Allen Oxford scythe.

I need a bit of help to set up one of these.
I bought an Allen scythe, (4stroke version) last year in usable condition and have just got round to trying it out on a real plantation of brambles.
My question is with the cutter bar being driven from it's middle the brambles simply clog up over the middle while the wheels trap it, and it all gets in a tangle where you have a job to reverse out of it.
I have seen a photo of one with the cutter bar being driven from one end which could be the answer ?
I would like to hear from anyone who has tried this before I have a go, because it means grinding off the rivets on the driving mechanism and re riveting them on the bar end. Chris.

Allens sold left or right cutters as an optional extra, but they were proven to break the casting of the machine where the fixing holes are with all the extra stress put to one side or the other!
Karl.

www.johnallenofoxford.webs.com

EarlBathurst wrote:Allens sold left or right  cutters as an optional extra, but they were proven to break the casting of the machine where the fixing holes are with all the extra stress put to one side or the other!
Karl.

www.johnallenofoxford.webs.com

Hi Karl, thanks for the link. I didn't know there is an Allen site. I have registered and am waiting to be allowed to use it.
Thanks for the info, perhaps I will just have to learn how to use it properly as it is, although it has a deafening knock which needs looking at??
I remember one of these beasts in 1956 at my prep school where a senior boy about (!2 or 13) used to cut the docks around the games field !!!
My one is a 4 stroke No 120147 with a Villers Mark C 25.15.01 But doesn't mean a lot to me. Chris.

Think you'll find the Allen Scythe isn't made for cutting brambles, regardless of what you use about the only thing that will deal with brambles is a flail mower as they will smash them to bits whereas an Allen will cut and tangle...

Probably not the answer you really wanted to hear, but your scythe is the wrong tool for the job.

Villiers wrote:Think you'll find the Allen Scythe isn't made for cutting brambles, regardless of what you use about the only thing that will deal with brambles is a flail mower as they will smash them to bits whereas an Allen will cut and tangle...

Probably not the answer you really wanted to hear, but your scythe is the wrong tool for the job.

UUMM, No Karl, i can see that now. I thought I would have problems when I first tried it out. Tangle is the word with brambles. I can now see that only stuff that has long stems that will fall down flat under the wheels is suitable for the scythe.
What would do it is a self powered flail towed behind my ride on mower or a walk behind one with the cutter in front... Perhaps I just look out one..or get the old reaper's scythe out and a rake. (Too old for that)
Thanks. Chris.

You can get them with front mounted mower and engine on the back or use a strummer with a brushcutter head, that tends to chop it up some as you go. Another plan is some serious weedkiller and spray the buggers off....

Graveley made a front mounted flail mower. For some reason (my guess might be cost), they were/are not very common, so are hard to find (in NZ). I've only seen two, and one of those is mine. They also need a lot of power to drive them if they are cutting much, so work better on the later "L" with more power(>7 hp). They make a great job of lawn mowing though, (ie even, no scalping, very little clippings).