Got reel mower questions?

We have a reel mower and I like it because it’s never broken, the kids can always start it and it can be stored up on the wall of the shed. My husband says that the proper method to cut the lawn with it is to use a back and forth method much like vacuuming the carpet. I say that you should just walk steadly just like with a power mower. Which is the correct way?

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Thanks for your question.

If they both end up with a satisfactorily cut lawn, then who is to say, really?

I personally use your method of just walking steadily and pushing it back and forth across the lawn.

In my experience, most people only resort to the back-and-forth-hacking style of mowing with a reel mower if the grass is overgrown, or they have a mower that has something wrong with it.

But if you can mow with it steadily and he mows with it like that and prefers it, then I say more power to him! Let him mow more often to “prove that he is right.”

I just bought a used reel lawn mower – it looked like is was in great shape, however, after rolling it just a little, the blades “squeaked” during rotation.

Could it be that all it needs is a generous spray of WD40 or is it sign of something else? I’d really like to start using it but the squeak is unbearable!

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Thanks for your question.

If it’s incredibly hard to push, then the blades might be too tight against the cutter bar, and that’s making your noise.

It could be that the mower has just gotten a little rusty, so pushing it around for 10 minutes will solve the problem on its own.

Hitting it with some WD-40 probably wouldn’t hurt anything.

If something is really wrong with it, then it probably won’t cut well, or will be very hard to push.

I want to buy the largest manual reel mower available. I see the scott’s classic 20″, is there anything larger?

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That is the biggest reel mower that I am aware of.

I think once you get past 20 inches wide, you get to the point where it would be too hard to push the mower through the grass without a motor. So that’s probably the maximum size that you’ll find.

hello, I recently purchased a Craftsman Reel Mower,…didn’t see any info on this brand of reel mower on here, but it looks identical to these,…was wondering how they compared in quality,…(I only paid $71.99 for mine @ sears,…is that cheap? and if so is it bad that it was SO cheap?)

It’s working fine now,…but should I be worried about the longevity of it since it was so cheap?

(plus it came with no sharpening kit or anything,..they don’t even offer a sharpening kit on sears.com) Should i purchase a sharpening kit soon? and how often would be best to sharpen it?

THANKS

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As long as the Sears model number starts with a 291, then it was actually manufactured by the American Lawnmower Company / Great States, and either this sharpening kit or this sharpening kit will work on it.

You can typically go the first couple of years or so before you need to sharpen the mower the first time. And after that, you’ll probably sharpen yearly, or so.

Hi. I have a Scott’s Classic and it worked great the first two seasons but this year it is not. It works fine periodically but then the blades will stop spinning for a bit, maybe a yard or two and then start again. I have tried adjusting the blades, and made it worse–no they spin about half the time and the rest of the time they don’t.
Any ideas?

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Sounds like it might be that the plastic gear inside the wheels that turns the blades might be worn out. If you contact the manufacturer at http://www.reelin.com, they will be able to get you any spare parts you might need to repair it. It is a simple repair that you should be able to easily do yourself, and they can also talk you through it.

Hi! I inherited a Scott’s Classic that is in pretty good shape. The cutter bar is a little bit rusted, though, so I’d like to remove it and repaint it. I removed the cutter bar bolts on the end, but the cutter bar didn’t seem to come right out. I know there’s another piece in there (‘Cutter Bar Stud’) that may need to be removed, too? I wasn’t sure exactly how the cutter bar comes out and I didn’t want to bang or pry on anything, for fear of damaging the mower. Is there a technique to removing the bar or are the parts just a little bit frozen from age? Thanks!

I HAVE A GREAT STATES REEL MOWER AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN IT WAS MANUFACTURED AND ALSO THE MODEL#.

ROYAL PARK IS ON THE FACE OR THE MOWER.

IT APPEARS TO BE AT LEAST 20 YEARS OLD.

i WOULD LIKE TO GET A USER MANUAL TO SEE HOW TO SHARPEN THE BLADES AND ALSO TO SEE IF THE CUTTING HEIGHT CAN BE ADJUSTED.

THANKS,

BRYANT

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I am not an expert in antique mowers, but you can get more information about old mowers at the Antique and Vintage Lawnmower History site.

I have an American Mower Co. 7 blade reel mower. My wife bought it used. I’ve tried to adjust the cutting bar and think I have it right, but in grass that isn’t too tall but is fairly thick, the blades bind against the bar and the mower skids over top of the grass. I’m wondering if a 5 blade model would cut easier than a 7 blade model or if it just needs some sharpening.

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Have you tried raising the cutting height? That often helps with issues where the mower is binding up and skidding in thicker grass.

I noticed you have a Canadian email address, and typically, the seven bladed mowers are more appropriate for southern grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia. So it’s also possible that you might have better luck with a five bladed mower.

HI, I have a craftsman 18″ reel mover that I bought a little less than a year ago and I’m enjoying the no pollution cutting. I’m having a problem cutting through the grass seeding. I cut regularly, about every 3 days. I purchased it mid-season last year after the grass went to seed. I don’t know if this common or my mower needs adjustment? It seems to cut the regular grass OK(it does miss some of those too). Also, do you have fewer uncut blades with a mover with 6-7 blades than with a mower like mine that only has 4?

Thanks,
Dean

I have a Sears Craftsman Quietcut reel mower that has been left outside under the eaves for a couple of years. We recently decided to go back to cutting our own lawn. The mower is a bit rusty but I managed to cut the lawn which was getting too tall to cut. Any tips on refurbishing and general maintenance of a reel mower? Will the sharpening kits listed here work on the Craftsman? I have no idea where our owner’s manual is at this point.

We are considering getting a corded electric mulching mower. I like the reel mower but I understand that a mulching mower can take care of leaves. I will still use the reel mower for parts of the lawn.

Okay, never mind that last question! I figured that there had to be a way to get the hubcap off, and there was. It was just very tight and a little rusted on. A screwdriver, and a 13 year old boy wielding a rubber mallet did the trick. The sharpening compound treatment seems to have made a difference, and I did some fiddling with the adjustments. I’m not sure it’s perfect across the full width of each blade as some may have dings or even little bends, but it seems to cut very well now.

I have my dad’s old Scott push mower. I just measure it to be about 20″. I never wanted to get rid of it, but it needs the roller. Can someone tell me whre I could buy that part?
thank you,
Annette

Hi, I just bought a Sears Craftsman reel mower at a rummage sale (The price was right) and I have a question about the machine. I believe the blades need to be sharpened and I’m not sure how to go about it. I read the post indicating that a kit can be purchased from American Lawnmower Comp if the serial # on the mower starts with 291. It looks like the number on mine starts with a 5 (The plate is pretty banged up) can this kit be adjusted to work on mine, or will I need to take it in somewhere?

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I have two options for you. 1. Check out http://www.reelin.com and see if your mower looks like any of the mower models that they have on their site. If it looks just like one of those, then American Lawnmower made it, and their sharpening kit will work. Otherwise, you could probably try this sharpening kit, which supposedly works with almost any type of reel mower.

Hi!
I need a pair of solid rubber tires to fit wheels that are 9″ dia. x 1-3/8″ wide. The tire outside diameter should be about 10″ and the width about 1-3/8″ wide. These are for a mower bought from Sears in 1951 but as far as I can see there is no manufacturer or model number on it. Can you recommend a seller? I’ve tried two local lawnmower shops without result and can’t find these tires on the internet (but I’ll continue to look).

Gas mowers tend to toss up a lot of grass in a cloud – a nightmare for the allergic. Do reel mowers toss up less?

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Yes, absolutely.

In fact, someone wrote a testimonial about that very subject on this page:
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/testimonials.html

Brill Luxus 38

NO GRASS ALLERGIES! I can’t believe it. All my life I’ve dreaded mowing the lawn. I have a severe grass allergy. One of the first things I noticed about my new Brill mower is that I don’t get the allergy after effect. It makes sense. A traditional gas mower blows grass dust up in the air like a cloud. The entire time you mow your head is in the cloud. The Brill cuts differently and doesn’t create a cloud. Therefore, no allergies. I believe this is by far the best feature of the mower.

Jason V

Thank you very much for your help — the price with shipping was nominal, $15 total and I will receive it next week. Best regards.

Yes, once I removed the grease from the shaft, pawl and inside of the pinions the rotating blade once again roatates!
Thank you!

But, I have another question.
I have adjusted the cutting bar position so that inserting a piece of newspaper on it and slowly rotating the blades causes the paper to be cut. I would assume this is the correct tension as if I back off the paper no longer cuts, it merely bends the newspaper. Now when I push the mower(Great States 5-blade) the cutting bar and rollers at the rear of the mower don’t stay flat on the ground. Is it correct for the cutting bar and roller assy to always be contacting the grass, ie. not hopping upwards as you push the mower? Do I need to readjust the cutting bar so that there is less tension to keep the assy grounded or is it something else that needs adjustment?
Thanks for any advise you might have on this.

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I’ve never had any luck using that newspaper test.

It sounds like you might have the blades too tight, which would make the mower harder to push, and could make the back end hop up like that.

I’d loosen up the blades so that you’re still getting contact along the cutter bar, but it’s much easier to push.

I usually just take my mower out in the yard with a screwdriver and keep adjusting it, cutting with it, adjusting and cutting until I get the best cut. It only takes 5 or 10 minutes.

I have a set of huffman reel mowers and i want to know where i can find some pinion gears for these.

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I don’t have any expertise in older reel mowers, unfortunately. So I would recommend trying here: http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

that’s great to know. i’ll keep my eye out for the sharpening kit for that one. i wouldn’t be getting the mower until next year anyway. thank you!

What is th advantage of a 10 blade power reel mower over a 7 balde if any?

I purchased a task force 20″ reel mower. It seems that it does not push smoothly – it stops – I don’t know if it is me, the lawn or the mower. I might need to adjust the height but not sure how to or I might need to have the blades sharpened – I’ve only used it once…help. Is there a manual somewhere on-line? Also, do reel mowers not work as well when the lawn is damp from morning dew? Thanks for the website…Toni

where’s the video of you mowing the 43 x 60 ft area mentioned at the end of this page:
http://www.reelmowerguide.com/scotts-classic-push-reel-mower-information/

and just above the mention of the video, it says “But someone sent me this terrific solution that really helps the catcher work better with the mower.” what solution??

@bailey, Thanks for pointing that out. Looks like we screwed up the page with the last update. I fixed it, and the description that goes with those two photos of the catcher is now back on the page.

Hello! this is a great website by the way. I’ve been reading these posts and from what I gather this new fangled plastic pinion idea is not very well thought out. If a gear or a handle needs replaced after a few years what’s the point in buying a new one? I recently aquired an antique reel mower from a friend and am restoring it and painting it the colors I found on it-canary yellow and sea foam green. Can you say ’60′s style? But I must say I’m quite dissapointed in these new mowers. Mine is all cast and has cast pinions. I think its amazing that manufacturers still manufacture reel mowers but they should go back to producing quality items made by americans and not these plastic japanese made hunks of junk that do nothing but make foreigners richer.

I’m thinking of buying the Scott 20″ from Home Depot, but the employee there said that it would be too difficult to cut the thick St. Augustine grass here in south Florida. What are your thoughts?

Here’s a Technical Question for you, and I hope you’ve got an answer or know someone that can answer it for me. I am currently doing a total restoration on an antique Eclipse Reel
Mower, an old Arlington to be more exact, and need to find out how to remove the shaft that the blades are mounted to on the
left side of the unit. The right side has been removed, but the
left side is giving me fits. The right side had a square key that went through the shaft directly behind the gear, but the left side does’nt have this. Any ideas? Thanks alot and have a great day.

@toni, hi,
I currently use a black & decker 12 amp electric mower with a power cord, and have found it is best to cut in the afternoon when the grass is dry. When I cut in the morning, the grass is soft and clumps like green cole slaw, but in the afternoon, it cuts nice and even, and the cut grass falls into the lawn. My electric is on the blink, so this season I will probably buy the Fiskar’s Momentum Reel mower.
Hope this helps
Maria

Does anyone know about the Mascot Silent Cut 18?
It’s on the peoplepower web site and has a sharpening kit and grass catcher. but is the mower good and reliable?
thanks
maria

I spend a lot of time trying to make my lawn look perfect. From my readings I understand that the reel mowers provide a healthier cut, but also might leave some blades uncut. I am the type of person who will not wait until next time to clean those up. I have always used a rotary gas mower, but am considering going to a reel mower. My largest concern (by a huge margin) is having the best finished look. Can I expect a finished product that looks better than if I had used a gas powered rotary mower or will always be unhappy with the results from a reel mower.

I live in MO and have fescue lawn.

Thanks for your help!

I have a Silent Reel 16 that my brother gave to me when he moved back to Ohio from Florida. I never used it as I have a gas mower that now does not work and I do not want another one. I would like to use this one, but it sat outside and one of the handles rusted off and the blades are quite rusty and the paint is peeling as well. I was going to just throw it away until I went online to look for a new mower and found out how expensive they are! Glad I kept it and last night he suggested that I try to get replacement parts for it instead of buying a new one. I am going to call the company and see if I can get the parts, but is it worth it to do this or just purchase a new one? Thank you.

Which is the best manual reel mower for a combination of st.augustine and bermuda? mostly bermuda in some places, mostly st. augustine in others.

I’ve had a Scott’s 20″ (4 wheel design) reel mower for 2 summers and I’m looking to replace it.

It works OK, but rattles and shimmies like a 74 Plymouth Duster and I’m looking to upgrade.

I live in southern Maine and mow approx. 6000 sq ft. turf area.

My lawn is comprised of mostly Tall Fescue (with a little Ryegrass, Clover, and Blue Grass).

I typically mow around 2.5″ height every 4-8 days depending on rainfall & season.

I am more concerned about durability than weight.

What model would you recommend?

Thank you!

I am trying to find a new pinion gear(s) for my old Craftsman mower serial number 536 91660. Sears can not tell me who manufactured this mower though they can tell me the pinion gears are no longer made by the manufacturer – it only about 20-25 years old. I’d love to buy two ten dollar parts and have it last another twenty years instead of consigning it to the scrap heap – Any ideas?
Thanks for all the great info!
Bil

@Howie,

The new Fiskars mower may be a good choice for you. http://www.cleanairgardening.com/fiskars-momentum-reel-mower.html

It has a wide cutting path and one of the highest cutting choices available.

It’s a little on the heavy side so another choice would be the Razorcut 38, which is one of the lightest mowers available however the cutting height is just under 2 inches.
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/brill-razorcut-38-reel-mower.html

Both are great mowers.

@betty, The number of blades has to do with how finely the grass is cut. You might get a better cut however more blades equal more friction which results in the mower being harder to push. Over the years 5 blades have become the standard offering a great cut while not making the mower overly difficult to push.

Hi – an 18″ Craftsman is asking (squeaking) for oil or grease inside the wheel housing. There doesn’t seem to be a spot to lubricate. Is taking the wheel off the way to do it?

@Zach Schneider,

This gentleman is the expert on antique reel mowers. I don’t have any experience with them, unfortunately, so I don’t think I can help.

http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

Hi,
First thank you for this web site, and very useful info.
Just what in blue blazes is a “PAWL”?
I saw the picture in my users manual,(Mascot Silent Cut 18″ LW) and someone talked about it above in this site.
It seems like it is super critical tiny little piece, of which there are 2, one on each side. I even looked it up in the dictionary, Merriam-Webster’s on-line, I almost sort of understand it.
Can you explain a PAWL?
Thanks
Maria

i have a vintage craftsman reel mower. it is probably 30 years old and still cuts great but the rubber roller is missing so i can’t adjust the height. any recommendations as to where i can purchase a rubber roller? it is made by Yard Man and called Silent Yard Man.
thanks

I have a Scotts Elite Reel Mower and I tried to adjust the height, thought the wheels had to come off and change the position of the holes to adjust. It has three holes on wheels. I did this and put tires back on now the blades will not move when I go/push forward, but will a little when go backwards??? Help!

@jeff hudson,
Those sharpening kits are available now!
http://www.reelmowersetc.com/sharpen_reel_mowers.htm
Questions? Call me 888 384-1033

I have Bermudagrass, which I like to keep at 1″ or a bit lower. I know that 7-blade reel mowers are generally recommended for such bentgrass lawns, but is a 7-blade harder or easier to push than a typical 5-blade model (all else being equal)?

I have a scotts classic reel mower and the handle came off. C an I purchase replacement “C” rings or substitute something else to re-attatch the handle to the mower?

I found my grandfathers reel mower and was wondering if anyone had any information on kwik kut reel mowers.Any info you can send me would be helpful.

I have a Great States reel mower Model 815-18. My question is how do i go about adjusting the cutter bar and height adjustment? Right now it won’t cut anything and i would really want to know how to fix these problems and if you would know of a site that i could download pictures and instructions related to this mower. Thank You

@Kevin,

Use this link and ask if they can help you. He is an expert on the older models.

http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

Where can I get a replacement 24 Volt Lithium Ion battery for a Brill RazorCut lawn mower?

One more time. I hope this goes through now!

My son found an old “FIRESTONE SIMPLEX” with a patent number “2″ on it. It has the T bar handle and a bar (I suppose it flattens the grass as you walk?). I know Simplex is the company that made them for Firestone, other than that I know nothing about it. My son has used it to cut the grass, and it works great even after all these years.

My questions are how old is this reel push mower? How do you find the Patent information on it? How do you sharpen and change the cut of grass length if you even can? And finally, is it an item we should hang on to?

He also found a ‘PHILLIPS 66″ gasoline can white with painted red lettering, at least 10 gallons and very dirty/greasy with dents. I know some people collect these items and just wanted to know a ball park figure on the price of these two items.

Thank you so much!!
Sissy

Greetings:
I am trying to figure how to adjust an American Mower Co. Reel mower. There are 4 screws on top of the blade guard but they do not appear to move, ( maybe old age has them tight). The setting is too low for my lawn and the grass chokes the blades to a stop.
Anyone know how to adjust the blade height?
Thanks
D

I am just finishing my 2nd summer using a Scotts Classic Reel lawn mower and have been very satisfied with it to date. For some reason the large wheels have locked going forward but not backwards. Not sure what I did to result in this condition but I can’t figure out how to unlock them. Help!

I live in the Chihuahuan Desert of the Big Bend of Texas. We made the mistake, a few years back, of putting horse manure around what few trees we have. Because of grass seeds in the poo, the grass goes crazy all around our home during the rainy season. It is thick, tall and tough; the terrain is uneven, to say the least. We have killed several really good weedeaters after only a few uses. I am looking for a Christmas present (of a reel mower) for both my husband – and me. It has to be tough, as wide as possible and with very few plastic or rubber parts as the summer temps down here can be 118 for months at a time. Plus, we don’t buy anything but Made in America whenever possible.
I remember my granddaddy had a reel mower that “lived” in the yard. Every few days, a family member (any of us) would just go push it around for a few minutes. I grew up thinking it was yard art, but realizing now how brilliant those mowers are.
Please give me names of the best brands to research.

Thanks
C B

I picked up 2 older reel push mowers one is a eclipse model m and the other is a wonder. The wonder has steel wheels no rubber on the wheels. Does anyone have any ides as to the age of either of these reel mowers????

Hi,
I’ve got an old reel mower that my grandfather use to mow with back in the 30′s (?). It is all metal, except for the T-handle (wood) and the old rubber covered tire rims (not tires like nowadays – just rims with a rubber cover).
It works fine, but I can’t push it to mow with, and will probably try to sell in it a garage sale. Is it worth keeping? If not, how much is it worth as an antique?
Thanks

@Tom, Unfortunately not knowing the area you are in affects my suggestions. However I can suggest going to your local county extension office, they should be able to suggest the best grass type for your area. Picking a grass only on the basis of what a reel mower cuts best may not be the way to go, you may want to factor in the climate you live in.

I recently inherited my BRILL 380 ASM (under the mantis name) somewhere a long the way, the battery charger was lost, I am not having an easy time finding a replacement charger. Can you be of any assistance?

@Denise, Pushing on a slope will not be much different pushing a reel mower as with a gas rotary, typically if it can be done with a push gas rotary mower it can be done with a reel mower. Just keep in mind two things. One, you are the motor with the reel mower, so if you had a powered mower it will be a little different with a reel mower. Secondly, if you let the grass grow long typically the reel mower will not cut it. Reel mowers give their best results when the lawn is mowed regularly.

My lawn consists of perennial peanuts and is less than 1,000 square feet. It may get larger but not more than 3,000 square feet. My electric weed whacker will not cut the shoots and stems. Would you recommend a reel mower?

I recently found what appears to be a 50′s or early 60′s Scotts Deluxe reel mower. I am looking to identify it’s age as well as hopefully come up with any info I can find regarding care and maintenance. The unit is gold in color with flat white bars connecting the handle to the mower itself. The model number is “10M5″. What interested me the most is when I began to clean off dirt and found that it was made by “O M Scott and Sons in Marysville, OH. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have an old Craftsman “100″/Silent Yard-man mower. Serial # 123-8165. It belonged to my grandmother and I used to use it as a kid to mow lawns in the neighborhood for extra money. I have had it in my garage for over 16 years since her passing and just cant seem to make myself get rid of it. It still works but can use some tlc, it’s missing the wooden t-handle. I was wondering how old it is and where I could find replacement parts for it. I am interested in restoring it. Thank you very much.

Anyone with experience with both the Fiskars Momentum and a McLane manual push reel mower? Seems like they’re both designed the same way with a flywheel and chain. Also, the biggest problem with a push reel mower is going through dense grass like hybrid bermuda. How do either one of these mowers perform against dense bermuda? Thoughts?

@Melissas D, This guy is an expert on the older models, he may be able to help you out.
http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

Morning,

I purchased the Mantis Reel Mower a mere 3 years ago. I contacted them to purchase a new battery and they stated they stopped making and supporting the mower. Now I’m stuck with an expensive push mower and this is no bueno.

I cannot find a battery anywhere. Do you have an in to where the super secret Mantis battery stock is hiding?

It’s these dimensions:

Battery
Battery 20 x 1.2 V NiCd
Voltage/Capacity 24 V / 2.0 Ah
Weight approx. 1.4 kg
Number of possible charges approx. 1,000 times

I can tell you assuredly, I have not recharged it 1000 times. Maybe 100.

Thanks!
Christine

I’m going to buy a reel mower. After living the last 7 years without a yard I’m moving and can’t wait to get back into gardening. It’s a peaceful home on the coast of Oregon and I want to add to that experience with a quiet mower. I could use the exercise too.

Does the Brill 38 have hard plastic or soft rubber wheels? I’ve read the handle design is flawed and it frequently comes loose where it attaches the handle fork to the mower unit. Has that issue been addressed?

Thanks

@debe, This guy is an expert on the older models, he may be able to place a value on it. http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

@steve, Thanks Steve. I love this website.

Does anybody have information on a Scotts Silent. 16″ cut reel lanwmower? How much should it cost? Pictures? Anything?

@Gregory, This guy is an expert on the older models, he may be able to give you additional info: http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

I’ve got a Brill reel mower and I need a new battery. Do you know where I can get one?

@Frank, Contact the manufacturer at http://www.reelin.com

So Im looking to buy a reel mower, I was thinking about buying one for my busuness. My aunt and I are looking for something cheep and easy to manuver around sence we are only kids we need the mower to be smaller in some form. My question is every thing. How do you use it? Does it need any specail care? How much does a regular one cost? I would very much apperciate if you answered any of these questions, Thank you.

@Chris, This guy is an expert on the older models, he may be able to direct you: http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

I have a 13 year old LL Bean reel mower with worn pinion gears. Bean no longer makes – or brands – reel mowers, and I don’t know what make of mower best matches it to try to replace the gears – nor can I find any place that has a photographic selection to try to match by eye. I wish I had more specificity, but I can’t find a model number on the machine itself.

@Sharon, Yes, they’re much safer around small children, however you should not allow a child to play with the reel mower itself. The reel may spin if they place their hand on it and cut them. My wife use to cut our lawn while our small children played on the lawn. Something we would not do with a motorized rotary mower. A rotary mower can easily shoot out a projectile while mowing and hurt a child; this is far less likely to happen with a reel mower.

@Ralph, Here is a link to buy the sharpening compound. I do not think hardware stores carry just the compound. http://www.reelmowersetc.com/reel_mower_sharpening_compound.htm

Where can I get replacement plastic drive gears for a Scott 20 inch reel push mower? Both are worn and the blades won’t turn.

@David, This guy is an expert on the older models, he may be able to direct you: http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

@NH AL, Yes, you need to cut the lawn more often, do not let it grow so high.

@Matthew, One of the widest is the Mascot 21″, here is a link to it: http://www.cleanairgardening.com/mascot-21-reel-mower.html

@Kris, Typically a heavier mower means it takes more muscle to push, and it’s usually necessary to have a heavier mower on thicker more dense grass, like Bermuda and St. Augustine. A heavier mower allows the reel to get down into the thicker more dense grass and cut it. A lighter mower like the Brill tends to float over the heavier/dense grass and therefore will not cut. If you have either of those grasses go with a heavier mower, otherwise a lighter mower like the Brill is your best choice.

@Vickie, A spray silicon lubricant is likely your best bet for lubricating your reel lawn mower.

@Nathan, Try the web site http://www.reelin.com, they should be able to sell you the parts or direct you on how to obtain them.

I have been reading up on these reel mowers and found your website and found it full of info.

My electric mower just bit the dust after a season or two and I am interested in the reel lawnmower because of the no cord or vibrations. I live in Tulsa, OK with a lawn that is a mixture of who knows what – including dandilions. I want to try a mower to see if it will handle the mess I have. Any suggestions? Or should I stick with the electric?

Thanks.

What about mowing wet grass with a reel mower? I am borrowing a neighbor’s because my gas-powered rotary mower bit the dust. Two weeks in the repair shop! Trying out her mower so I can decide if I want to get one rather than paying to repair the gas-powered one, but the grass is wet! Now what?

@james, Try this sharpening kit, you can cut it down to fit just about any size. http://www.cleanairgardening.com/prison-reel-sharpener.html
If your mower is 18 inches, get the version for the Scotts and cut it down to 18 inches. A hack saw will cut this down in seconds.

Hi,
I have a reel mower that is brand new that only cuts on one side. is there anything i can do at home to alleviate this problem?

I have a Rally brand 16″ older reel mower that I bought at home depot about 10 years ago. I need to get a replacement part- its a plastic nut type part that attaches to a bolt that is surrounded by a spring. When you turn the nut, it adjusts the distance between the blade and the blade cylinder.

Any idea where I could get a replacement part?

@Jeff, This guy is an expert on the older models, he may be able to direct you: http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

Where can I buy a 16″ wood roller for my old reel mower?

I am a short female and old to boot. I am looking for a light weight and mantainance free as possible. Do they have no -sharpen blades?

After using a Scotts Classic for the past several years on my southern Bermuda, I decided to trade up to either a Fiskars or Mascot. I chose the Mascot, and it arrived a few days ago.

Everything is set up with this mower, as an engineer I appreciate the construction and simplicity, but I need some guidance on setting the blades for this mower. I’ve heard of different guidelines for setting the blades, but would like your input.

Setting the blade so that I can just barely hear metal-on-metal contact, then backing off till I hear silence doesn’t work; the cut looks worse than my Scotts! Setting the blade so that it cuts a piece of paper on both left and right sides results in a horrible metallic rattle in the center that I KNOW isn’t right. But I’ve found that setting the blade such that it sounds like a heavy pair of scissors working seems to do the trick and give a nice cut, but this isn’t the “non-contact” I was expecting.

Am I working on a mower with an out-of-tolerance blade, that needs warranty work, or is the scissor sound the sweet spot? Is there a best method for adjusting this machine?

Thanks

I know that height was addressed in another article. however, i have inherited a very bare yard when i bought the house i just moved into. with the 100+ temps and the drought here in texas. the grass is too sparse to support new growth. for sake of brevity, ill say that i do not have a water of soil issue. every time i get new runners out into the bare spots, they get burned up. i let an area of my yard grow very high, and it FLOURISHED! sadly, my mower will only cut 3.5-4″ high. if i had one that would cut 6″, then my grass could really thicken up and spread. do you know of a reel mower that will cut that high, or even 5″. i can not find one.

I have discovered by trial and error that you can indeed cut those pesky dandelions and other tall or speading weeds. The problem is that the rotating blades push the weed down until it slides under the stationary blade. The solution is to circle over the lil bugger in a counter-clockwise direction. It lays the weed down and then chops it off low so that it is now under control. Be persistent, if you have alot of weeds it is fairly time consuming; but the victory is sweet!

I have a self-propelled McClane 20″ walk behind reel mower. Love it.

The chain that turns the blades is loose and falls off the sprocket. How can I increase the tension?

The chain that propels the mower is also loose – do you know how I can increase that tension?

Thanks,

Steve

I moved into my home in December and this is my first lawn in 20 years. 6-7,000 sq feet Northern fescue/blue/rye. I started the season with a CEL Powermow combination electric/manual 4 blade 16 inch. The mower is OK and I use it manually when grass is short and with the motor after rainy days and Mondays get me down. But I’m now looking for a better quality reel. I’m a 60 year old male, out of shape, but not weak. I don’t mind pushing the 27 lb (without the battery…35 lbs with it) CEL, but I do get winded and usually do 30 minute cardio bites, rest and do some more. And the 4 blade CEL does have to be muscled through some of the ticker areas. I’ve bounced back and forth between the Brill 38, the Fiskars, and the Mascot 18 for tall grasses. The Brill just seems too light, too short of a cut, too narrow, the Fiskars too plastic, too heavy and too hyped, and the Mascot too heavy but solid. I have almost settled on the Mascot, but the 40 lb weight is holding me back. Would you suggest the Mascot for a person like me…or should I go with the tiny Brill or the newfangled Fiskars.

I have a Brill Luxus 38 that is 7 seasons old and needs a new reel and bar. The manual indicates this is a shop job. Are there instructions and parts somewhere? Is this something I can do myself, or is there perhaps someplace to send it?
Also, will it be so expensive that I am better off getting a new mower? Thank you!

@Andy,The wheels should not have any type of lock, so it sounds like a defective mower.

@Teresa, Yes it can be restored but since its an older model it will be far less user friendly to use than the new models from the past 10 to 15 years. I suggest a new one.

Hi. I recently got an older mower. The wheels say “Grass Goomer.”
I’d like to adjust the distance between the moving blades and the stationary blade.
The stationary blade has a series of screws running across its length. Is this where the adjustment is made?
Thanks

@Douglas V. This guy is an expert on the older models, he may be able to direct you: http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

We are considering one or two reel mowers for our children to use. They can each push our self-propelled Lawn Boy. They are 7 & 11. Can you recommend some quality light weight models? Are the Razor Cut’s you recommended to Elaine above the best choice? Thanks!

my reel mower isnt cutting my grass only bruising the grass and bending it not matter how tight i get the blades to the bar. any info on what the deal is?

Could a lawn be too small for a reel mower? We are buying a home that does have some grass in front with a lot of planting areas. I can get across it in about 10 paces at the widest point. The back yard is the same, deck, patio, planting areas, teeny bit of grass. I will need a mower as there is grass, but really dont want a gas machine for that small a yard. Perhaps electric?

Loved reading your site! Have a question though. My yard is one of those wild things made up of robust cape ivy daisies and tall grass. You’ve already said I’m not a good candidate for a reel mower. My question is, do you know of an alternative that would keep me from having to buy a power mower or a weed whacker? My weeds are tall, but the yard itself is small, and I hate the thought of wasting another hundred bucks at Home Depot on a cheap weed whacker that starts once or twice and then is junk. I’m trying a scuffle hoe now, but it’s a lot of work and leaves the ground torn up. What about those battery powered weed whackers?

I have a Brill 380 and I love it. I never used it all winter ( of course) and when I went to charge it up, it wouldn’t. The red light on the charger doesn’t come on when I plug it in. Does that mean that my charger is shot and if so, where can I get another one.

Greetings! Recently I have started mowing with a Craftsman reel mower, and I would like to know how to maintain it. Does it matter if I store it with damp grass clinging to it? Should I hose it off, or maybe sweep it off with a whisk broom? What about periodic lubrication for moving parts?
Thank you for your informative site, helping us to live more peaceful lives in harmony with our Mother Earth — Pachamama.

Thank you, Steve. This information is helpful for keeping my reel mower happy. Here are two more questions:

Where should I lubricate it and with what lubricant?

Should I just squirt WD40 on everything that moves?

@Lisa, We are not very familair with older reel mowers, but this guy may be able put a value on it: http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/

@Janet, Sorry to hear about your trouble. The reel likely never needing sharpening, they most likely just needed to be adjusted. It’s possible they have destroyed the reel by taking the correct edge off them. Here is a video that shows you how to adjust it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xjt7zuCg7g

@Gary, Check out this site and ask them, they’re better with older models and may be able to date it: http://users.crocker.com/~jricci/