Brief description

A hand-held agricultural tool with a curved blade typically used for harvesting grain crops or cutting forage for livestock. It allows for the efficient manual reaping of cereals and grasses.

Use / Function

• Primary use: Harvesting cereals (wheat, barley, rye) by cutting the stalks.
• Secondary uses: Clearing brush, cutting grass for fodder, and as a rudimentary weapon.
• Scale: Domestic and small-scale farming.

Operating principle

• Mechanical Cutting: The curved blade concentrates the force of the pull towards the user, slicing through multiple stalks of grain gathered in the other hand.
• Ergonomics: The curve allows the user to cut stalks close to the ground while maintaining a comfortable wrist angle.

How to create it

1. Flint Sickle (Primitive)

• Level: Basic.
• Structure: A curved piece of wood or bone with a groove carved along the inner edge.
• Blade: Small, sharp flakes of Flint or obsidian are inserted into the groove and secured with Resin or Glue.

2. Metal Sickle (Standard)

• Level: Intermediate.
• Blade: A curved blade forged from Iron or Steel. The inner edge is sharpened.
• Handle: A wooden grip attached to the tang of the blade.
• Sharpening: The edge is maintained using a Grinding Wheel or a whetstone.

Materials needed

• Blade: Iron, Steel, or Flint.
• Handle: Wood.
• Adhesive: Resin or Glue (for microlith blades).
• Tools: Forge, Hammer, Anvil.

Variants and improvements

• Serrated Sickle: Features small teeth along the edge, which “saws” through stalks, staying sharp longer than a smooth edge when cutting dry grain.
• Scythe: A larger, two-handed version with a long handle (snath) used for mowing grass or reaping while standing upright.

Limits and risks

• Labor Intensive: Requires bending over for long periods, leading to back strain.
• Safety: The sharp inner curve can easily cause deep cuts to the user’s hands or legs if it slips.
• Efficiency: Limited by the reach of the user’s arm; replaced by mechanical reapers and combines for large-scale agriculture.