Russian Snaths

The production company for ‘Anna Karenina’ have decided they want 30 extras for the mowing scene with Levin. At the beginning of the week I was commissioned to make the straight Russian-style snaths for everyone. Since time is short and I’m away next week, I set off to collect the poles straight away.
For the snaths to work well, it has to fit to both the mower and the blade. As I work through the pile of poles I rotate each one in my hands to choose the best orientation. The bottom of the pole is shaved to fit the blade clamp and also to match with the tang angle. With wild wood like this, each snath will be unique and it’s an interesting process to make the most of the natural kinks and curves.
Once the blade end is complete, I’ll carve a handgrip and fit it at the correct point for each person when I have their measurements, to make an individually-fitted and bespoke snath. Perfect for Russian peasants!