I love my scythe! The blade is in between grass cutting and wacking down really tough brush. I find it doesn't seem to work too well on just plain grass but on weeds it chops them down faster than anything else. I used something that was advertised to be a "non-gas weedwacker" that was sold in the local hardware store. Didn't do a blessed thing, which is why I ended up with a scythe - that and the fact that the scythe will take down blackberry canes fast whereas anything else I used didn't do the job including a gas weedwacker. I did have something that was an old sickle but it turned out to be more for decoration even after I attempted to sharpen it. All that back bending did not do my back any favors either and so I abandoned it. I've also used a linoleum knife to cut out weeds down to the ground. It's very very sharp and can get into tight places other tools can't.

I love my scythe, too! I now have a few different sized blades which are suitable for many different jobs. I have a shorter, stouter "ditch" blade which works great for half inch diameters brambles and stalks. A mid-length blade for lighter, woody stems, trimming the lawn, and a much longer blade for cutting hay. If you have the "Austrian" style blade and snath like I do, it is crucial to learn how to peen and hone your blade's edge based on mowing conditions, for the best possible (and efficient) results. This takes LOTS of practice and some pretty specialized tools... but it is worth the overwhelming satisfaction of a close-cut, sweet mowing job while enjoying the benefits of a low-impact, whole body effort!! The effort is easy and peaceful and should not cause pain, exhaustion, or stress your animals out due to ridiculous noise. If you consider the "American" pattern blade and snath, they are heavier duty, but require a good hollow bevel produced by a wet grinder. Not everyone has one of these. There's no reason to not own a kama, either. Have you looked at billhooks? I, too, am looking at kamas for smaller clean up tasks around foundations and places where my scythe blade can quite catch an edge.

I've got a sickle that I found in the trash on a bike ride 25 years ago, years before my first house.

I've used it to cut back tall weeds and small willows by the pond behind our house. I like that it is quiet and takes a little skill to use. I can be a little more careful in what I cut instead of just blasting everything with the weedeater. It works well on Canada Thistle and small black locusts as well.

Well sharpened, it is a joy to use.

That sickle with the serrated edges will be hard to sharpen yourself. A non-serrated blade would be much easier in that respect.