Reel mowers

[Patman]

Does anyone here use a reel mower? (AKA push mower, or "human powered mower")

I bought a Scott's 18" classic reel mower yesterday and I love it! I previously had a cordless electric mower that had the battery die on me (after only mowing the last about six times, and the customer service from the manufacturer was useless) and I couldn't find a new one (Home Depot is the only one who carries it and it's on back order) hence the switch to a mower that I know is never going to run out of power (unless I'm too wiped out to push it around!)

I didn't know this when I bought it, but it turns out that these old fashioned mowers are actually better for your lawn! The cutting action they do is more of a clean scissor cut, while other lawn mowers pull and tear at your grass and often burn it (especially if you cut it real low) With the reel mowers you can cut it nice and low if you like and it won't brown the grass.

It isn't as hard to push around as people think, you definitely work up a bit more of a sweat, but a little exercise is always a good thing!

The sound that it makes as you're moving along the lawn is pretty cool too, and if I want to mow my lawn at 6am on a Sunday I won't wake up the neighbors!

I'm actually looking forward to the next time my lawn needs cutting! I plan on cutting it quite often actually, as it's better to cut small amounts of grass at a time anyhow, and it'll also be easier to cut if the grass isn't super long. I'll probably cut my lawn every 3 or 4 days from now on (I have a small lawn that takes no more than 20 minutes tops)

So for those of you that are using these, do you have any tips or tricks you want to share? I've heard that instead of using WD40 to keep it lubricated that some people use vegetable oil instead, that way they are keeping things even more "natural" and not dripping chemicals onto the lawn as well.

 

[GumbyJarvis]

Originally Posted By: Patman


The sound that it makes as you're moving along the lawn is pretty cool too, and if I want to mow my lawn at 6am on a Sunday I won't wake up the neighbors!

Wheres the fun in that? I hate my neighbors, well, some of them, so nothing like cranking up the old Craftsman on the day people THINK theyre gonna sleep in (Saturday) and all of a sudden you look over and have a poed neighbor yelling with her curlers on

 

[anonobomber]

I have one that I use on occasion. I wipe the blades down with a 50/50 mix of kerosene and whatever extra motor oil I have on hand to keep rust away from the cutting edges. I've had it a few years now and the blades are still good as new.

 

[scurvy]

We had one for many years until it was stolen. The only really annoying thing about a reel mower is that if the grass is too tall, it simply pushes the grass over and doesn't cut it - once you cut the grass, it requires frequent mowing in order to still be mowable.

 

[bluestream]

My father was in Landscaping business for many years, and he swore by the reel (power) mowers as they left a clean cut of the grass. They lost favor as they were expenses and more expensive to maintain over a rotary mower. As mentioned, don't let the grass get too long...

 

[Smokescreen]

Most of the tricks you already mentioned. They are awesome simple machines. Reel mowers are way better for lawn health. Mow often and cut no more than 1/3 of the total grass blade length at a time. Grass seemed to grow faster with a reel mower, thicker fuller looking too.

I only sold mine because my lawn more than quadrupled in size when I moved and it would've taken me forever. I even had a rear bagger attachment. Vegetable oil is a great idea, its works well. I never had to sharpen the blade after at least 5 yrs.

 

[vossman]

I have a Scott's 20" and love it as well. I have used WD40, RemOil and a multi-purpose oil from Ace Hardware with Cerflon in it. Of the three, I liked the RemOil best. It seems to evaporate and not attract dust like the other two. It also seems to give the best and longest lasting lubrication (reel seems to spin easier longer) I would think vegetable oil would make a sticky mess IMHO. I am going to try to find a moly dry lube and try that next. I spray a line along the rigid cutterbar and spin the reel backwards to lube the cutting edges. Let me know if you find a product you like!

 

[UNC094]

just watch the small sticks(limbs) in the yard, I always have to scan the yard before using ours....keeps from going over the handle bars

 

[vossman]

Originally Posted By: BR549
just watch the small sticks(limbs) in the yard, I always have to scan the yard before using ours....keeps from going over the handle bars

+1

 

[Mamala Bay]

Reel mowers with sharp blades will have less stress on the grass versus a sharp rotary blade. Rotary mowers are made to cut grass in large areas where quality cuts aren't needed such as baseball fields but also it's faster and easier versus blades in large areas. For a full thick lawn try mowing in different direction say north to south but also east to west and different angles. Reason grass tend to grow in the direction of the sun, by cutting in different angles this will create a cleaner sharper cut on the grass resulting in less stress on the grass.

 

[TallPaul]

Years ago I bought a reel mower thinking I would get exercise. Well I got plenty of exercise bending over and unjamming it every 5 or 10 feet. Every time you run over a twig it jams. I think reel mowers are made for golf courses or lawns that don't have trees. I use an electric rotary now and it works fine.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Years ago I bought a reel mower thinking I would get exercise. Well I got plenty of exercise bending over and unjamming it every 5 or 10 feet. Every time you run over a twig it jams. I think reel mowers are made for golf courses or lawns that don't have trees. I use an electric rotary now and it works fine.


Depending on the lawn itself one needs to decide which mower would best fit it's need. Raking twigs may take some time or possibly use a blower before hand to clear of debris.

Depends how one value things.

 

[Boczech]

I've used one for about six years and don't mind the exercise. I am looking to upgrade to a Fisker's in the near future and retire the Craftsman model that I bought new. I quit using synthetic fertilizers about the same time I bought my reel mower and started using natural stuff.

Good Luck
Bo

 

[Merkava_4]

I use a reel mower, but it's not human powered...

 

[abycat]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I use a reel mower, but it's not human powered...

Thats one pimped mower!..

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: vossman
I have a Scott's 20" and love it as well. I have used WD40, RemOil and a multi-purpose oil from Ace Hardware with Cerflon in it. Of the three, I liked the RemOil best. It seems to evaporate and not attract dust like the other two. It also seems to give the best and longest lasting lubrication (reel seems to spin easier longer) I would think vegetable oil would make a sticky mess IMHO. I am going to try to find a moly dry lube and try that next. I spray a line along the rigid cutterbar and spin the reel backwards to lube the cutting edges. Let me know if you find a product you like!


What about one of those cooking sprays like Pam? Or olive oil? I'd love to use a food based lubricant if possible!

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: BR549
just watch the small sticks(limbs) in the yard, I always have to scan the yard before using ours....keeps from going over the handle bars

There are no trees on my property at all, so there is never any twigs or other obstacles like that to get in the way. My lawn is almost perfectly flat too, so it's quite the breeze to mow.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

They're nice if you have a little postage stamp sized urban patch of grass. For those of us who measure our yards in acres-not so much.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: GumbyJarvis
Wheres the fun in that? I hate my neighbors, well, some of them, so nothing like cranking up the old Craftsman on the day people THINK theyre gonna sleep in (Saturday) and all of a sudden you look over and have a poed neighbor yelling with her curlers on

I have a neighbor like that. She and her rotten kids and their friends think nothing of carrying on and making all kinds of racket well past Midnight( sometimes until 3-4AM - music, hollering, doors slamming, cars racing up and down the road, etc... )night after night. Drives me NUTS! What is almost funny( not to me but perhaps others )is if I go out to mow( I won't do it before 8AM - to me that is reasonable )early in the AM when it is cooler( only time I can do it due to health issues related to heat from my MS )she comes out hollering and screaming about how rude and inconsiderate I am. If that isn't the kettle calling the pot black I don't know what is. I finally told her the next time she had a late party or came out screaming at me I was going to mow ANND weedwhack at 7AM. Miserable cow...

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Years ago I bought a reel mower thinking I would get exercise. Well I got plenty of exercise bending over and unjamming it every 5 or 10 feet. Every time you run over a twig it jams.
Yep, I've wanted one for a while and picked up an OLD Yard-Man by Craftsman 18" model from an old lady at a garage sale for $5. Sharpened it up, set it to it's highest setting, and mowed around my garden and back garage with it. Meh, it makes a mess of the clippings, it jams like INSTANT STOP when it grabs a twig, and it pushes over tall rye grass. Oh well, for $5 it is a nice conversation piece. My lawn is one of the best in the neighborhood, rotary's can't be all that bad...