Take on reel push mower

[acer66]

I need to get a mower for a smaller area of my property which I so far have used a weed wacker
but now I am looking for alternatives.
First thought was a battery powered, I already have a few ryobi 40v tools and gas powered is not an option for me,
push mower but I now I like the idea of a push reel mower because of the lower price, simple design and the workout factor.

Problem I see is that the lawn area is more on the rugged side and has some tough grass.

Any thoughts?

Thank you.

 

[Citation]

They **** if your yard isn't well manicured. They are great if they are kept sharp and your grass is well, well manicured.
I recall the graduation of using one for a year. After mowing the yard didn't look nicely cut but I was exhausted. Very happy to switch to a cheap gas mower.

 

[gunguy]

My experience with reel push mowers is that you really have to stay on top of cutting. I would cut at least twice a week. If the grass gets too long, it becomes a real bear.

Jim

 

[MoonShiner]

I just bought one this weekend. My new house has bermuda sod. I couldn't cut it low enough with my gas mower without scalping. I decided to give the reel mower a shot. I went with the more expensive Fiskar one. It is a workout for sure. I have an issue with mulch washing into the lawn from the flower beds. All it takes is a small piece to jam the blades. The first use really sucked but I'll keep with it. Hopefully it will be better once I get it down to an inch or so high and keep the mulch out.

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[tez929rr]

We have one I used to use when we owned a suburban home. The problem was that the tallest adjustment was still awfully low to the ground. You would have had to have the grass super short all the time. It’s nice mowing without engine noise and it’s a great workout.

 

[Jazz1]

They work great on a golf green which is why folks give away reel mowers. Unless your lawn is rolled and manicured they don't work worth a ****.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I know three first time home owners who bought reel mowers because they liked the idea of the "workout". None of them were used more than once...

Tommy

 

[acer66]

I know three first time home owners who bought reel mowers because they liked the idea of the "workout". None of them were used more than once...

Tommy

I am unlike any other person.

Sounds like I should be able to pick one up used for cheap.

 

[acer66]

They work great on a golf green which is why folks give away reel mowers. Unless your lawn is rolled and manicured they don't work worth a ****.

Might have to do some landscaping first then.

 

[redidbull]

My Dad used one forever. I never saw the point when power mowers are cheap, easier, and do a better job. I think that the battery ones are the way to go if you have a small to moderate area. They have come a long way. Jim

 

[Kaizen]

I sold a bunch to mostly save the earth types. Once they used it most came back and they got a small gas mower. Just not worth the effort.


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[acer66]

I will see if I can borrow one from a friend before making a decision.

 

[pcmeiners]

If you get a reel mower, wait till it gets in the 90s, then you will know the meaning "it *****"

 

[Denwood]

If you google the words “sharpen fiskars” you’ll end up with the video I shot..ha.

I really like the Fiskars reel mower...and have used it a lot over the last few years. Yes, long grass is a bear, and for doing areas of my back lane (neighbors) that are overgrown, I still pull out my corded electric for the first cut, or to mulch leaves in the fall. I refuse to buy anything with a carburetor (aside from the snowblower) as they are just one more thing to maintain.

Why I like the reel mower:

1. It’s quiet and once out of the shed goes straight to work.
2. I can push as fast as I like...generally much faster than a powered mower.
3. It’s not much (if any) more work than the electric.
4. The footprint is smaller than the corded.
5. My kids can be left with it with pretty much zero worry.

We have a shaded yard, (70x150) with grass that is never watered or fertilized...it’s 100% au natural.

My only irritation is the odd wild flower that springs up 4” taller than the grass. I just tilt the mower back and hit it again. I’ve been wracking my brain for a few years to figure a reel mower solution for this.

It’s important to have it properly adjusted to cut efficiently while reducing blade drag.

 

[BillK]

When I was a kid we used to spend the summers in the Boston area with our grandparents. That is the only mower they ever had and it worked great but like others have said the lawn needs to be in pretty decent condition. I don't remember if there was any type of height adjustment but it did cut pretty short.

I say go for it

 

[acer66]

One of my friends has one so I will give it a go in a day or so.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Just how small is the smaller area? My brother lived in the city. His"yard" was 2 sections. Each about 20'x20'. The reel mower worked well.

 

[Bighead38]

Ryobi reel mower

https://toolcraze.net/ryobi-18v-35cm-cylinder-mower-orm1800/

 

[sdeeter19555]

Just how small is the smaller area? My brother lived in the city. His"yard" was 2 sections. Each about 20'x20'. The reel mower worked well.

When we lived in town we bought a Fisker's because the yard was so small. The gas would go bad in a normal mower before you used a full tank mowing that yard...a quart a gas would last a summer.

Reel mowers do have a place...I wouldn't want to mow much with one, but they are pretty much maintenance free.

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[acer66]

Just how small is the smaller area? My brother lived in the city. His"yard" was 2 sections. Each about 20'x20'. The reel mower worked well.

Should be around that size if even, I will see how it fares against the already taller grass
and I could not care less if the grass is not all the same height afterwards.

 

[Jazz1]

Should be around that size if even, I will see how it fares against the already taller grass
and I could not care less if the grass is not all the same height afterwards.

Your blade sharpening kit, which you will buy eventually explains how to sharpen blades and what distance bar should be from blades.

 

[Dzlpete]

Nothing cuts as well as a properly tuned and sharpened reel mower.
Obviously they take more energy to use, but if sharp and tuned, it should be no worse than the average push mower, but without the fumes and noise.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

Where are you in North Carolina? I'm in Virginia and have a nice new one never used you can have! Wife bought it a few years ago thinking she could cut her parents yard while getting exercise.[emoji16]
I say never used...it was used maybe six feet.[emoji23]
A reel mower does a beautiful job...but with five mowers, we're in our 60s, I'd rather see someone have it!

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[madmaint]

Make sure you don't hit any dog doo. might want to wear a face shield

 

[KEH]

A reel push mower was the first mower my family had. I was in my early teens so guess who got to use the mower. Prior to the mower we dug grass out of the yard and swept the yard with brushbrooms(made by cutting small tree tops and tying them together in a small 3 or 4 inch bundle). The push mower would cut small fine stemmed grass only. Creeping Fescue which would grow in shade was an example. Some weeds and grass would grow a tall seed head and, as others said, would not cut easily and would clog up the reel. I was very happy when we got a gas rotary mower. They did make a gas powered reel push mower which was too expensive and would not cut tall grass either.

KEH

 

[meboatermike]

We still have one I think The wife just had to have one, thought it would be great for exercise, less noise and she could do it etc etc. Well after the first year and some dulling and a lawn that though not large by any stretch is certainly bigger than I want to use with a push reel and a lawn and grass/weed combination that really is not that great -- well guess who has continued to use a on it's last leg gas mower

 

[snickers muncher]

I know a guy who used to use one before he moved up here. He had a small yard and the whole reason he used the reel mower was so he could cut grass at night without disturbing his neighbors. He said he enjoyed it, but he likes to tinker and do stuff his own way.

 

[buzzworth]

As a teen growing up in the 60's, I helped a neighbor mow his lawn every saturday. It was his outdoor therapy from running a large, multi location department store in Ohio. We always enjoyed each other's company and he taught me alot about alot.
He had 2 Toro gas reel mowers. Not golf course type but residential type he kept in meticulous condition. I learned much about maintenance and mechanics.
Before the advent of rotary mowers, many people had reel power mowers. They cut and left beautiful striping but took constant care. His yard was nice and smooth.
He had a gas powered edger that I was not allowed to touch. Back then, there were open blades and the safety advocates hadn't put covers on everything.
I'm sure that was a major reason the power reel type mowers went away, along with the ease of rotary style.
I'd love to find an old Toro for "old time sake" but would have very little use for it on the 6 acres I maintain. My property adjoins a golf course and talking with the crew, I hear their green mowers are a constant issue. Theirs are set to 5/64" and the sand in the greens are what eats the blades and calls for constant sharpening.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/50s-VINTAG...090742?hash=item3d8711b936:g:g-YAAOSwWVFcnSNv

Ahh, the good old days.

Sean

 

[Sevenhills1952]

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[johnnyradiant]

Best reel mower I had was 3 reels wide and had a carb on top and drive wheels on the back.

 

[nh_yota]

My house came with one and I used it for the first few years until someone gave me a gas powered rotary lawnmower for free. My lawn is tiny and powered mower seems like overkill but the reel mower just didn't work as well. A reel mower works fine if your grass is short and stiff so it stands up straight when you cut it, but if your grass is like mine you need the suction action of a power lawnmower to cut it straight.

 

[gungatim]

last summer my buddies dad bought a WORX electric pushmower. believe it is the 80v model, uses 2 batteries. (edit it is 40v, 2x20v batts)

I laughed and thought it was junk. then I came over and used it, was absolutely blown away. super light, quiet, and mows his entire yard no problem without bogging down or dying.

i am so impressed I tried to order one for myself but they were OOS, so i'm waiting til spring. I have a huge yard but use a push mower for trimming around stuff the tractor won't fit.

definitely recommend one if you have a typical size yard and hate dealing with no start gas engines every year...

 

[ynned]

Lots of Amish folks around here, and apparently lawn mowing is the responsibility of the women and kids; at least, they're the only ones I've ever seen mowing. Saw a young girl using a push mower out in the boonies, she was small enough the handle was barely below her armpits, the lawn was rough, like most dirt road farms, and she must have been struggling, because she had her two little brothers hitched to the front pulling. Pretty funny, I thought.

 

[acer66]

Where are you in North Carolina? I'm in Virginia and have a nice new one never used you can have! Wife bought it a few years ago thinking she could cut her parents yard while getting exercise.[emoji16]
I say never used...it was used maybe six feet.[emoji23]
A reel mower does a beautiful job...but with five mowers, we're in our 60s, I'd rather see someone have it!

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

Thank you very much but I got one from a friend.

I had not much time to look at it but it seems it has a hight adjustment in the back.
Went right over the shorter and lighter grass but jammed right away
going into thick and taller grass like it was posted.
So far it looks like a fun little workout.

 

[tthornto]

how about one of these? Basically a cordless string trimmer with a detachable mower deck. https://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DECKER-12-in-20-Volt-MAX-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-3-in-1-String-Trimmer-Edger-Mower-with-2-2-0-Ah-Batteries-and-Charger-Included-MTC220/204989204?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD28I%7C28-32_PORTABLE%7CNA%7CPLA%7CFixed%7c71700000041074945%7c58700004788398016%7c92700040946149095&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkIzlBRDzARIsABgXqV9HM5Z-tq6FPAh6a04M7PlzSpf5Q3_vyasUYWn4pgN9662x3aJ3Wr8aAlO7EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[James-W]

When I was a kid we had a motorized reel type mower. It worked reasonably OK, but we had a large lawn and it wasn't all that flat and smooth. Eventually we got rid of it and got a regular rotary push mower which worked much nicer. Later on we got a riding mower and used the push mower for trimming around obstacles (like trees) and we got the job of cutting the grass done quicker and it was less tiring for us.

They do make a reel type mower sharpener which does a really good job. I have not seen one in person, but I have seen a few pictures of them. I have no idea what a reel type sharpening machine would cost, but I imagine it would be pretty expensive. I am not suggesting you buy one, but it may be a good idea to take the mower to a sharpening place that sharpens reel type mowers and has reel sharpening machine and have them sharpen it for you. I don't think we have any place around here that sharpens reel type mowers, but I am sure there must be a place in Madison or Milwaukee that does.

 

[bdbecker]

I picked one up at a yard sale for $5 to mow our yard in college. Yard was small enough it only took 20 minutes to do the whole thing. Best part was that we had a "Tom Sawyer white washing the fence" type situation where all you had to do was bust it out while drinking beer with a few buddies and they all wanted to try it out. I think I was able to get out of mowing the yard at least 1/3 of the time by doing that.

 

[tthornto]

They do make a reel type mower sharpener which does a really good job. I have not seen one in person, but I have seen a few pictures of them. I have no idea what a reel type sharpening machine would cost, but I imagine it would be pretty expensive. I am not suggesting you buy one, but it may be a good idea to take the mower to a sharpening place that sharpens reel type mowers and has reel sharpening machine and have them sharpen it for you. I don't think we have any place around here that sharpens reel type mowers, but I am sure there must be a place in Madison or Milwaukee that does.

I was taught by the mechanic at a golf course how to sharpen them.
They are sharpened by backlapping, which is spinning the reel backwards and applying a backlapping compound to the reel with a brush. If the bed knife gets messed up (broken, bent, knicked) it can be removed and touched up by running back and forth on sandpaper with a straightedge to guide it. The golf course mechanic backlapped every mower at least once a month but didn't take the time to mess with the bedknives, they just bought extra bedknives and would swap them out and send the messed up one out to be reground.

For the little push reel mowers these simple backlapping kits work good. https://www.amazon.com/American-Lawn-Mower-SK-1-Sharpening/dp/B00004R9UM/ref=asc_df_B00004R9UM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167133658256&hvpos=1o8&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10987105283509591596&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032543&hvtargid=pla-305908208549&psc=1