One of our favourite primitive tools is a hay knife that belonged and was used by Annie's father. As a young man her father owned and lived on a small farm in Northern Ontario in the 1930s and used the hay knife on his farm. It is hung in our country home as a reminder of how our parents lives were so different from ours and how they had to work their farm without the use of automated equipment.
We have come across another identical hay fork here on the Island so are pleased to offer it in our store. Wikipedia explains how these knives were used on farms -
"A hay knife is an agricultural hand tool: a long-bladed knife which may have large rounded serrations on the edge, or a smooth edge used for sawing off sections at the end of a stack hotsell or compact pile of hay or silage.
Hay knives are needed as loose hay or silage becomes compacted within a stack: to remove it a hay knife is used to make a vertical cut so that sections can be removed easily as the intertwined stalks are cut. The offset handle allows the user to work down a face. Once one section has been removed the worker starts again at the top creating another section to be removed."
Sawing hay with this kind of knife is not something many people would have heard about. This hay knife measures 33" long and has two wooden handles - the blade has large rounded serrations on the edge and the tip is sharp to cut through the hay.
A great primitive piece to add to your farmhouse decor!
The last photo is the hay knife we have displayed in our home.
Product code: Primitive Cast Iron Hay hotsell Mow Knife with offset handles