[AT] Corn Binding/Hay

[George Willer]

That mower section knife is like the one we used we used to cut the twine as
the bundles were fed into the shredder after we became modernized with a
binder, tractor, and corn shredder.

When the corn was cut by hand it was with a straight knife somewhat like 
I still use for some chores around the yard.  It was a straight blade with
no curve like a machete has.

George Willer

> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-
> bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Steve W.
> Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 5:50 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Corn Binding/Hay
> 
> And if you want the home made version take an old hoe handle and saw a
> slot on one end long enough to install a sickle bar section. Install the
> section with it at an angle. I drilled the holes for mounting so that
> one hole is close to each edge of the handle. You could also use a chunk
> of heavy wall conduit as the handle. To use just slide the handle down
> the stalk till you hit the ground and give it a sharp yank up/back to
> cut the stalk.
> 
> Larry D Goss wrote:
> > If you can find one, John, use a bona fide corn knife for the job of
> hand
> > cutting rather than the machete-style knives that dealers are selling
> > nowadays.  It makes all the difference in the world.  You may have to
> haunt
> > a bunch of antique shops to find one, but a real corn knife looks kind
> of
> > like either a miniature scythe or a hand sickle on steroids.  The
> forward
> > side of the knife is serrated and you don't have to swing it to make it
> > work.  You just put the knife down low (close to the root ball) and pull
> > toward you at an angle.  It slices off the stalk clean as a whistle.
> You
> > know that it's time to sharpen the knife when you start pulling the root
> > balls out of the ground.
> >
> > Larry
> >
> 
> --
> Steve W.
> Near Cooperstown, New York
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