Sickle Haircut, Liang Qi, Dong Village, China

The blade of a sickle is often cranked 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The sickle was largely superseded by the scythe, which is a more efficient tool in use for many purposes, as it continues to be in use in many parts of the world. 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 shaft, 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. It was a critical tool that was used to facilitate early agriculture.