Scythemen during Poland's January 1863 Uprising
For much of history, frenzied hordes of rebellious peasants baying for the blood of their rulers would arm themselves with whatever weapons they could lay their hands on, which would usually be farming tools converted for battle.
The war scythe is an improvised version of the standard farming scythe which was an agriculture tool used for cutting grass or reaping crops. The long wooden handle contained a curved vicious looking blade which could not only cut through crops but also human flesh. During wars and peasant uprisings, farmers who could not afford expensive fighting equipment, would convert this useful farming tool into a weapon designed for one job, to kill.
Typical War Scythe
The blade of the scythe would be rotated so that it pointed upwards like a spear, creating a weapon that was far more effective at stabbing the enemy as well as defending against cavalry charges. The final product was cheap, quick to modify, widely available, and extremely effective. It gave it’s wielder a long attacking range, and it could also be used to cut as well as stab, with documented examples of the scythe cutting through metal helmets. In fact the threat posed by these weapons was so great that, during the Austrian peasants war in 1626, any blacksmith found to be converting agriculture tools to weapons was punished with death.
With the weapons unusual but clearly deadly appearance, the sight of thousands of angry peasants armed with the converted blades would have no doubt had a psychological impact on the enemy. The prospect of being hacked to pieces by the frenzied attacks of enraged farmers, using sometimes rusty and dirty blades, would have no doubt sent a chill down the spine of anyone ordered to fight them.