Enjoy life

[@zechariahhall2620]

Really cool to see you doing restoration videos so far i have done 4 no heat bow and 4 heat bow's keep up the great work

[@zechariahhall2620]

here a video of a type of axe restoration

[@nicholastomihama1943]

Thanks for watching! That's a nice little bow you made, looking forward to seeing more.

[@joshuatheawesome9440]

I feel like rounder glasses would really compliment your face shape.

[@nickwalton8864]

Great video. Question. When you sharpen the blade, is one side flat and the other angled or are both angled? Thanks

[@nickwalton8864]

Thank you. Will put her right tomorrow 👍🏻

[@solfeinberg437]

It's doing the job at 3:25 or so, but I'm not super happy with the way it cuts? Can it be sharper? Also, how do you hold the angle when sharpening? It's done without any sort of guide, right? I have a scythe and there's an edge on the back of the blade that you rest the stone against so you don't have to use any judgement or control - it just rests there and against the blade to hold a constant edge. I'm asking because I'm thinking of buying a grass sickle but want to see what a sharpening kit costs and whether I could use it easily.

[@forkshootertb96]

Nice job looks good!

[@nicolasbrient3208]

super nice job

[@nicholastomihama1943]

Thanks!

[@anneza5]

Love seeing old tools refurbished. How about getting a grinding stone?

[@nicholastomihama1943]

Thanks! I used to have a nice water-cooled grindstone, need to find another.

[@thepotterer3726]

You really need to get yourself a 'hook stick' to keep your left hand safe - about 3ft long and as thick as a broom handle with a pencil size branch coming off the end about 4-6" long. You use it to lift the grass before cutting it, I usually cut mine from any bit of Ash that's in the hedgerow.

[@maxdecphoenix]

The Potterer before I got my scythe, I used to use one to pair with a machete to clear cut thickets of saplings. Found a video of a Mexican landscaper with a machete in one hand and a crook stick in the other. Hook behind saplings or brambles, then flick the machete down the stick to get a nice clean cut low to the ground on flimsier vegetation. Like a make shift by pass shears. Faster than using lopping shears, if there's a lot of stuff to cut, but leaves higher stubble. Both slower than a brush scythe.

[@solfeinberg437]

What would that wire brush do to your hand at around 1:15, if it brushed your hand instead of the sickle?

[@hueyrotorhead]

Sol Feinberg been there done that he will learn the hard way, wear gloves and save blood.

[@scarcieiani5763]

If the voice actor for wreck it Ralph ever does mate you got yourself an audition bro

[@jacobb2661]

I have one that looks exactly like that one (pre-storation) once I find it I think I'm going to bring the old gal back to life as well

[@nicholastomihama1943]

Sounds good! There's something that feels right about putting old tools back to work.

[@alimohamedalremeithi5562]

Why dont you use a wool disk to make super shiney

[@onegreenev]

Hacking vs cutting. Please sharpen the tool. Sharp tools are safer than dull ones. That should slice effortlessly.

[@Africa1000]

I routinely use a hand scythe. I thought that although the restoration job was good. The scythe was not particularly sharp. Maybe because of his technique, I don't know but a really sharp scythe should have cut much more cleanly.

[@Bill23799]

Wow Nick......so this is what they used before the invention of the powered Weed Wacker.

[@PandaKnivesRo]

Cool stuff! ;)

[@nicholastomihama1943]

Thank you!

[@TJSWOODWORKINGSHOP]

I subscribe to your 2nd channel my friend good work bro :)

[@nicholastomihama1943]

Thanks for the support!

[@TJSWOODWORKINGSHOP]

Did you subscribe to my channel my brother? :)

[@Sergei_kv82]

a true restoration would include a paintjob

[@winstondayrit2550]

its dull as hell , you need to sharpen it properly bro