Sickle: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

All Topics

Sickle

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

	Sickle
	Home Discussion Definition
	Topics Sickle Topic Home A sickle is a curved, hand-held agricultural toolTool A tool or device is a piece of equipment that provides a mechanical advantage in accomplishing a physical task.... typically used for harvesting grainCereal Cereal crops are mostly grasses cultivated for their edible grains or seeds .... crop or cutting grass for hayHay Hay is dried grass or legumes cut and used for animal feed.... . The inside of the curve is sharp, so that the user can draw or swing the blade against the base of the crop, catching it in the curve and slicing it at the same time. The material to be cut may be held in a bunch in the other hand (for example when reapingReaper The reaper was a horse-drawn farm implement invented in 1831 and patented by Cyrus McCormick in 1834 to cut small grain crop... ), held in place by a wooden stick, or left free. When held in a bunch, the sickle action is towards the user (left to right for a right-handed user), but when used free the sickle is usually swung the opposite way. Different types may be referred to as a grasshook, swap hook, rip-hook, reaping hook, brishing hook or bagging hook. The blade of a sickle is often crankCrank Crank may refer to:As a technical term:... ed to one side, to make it easier to keep the blade closer to the ground; this makes it right- or (more rarely) left-handed. Sickles used for reaping are usually serrated. The sickle was largely superseded by the scytheScythe Overview A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing and reaping grass or crops.... , which is more comfortable and efficient to use for many purposes, but it continues in use in many parts of the world, and for certain uses where a scythe is not convenient. The most noticeable difference between a sickle and a scythe is the length of the handle – a sickle is a one-handed tool with a short handle, used while bending down to the ground, while a scythe is a two-handed tool, used standing up, with a long, often curved haft, and a much longer blade. A blade which is used regularly to cut the silica-rich stems of cereal crops acquires a characteristic sickle-gloss, or wear pattern. When this pattern appears on ancient stone tools, it can indicate early use or development of agricultural use. In Greek myths, the sickle was used as a weapon by CronusCronus Cronus , also called Cronos or Kronos, was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine... and PerseusPerseus Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas, the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty there, was the first o... . Additional uses The sickle is used as part of the well known symbol of the hammer and sickleHammer and sickle The hammer and sickle is a symbol used to represent communism and communist political parties.... , which is the symbol of Communism or Revolutionary Socialism. The sickle represents the agricultural working class or peasantry in this symbol. Sickle is a fictional unitUnits of measurement The definition, agreement and practical use of units of measurement have played a crucial role in human endeavour from early... of money in the Harry Potter seriesMoney in Harry Potter In the Harry Potter series of novels by J.... . SS-25 Sickle is the NATO reporting nameNATO reporting name NATO reporting names are code names for Soviet and Chinese military equipment.... for the RT-2PM TopolRT-2PM Topol The RT-2PM Topol is a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile designed in the Soviet Union and in service with Russia's St... intercontinental ballistic missileIntercontinental ballistic missile An intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, is a very long-range ballistic missile typically designed for nuclear... . TacitusTacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus is one of the important historians of Roman Antiquity.... reports that golden sickles were used in DruidDruid In Celtic polytheism the word druid denotes the priestly class in ancient Celtic societies, which existed through much of We... ic rituals. See also Hammer and sickleHammer and sickle The hammer and sickle is a symbol used to represent communism and communist political parties.... ScytheScythe A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing and reaping grass or crops.... Sickle-sword KamaKama (weapon) are Okinawan and Chinese weapons that resemble traditional farming devices similar to a small scythe or a sickle.... Sickle probe