Clean-Cutting Reel Mower Ideal For Small Areas

Some things may never become obsolete.

In this high-tech age of power-driven conveniences, you can still find a hand-propelled reel lawn mower, a machine that originated around 1830.

This push contraption is ideal for tiny patches of lawn, such as the small yards in villages and cities. But it also takes some physical labor to use one.

“We still sell about five to six hand-push reel mowers a year,” said Doug DeFries, president of Shaker Ace Hardware in Colonie, N.Y.

The reel mower, which operates like a scythe, is easier to push and pull today because of the use of modern lightweight materials. However, the cutting principle is the same. It is powered by the energy of the person pushing. The mower’s wheels turn. The blades that extend between the wheels then spin around and cut grass against a cutting bar.

A reel mower cuts blades of grass cleaner than a rotary mower, which tears at the blades of grass, according to DeFries.

DeFries also noted that reel mowers throw the grass clippings out flat behind the mower, compared to a rotary mower, which leaves a clumping discharge on the side.”Reel mowers are also better when mowing uneven ground,” DeFries said. “Use a rotary mower on the same uneven ground and it would tend to scalp the area down to the dirt when you hit a high spot.”

Like a rotary mower, the reel mower’s blades can be sharpened with a file or by a professional sharpening service.

About the smallest size in a reel mower is 14 inches wide, and the largest is about 18 inches.

Push reel mowers, which retail for between $70 to $200, are also economical. They don’t require gas or tune-ups. Just spray the reels and cutting bar with silicone to keep them from rusting during winter storage.