Japanese Garden

Using a Japanese Sickle



A Japanese sickle, or Kama, is an excellent tool for cutting grass in tight areas, chopping down cover crops, and harvesting plants such as comfrey, nettle, lemon balm, and mint, to name a few.

In many instances, it is much faster than using a pair of pruners.

An added bonus: It’s easy to maintain and requires no fuel.

It’s perfect for mixed, perennial orchards as you’ll see in the video.

I’ll show you some different ways to use one and offer a few tips and tricks along the way.

You can find out more about our sickles here:

https://www.thetoolmerchants.com/store/garden-tools/japanese-sickle/

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34 Comments

  1. I can't believe you are not wearing blade/cut proof gloves AND that your kid seems to be using a sickle, too! I hope you all have good health insurance!

  2. It’s not a sickle, it’s a scythe. Scythes have long arcing blades, even short hand held variants have the same blade shape. Sickles are C shaped blades.

  3. Super sweet photo bomber in the background!
    I borrowed what I thought was going to be a scythe from a neighbor, but it was more like a long handled sickle. It was OLD and not very sharp, but I made it work. Thanks for your video!

  4. What happens when the child falls and the sickle goes in to his throat, eyes or chest?

  5. Really like the idea of this blade but was totally distracted by the small child looking and showing off at the camera instead of what he was doing with such a potentially dangerous tool!!!!

  6. For precise cutting with a kama, cut at the base, moving the arm from the from the outside-inward while holding or bracing the top of the plant. For general cutting, always cut away from you (inside-outward). This protects you from accidental cuts, as well as moves cut plant material away from you as opposed to gathering it in front of you.
    Also, one would never have used a kama or other sickle to carry plant matter. It would have been moved by hand, bundled, and carried with sai or a staff across the shoulders.

  7. Anyone that uses a sickle is a bloody idiot…. They have sythes for a reason, and it's not like ppl have never seen them b4. The grim reaper has one for Fuck sake!!!!!!

  8. I found the kid in the background quite reassuring. I'd been wondering if I could handle a sickle safely. If a 9-year-old can use one, I'm probably fine. Appreciated 🙂

  9. ok so I have old an new vines all along my fence and was wondering if this would better than an electric hedge trimmer weight wise for longer periods of work. Be in mind that some of these vines are thick and dry so they've hardened a good amount.

  10. Hah, I should have watched your video before I tried using one today. Just chopped my offhand knuckle off, as I was stupidly holding the bunches of grass while cutting.

  11. I do not think your comfrey is benefited by comfrey mulch, as you point out the plant gets most of its nutrients from a deep taproot. It does not have those lattice roots going out along the ground.

  12. great video but your kid was worrying me and then threw the scythe.. i hope it wasn't sharp >< heh

  13. And when u use this stool u dont make steak with insects.
    We can easily imagine insects fall of the top of grass 👌👌
    Very accurate in a new garden when biodiversity beginn too grow up

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