Engineless lawnmore..............

[WoodMann]

Hey folks. I got this lawnmower at a garage sale, the one with no engine that the blades are rotated by the wheels as you push it along. Anyways- the blades are dull and rusted, anyone have any pointers on how to sharpen them? Thanks.............

 

[Redox]

My grandmother used to have one of those! Since they are coming back in vogue, this is a good question! As I recall, it had to be sharpened by a professional to be worth a damn. It's apparently tricky to keep the blade symmetrical. I seem to recall a particular hardware store that did it, but I'm sure they are long gone...

Chris

 

[myzamboni]

We call them a reel mower and, as Redox stated, you want it sharpened by a pro.

 

[savageactor7]

Yeah reel mowers are what they use at golf courses...the rotating blades are perfectly square when sharpened correctly and the flat stationary blade at the bottom is sharpened at an angle. The flat blade on the bottom once sharpened has to be ever so carefully moved forward just barely touching the rotating square blades. Its what they call bench work.

It's not hard once you know how...maybe you can google the proper procedure? Believe it or not grass cut with a reel mower is greener...dull blades on power movers rip grass off but it looks cut. If you were to looks at the cut tops carefully you'd see stringy strands that give it a frosty look instead of a clean cut of the reel mover...problem is reel mowers don't cut for jack when they're dull...well fact is you just can't push 'em cause the grass gets jammed in there.

 

[flyingcow]

Yeah reel mowers are what they use at golf courses...the rotating blades are perfectly square when sharpened correctly and the flat stationary blade at the bottom is sharpened at an angle. The flat blade on the bottom once sharpened has to be ever so carefully moved forward just barely touching the rotating square blades. Its what they call bench work.

It's not hard once you know how...maybe you can google the proper procedure? Believe it or not grass cut with a reel mower is greener...dull blades on power movers rip grass off but it looks cut. If you were to looks at the cut tops carefully you'd see stringy strands that give it a frosty look instead of a clean cut of the reel mover...problem is reel mowers don't cut for jack when they're dull.

He's on to something....go to your local golf course, they either sharpen them or know someone that does

 

[savageactor7]

I used to have the greatest part time job at a golf course taking care of the golf carts.

Every now and then I had to go to the green keepers barn to fill up an air tank or get 2 cycle motor oil. Sometimes I catch one of the assistant green keepers sharpening the gang reels and they'd say hey bob come check this out (for the upteeth time) I'd watch 'em cut paper by moving the the blades through the cutter...they would very proud of their sharpening prowess. And of course I'd give my 'Holy cow that's really sharp' response.

Boy those were good times.

 

[Jay H]

As mentioned already, they are called reel mowers, they are good for consistent and often cutting of lawns, not for the type who let their lawns grow to jungle proportions then mow. I looked into one when I bought my house with only a 1/3 acre total property but then I fall into the jungle lawn type and decided it probably wouldn't work well for me.

There are some recommended brands out there whos mowers rival that of cheap gas mowers in price. I don't remember them now though.

Jay

 

[WoodMann]

Thanks guys- I did some Googling around and didn't find anything so I thought I'd ask. Guess I'll google some more, or take up golfing..............

 

[Redox]

Thanks guys- I did some Googling around and didn't find anything so I thought I'd ask. Guess I'll google some more, or take up golfing..............

I have The Google for my e-mail client tied to this board. I was just given this sponsored link based on the thread title:

http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/reel_mower_landing.htm?gclid=CPLkof6mxZQCFQNfFQodok6_Ew

I usually resist clicking on these links, but I thought I'd pass it on. At least it's something...

Chris

 

[BrotherBart]

(broken link removed)

and

http://www.ehow.com/how_118251_sharpen-push-mower.html

 

[WoodMann]

Bingo! Thatnks Bart, that second link illuminated everything.............

 

[WoodMann]

BTW- where do I get this compound..................

 

[savageactor7]

Woodman here's a video of a reel mower being sharpened. I was watching charkarms new Dolmar saw when I saw this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuslPeOdCvc&feature=related

 

[WoodMann]

THanks Savage. Just for kicks yestderday I went at it with a file a little bit on the reel blades..............