Clip clip clip clip clip clip.
Drive through Lawrence on a weekend and that's the sound you might hear from the increasing number of people using manual reel mowers to cut their lawns.
Not only is the sound quieter than the traditional whirring and humming of gas-powered mowers, but reel mowers are an option for those looking to stay "green" and save green while taking care of their green.
The old-fashioned mowers don't create any air pollution and are cheaper to buy ($80 to $130 on average) and maintain than their gas- or electric-powered counterparts. The advantages of reel mowers are catching on with some Lawrence residents.
The Home Depot has seen increases in sales for reel mowers at its Lawrence store and nationally. "We didn't anticipate this much increase in demand," said Home Depot spokeswoman Jen King.
The increase is also carrying over to smaller, local stores, such as Cottin's Hardware, where sales for reel mowers are seven times higher this year than in 2007.
Those who opt for the old-fashioned grass cutters cite a variety of reasons.
Joe Douglas, who bought a reel mower last summer, enjoys the "peaceful sound." In addition, Douglas, who conserves gas by riding his bike to work, appreciates having another option for lessening his environmental footprint.
For Lawrence resident Randi Hacker, the benefits of reel mowers mesh with her "long-term commitment to the environment" and give her a chance to get some exercise. Hacker, who trades her neighbor homemade croutons for use of their reel mower, attributes the use of gas-powered mowers to Americans' desire for the easy way.
"Gas mowers reflect a lot about our society. We want the quick fix," said Hacker.
While using a gas-powered mower for an hour or so a week might not seem significant compared with usage of automobiles, their effect remains higher than their size might indicate.
The EPA estimates gas-powered mowers produce 5 percent of the nation's air pollution, with one hour of mowing releasing the same pollution as driving an automobile 350 miles. Looser emissions guidelines than automobiles and frequent gas spills associated with lawn mower usage (17 million gallons annually) account for the disproportionate environmental damage.
The down side
For all the benefits of reel mowers, the disadvantages are acknowledged by users and advocates. Natalya Lowther, who uses reel mowers on her area farm, also owns a riding mower for larger areas and thicker, longer grass that would be difficult to cut with a reel mower.
Cottin's Hardware co-owner Linda Cottin warns customers that reel mowers do not cut as cleanly and take more energy to push. Cottin said that in the past about a third of buyers returned the mowers, but that the store has had no returns this season.
Hacker said she thinks the extra effort and rougher cut are worth the trouble, especially in terms of concern for some of her yard's less-prestigious inhabitants.
"You go slower (using a reel mower)," she said, "giving the toads time to get out of the way."
Comments
Multidisciplinary 5 years, 9 months ago
verity,I did a lot of that in my last house. Cut the mowing time a lot.Then sold it. The buyer's wife had no clue how to take care of any garden, much less vast perennials that required 'keeping in place'.I heard the neighbors were complaining about it so I drove by.They weren't kidding, it was all grown up almost as tall as a human. The Lilies were all nearly dead, and the iris had spread out, but died in the center. What had been all lovely placed plantings looked like it had been hit by a mega-tsunami.One of the gardening oops I just love is when people buy a shrub up close to the house, (sand hill cherry/purple plum shrub)Then, they don't keep it cut back yearly, so it grows to it's full 20 ft right in front of the living room window.Oh, I don't know why I didn't think to post this earlier, I saw it when this article was new.lolkitteh mowinghttp://icanhascheezburger.wordpress.com/files/2008/06/funny-pictures-kitten-punishes-grass-with-your-lawnmower.jpg
verity 5 years, 9 months ago
A yard planted to perennials solves all your grass mowing problems. Once it's established, it takes very little care---use drought tolerate plants and you don't even have to water except at the end of very dry, hot summers.And the neighbors and passersby love it.
KansasPerson 5 years, 9 months ago
Marion -- veal is from calves, isn't it? Are you thinking of mutton? (which I have never tried... but I hear it's big in England)Picturing a bison or two on our tiny lawn just made me laugh.Marion (Marion Lynn) says:Yeah; goat milk.If I don't have to cut it, I don't care!Lol!Sheep:Wool.I don't like veal.Maybe a bison or two?
webmocker 5 years, 9 months ago
Cordless Electric WorksI tried a manual reel mower with small yard, but as others have mentioned, it stopped cold on twigs. Also, part of the yard was zoysia (very thick grass) and it didn't handle that well. I now have a Neuton cordless electric that is surprisingly effective. For lawns under about 7000 square feet, it's perfect. Including original purchase price of a new machine, if you ignore the external costs of pollution and hearing damage with the gas mower, both cost about the same. More bucks upfront for the Neuton (about double the equivalent gas mower), but no gas or tune-up costs. Battery is alleged to need replacing every 4-5 years for $90. Biggest downside for Neuton is it has a small cutting swath (14 inches) so it takes half again as long to mow my lawn. Upside is that it is MUCH quieter, lighter, easy to maneuver, and simply a more pleasant machine to use. Black and Decker makes a bigger, somewhat heavier cordless that is also supposed to be good.
Rationalanimal 5 years, 9 months ago
Horses, buggies, midwives, outhouses, telegraph, and pony express are all coming back as well. Morons.
simplifying 5 years, 9 months ago
I noted several persons wishing to sell their manual reel mowers. I would be interested. I am looking for a Great States mower, the 20" width, heavy duty style if you wish to contact me with an offer.Thankyou.
Multidisciplinary 5 years, 9 months ago
R_I,does that thing curse when it hits a 1 inch stump like the men who mow my yard do?If I preset it for a certain (stump safe height) does it lower the blade anyway because it knows better?(Thus terminally bending the blade and tilling 1/8th mile through the yard before it realizes it?)
unite2revolt 5 years, 9 months ago
I got a manual mower. I have been using it for a little while, I like getting up and mowing at 8:00 on Saturdays when it is still cool. I have a manual weed "eater" that I use to to take care of anything that the mower can't handle. My lawn looks like crap but it looked like crap when I moved in a few months ago, so I hope its not my neighbor complaining above. I bought some grass and fertilizer that I am hoping to put down soon, over the massive bare spots where once there was tons of milkweed and dandelions.
gccs14r 5 years, 9 months ago
The truck making one pass is lots better than 30,000 cars making individual passes.
Marion Lynn 5 years, 9 months ago
Many of you people are ureal.You are operating from "scared money", rather than "smart money".You spend so much time trying to "save" money, that you have no time to MAKE money and you will therefore fail and end up living at Sally as the result of the reposession of your homes.You really do "feel" that 2-4 mpg trash trucks picking up your "recyclables" maked sense.That's your problem,.You "feel", rather than THINK!
Marion Lynn 5 years, 9 months ago
"Manuel Mowers"?Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........Reads "racist" to me!Or is "Manuel Mowers" merely "Manuel Labor"'s cousin?
RETICENT_IRREVERENT 5 years, 9 months ago
"If/when we move and have a real yard, I will rejoin the power-mower majority - unless by then they have something like that vacuum cleaner that runs around the house all by itself." - notajayhawkThey have them...http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/node3098.aspx?nid=45737
Marion Lynn 5 years, 9 months ago
Yeah; goat milk.If I don't have to cut it, I don't care!Lol!Sheep:Wool.I don't like veal.Maybe a bison or two?
Multidisciplinary 5 years, 9 months ago
Of course, you have to release your love of having vegetation under the height the goat can stand up and nibble away, including the bark on some trees.But who's that picky?:)
notajayhawk 5 years, 9 months ago
Marion (Marion Lynn) says: "One word:""Goats."Two more words:...and sheep.My sister used to rent them (that's a business that ought to be viable around here), three sheep and a goat, the sheep kept the lawn down and the goat ate everything they wouldn't.They don't need gas, oil, spark plugs, or sharpening, and they're even quieter than my reel mower. And much less work - you just have to move the tether every couple of days.
Marion Lynn 5 years, 9 months ago
Mine weighs in at about 500 lbs and burns four gallons of that Oh!; So Precious Commidity; gasoline, each time I cut the place!The weed eater which is necessary to control those hard-to-get-to areas uses about a gallon each time.I cut at the highest settings on the mower and actually installed lager wheels and tires to raise the height further.I think I'll fence and get a goat.2 acres is a real pain in the kiester 3 times a month!
gccs14r 5 years, 9 months ago
Mine weighs about 30 pounds and can be pushed with one hand, even across the body. Wet grass can be cut, because there isn't much mechanism to get clogged up, so there's no waiting for a day after a storm. I do make two passes at right angles to make sure I don't miss anything, but even with that, I can be done with the whole yard in an hour. I trim with shears and edge with a manual edger every 2-3 weeks. The yard looks a lot better than it did when we moved in and it gets better every week.
notajayhawk 5 years, 9 months ago
I have one of these, and I love it. It seems quite a bit different than one we had when I was a kid, but the technology hasn't changed much. No gas to buy or gas can to store, no oil, no spark plugs, no effort to get it started, no noise if I feel like getting up early on a weekend morning and doing the lawn, and I sharpen mine myself using my Dremel.It does not do the greatest job, but we have a very tiny yard that faces an alleyway, and we only have to keep it short enough to keep the city off our backs. If/when we move and have a real yard, I will rejoin the power-mower majority - unless by then they have something like that vacuum cleaner that runs around the house all by itself.
lsense 5 years, 9 months ago
OldEnuf2BYurDad (Anonymous) says:Rotary mowers "hack" your grass, hence the brown tips on the blades. The blades on reel mowers cut like sizzors. If they are sharp, they do a great job. If they are dull and cheap, forget it.===============================The brown tips come from a dull blade. The blade ends up being torn as opposed to cleanly cut as with a sharp blade. Torn blades don't heal as quickly, hence the brown tips. It can happen with a gas powered mower or rotary mower. Get your facts straight.
BorderRat 5 years, 9 months ago
Watch out!!! The "Smug Clouds" are about to join up making the perfect storm.
ralphralph 5 years, 9 months ago
Bought a reel mower out of curiosity. It pushes easily, is quiet, and does a pretty lousy job of cutting. I use it for a few areas that have a slope where the heavier power mower tends to slip and tear up the yard. If you get any kind of 'stemmy' growth, like fescue that's gotten a bit too tall, the reel mower won't cut it. It's kind of fun to push around, and this year, with all the rain, even if it does a lousy job, you'll get to mow again in a few days, and can use the power mower to clean up the stems.p.s. ... I feel like I look much less stupid pushing the old reel mower around than I would dressed like the Lets-Get-Physical-era Olivia Newton John and running on a treadmill or some damn fool thing like that. If only I could find a proper bonnet!
JJE007 5 years, 9 months ago
Touche', Magpie. That sweeterrific ladyfriend did a great and laborious, internal combustion engine job on that gigantic, jungle yard. I think I will not be handing her the scythe anytime soon, lest she grimly reap the piddler with that toy!~)
Magpie 5 years, 9 months ago
@JJE: Nice tale about the scythe. Seems to me that you piddled around with your little knife toy while your ladyfriend labored over your gigantic jungle yard with a gas mower. The EPA is calling you, Jake.
JJE007 5 years, 9 months ago
A much better idea than the reel mower is lawnicide!~) Grow perrenials, bushes, trees and a garden!Stupid, effing lawns!~) Most people never even step on them except to weed, feed and MOW!
Haiku_Cuckoo 5 years, 9 months ago
I have a neighbor who uses one of these and their yard looks AWFUL!!!=========It may be an issue with the user not having it adjusted properly or sharpened. Common with any type of lawn mower. I have a neighbor who uses a gas mower and his yard looks awful. I think he has the blade set too low because certain areas of his yard are scalped.
fu7il3 5 years, 9 months ago
I've got one that I hardly ever use. If you don't get around to mowing one week, or sometimes more during wet weeks, it is practically worthless.
Bossa_Nova 5 years, 9 months ago
i've got an old 50's version that i still use. i love it. no hassles and i can sharpen it myself. and the exercise is good. with the price of fuel, its saving me money. but indeed, if the grass gets too tall, i'm in trouble.
blue73harley 5 years, 9 months ago
R_I - Thanks but I've seen that pic before... notice there is not a V-belt on the deck. But it does look cool.Most of my stuff is modified in some way or another. My Ford tractor has a Hurst T-handle and I have found that a shot glass can be used for a sediment bowl. The stock handles broke off my old rototiller and it now has motorcyle handlebars. And a spark plug from a shovelhead will work in a 5 hp. Briggs and Stratton.
KaraGourley 5 years, 9 months ago
I have a neighbor who uses one of these and their yard looks AWFUL!!!
Flap Doodle 5 years, 9 months ago
cool, marion's talking about you."Marion writes:http://www2.ljworld.com/site/rules/" (Not)....to promote other web sites, without our express written approval, or where expressly permitted"."
cool 5 years, 9 months ago
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RETICENT_IRREVERENT 5 years, 9 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Multidisciplinary 5 years, 9 months ago
Mom was born in '26 so she had them for a long time. She hated the things, commenting on people getting cut. I don't know if this was the mowing or the sharpening.
JJE007 5 years, 9 months ago
They work fine as long as the grass isn't too high and the blades are sharp and they are adjusted properly and there are no sticks and you enjoy some sweaty exercise and the stars and planets are aligned. I'm sure my old friend is still using hers...to hold up that power cord in the garage.I actually had my weathered scythe, with wooden, s-curved snaith, out the other day in an effort to legalize my yard without firing up the mower. If I could sharpen a reel mower as easily as the scythe, I'd consider getting one again.
tir 5 years, 9 months ago
"Cost? $50-100 for sharpening."Well, I took mine in to Cottins, and got it sharpened for $35. Nice to know that you can get a kit there for $17 and do it yourself, too. Maybe I'll try that for next year.
Calliope877 5 years, 9 months ago
Wow, they make 'em a lot lighter now than when I was a kid. I remember my mom and dad mowing the lawn with a couple of pushers that looked like over-sized vacuum cleaners (with out the vacuum bag).
Bone777 5 years, 9 months ago
blueharley - I saw where you stated that if the grass was too high you should forget it. What I have found is that if you start in the street with the mower and run as fast as you can before getting to the grass...it will cut the tall stuff.
gccs14r 5 years, 9 months ago
I mow 6,000 square feet every Saturday with a 20" Scotts mower. It works just fine and I don't have to wear eye protection, ear protection, gloves, long pants, or steel-toed boots. I also don't have to keep the dog in the house and I don't disturb the neighbors. The mower has the means to self-sharpen, so I shouldn't have to take it anywhere for maintenance. I gave away my gas mower and string trimmer. It's all good.
Haiku_Cuckoo 5 years, 9 months ago
First, the "not-so-good" news - About every other year, the mower will need to be taken in for sharpening. Make sure you have somebody nearby who can provide this service-I happened to find somebody at a nearby golf course who will do it (many golf course mowers have the same type of blade assembly as pictured above). Cost? $50-100 for sharpening.=========Cottin's Hardware sells a do-it-yourself reel mower sharpening kit for $17.00. It works very well!
cingham 5 years, 9 months ago
Poof, what are you smoking?Not that I believe everything the LJW says, but..."The EPA estimates gas-powered mowers produce 5 percent of the nation's air pollution, with one hour of mowing releasing the same pollution as driving an automobile 350 miles. Looser emissions guidelines than automobiles and frequent gas spills associated with lawn mower usage (17 million gallons annually) account for the disproportionate environmental damage."How is that negligible at best?
logrithmic 5 years, 9 months ago
Babboy,Your post at 9:41 a.m. was bizarre. "If you want to use a reel mower. Great. If someone does not, what do you care." Note to Babboy: I don't care."The reality is that you cannot stop me and if the City tried to make this mandatory it would be poliitical sucide. For once, I am in the majority."Hunh? Where in the posts above did I recommend a city wide ordinance mandating reel mower use? Where do you read into my comments such a position? As a kid I used one of these at my aunts house to mow a lawn about the size of the typical lawn in Lawrence. Perhaps your lawn is not typical.Babboy, take a deep breath bud. One more thing. Today on General Electric Broadcasting (known as NBC) they were projecting gas at $5 to $6 a gallon. Expect major adjustments by consumers in response to these prices. I applaud those that want to use push reel mowers. More power to them. The more we conserve, the better off our society.
00 5 years, 9 months ago
My dad made me use one of these when I was a kid to cut our lawn with.And I know why! He sure as heck didn't want to break his stones cutting our lawn with this type of mower...so he made me break my stones using it!This type of mower is only useful for very small lawns (VERY small lawns)...and like another poster said....if you let your grass get too high then forget it! You'll kill yourself trying to use a manual mower to cut tall grass!
OldEnuf2BYurDad 5 years, 9 months ago
The technical concept of that kind of mower is superior to rotary blade mowers. Ever see what they use on the fairways and greens at the golf course? The one I used as a child was geared so it cut at a very fast pace.Rotary mowers "hack" your grass, hence the brown tips on the blades. The blades on reel mowers cut like sizzors. If they are sharp, they do a great job. If they are dull and cheap, forget it.
Marion Lynn 5 years, 9 months ago
Agnostick (Anonymous) says: Agnostickagnostick@excite.comhttp://www.americanplan.orghttp://www.uscentrist.org"Marion writes:http://www2.ljworld.com/site/rules/" (Not)....to promote other web sites, without our express written approval, or where expressly permitted".
chzypoof1 5 years, 9 months ago
Using a push mower is like buying a Lexus "hybrid" that gets 14mpg. It makes you feel better about yourself, but it doesn't really improve anything. If that's what you are looking for, feel free. The so called "carbon footprint" of a small, new, tuned gas mower is negligible at best. Please use your "energy" for something else. poof
rammy 5 years, 9 months ago
Those manual mowers work great!Sincerely,Theodore Cleaver
Take_a_letter_Maria 5 years, 9 months ago
sjschlag (Anonymous) says: "No gas to buy means I save $10 every time I mow the lawn."That's either one humongous lawn you have, in which case I wouldn't want to use a reel mower, or one highly inefficient mower you were using (even a lawn mower needs tuning up every once in a while). I think I'll take the third option here though sjschlag is actually Jon Levitz doing his Exageration Man character.
Agnostick 5 years, 9 months ago
Now, the advantages... When I want to mow the lawn, I take the mower out of the shed, and start pushing. That's it! No gas, no oil, no engine parts to clean or replace or break.It's also much, much quieter. No guilt trip about "waking up the neighbors" on weekend mornings if you need to mow the lawn early.When I'm done mowing, I have a small brush that I use to brush off the grass clippings from the blades. Then I spray a bit of WD-40 on a paper towel, wipe down the blade edges, and put it back in the shed. This cleaning time takes 5-10 minutes.This type of blade assembly, so I've been told, is actually better for your grass. The cutting action is similar to a pair of scissors, as opposed to the machete-chop of a rotary mower blade.Is this mower perfect for everyone? Of course not. But if you have small lawn--small enough that you use a rotary push mower (as opposed to a riding lawnmower), I'd recommend taking a push-reel for a test drive, if you're thinking about buying a new rotary mower. If you have a very large lawn, or a lot of trees that drop sticks and twigs down frequently, this may not be the right thing for you.Again, for the extremists/alarmists out there: This is a good idea for some people, but not everyone.Agnostickagnostick@excite.comhttp://www.uscentrist.orghttp://www.americanplan.org
Agnostick 5 years, 9 months ago
[This is a copy of a post I made to another message forum, with one or two minor changes--Ag]http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x298/Agnostick/lawnmowerfront.jpghttp://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x298/Agnostick/lawnmowertop.jpghttp://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x298/Agnostick/lawnmowerguy.jpgI'd been salivating for one of these at least two years--kept putting it off. This spring, I pulled out the rotary mower (a contraption that was "Frankensteined" together by a neighbor who happens to be a small-engine and/or lawnmower technician) for the first time. Gotta go fill up the gas can so I can put gas in. Gotta take off the air filter and spray a bunch of cleaner in the carburetor. Gotta check spark plug. Gotta put things back together. Get the mower started. I had just replanted our front yard back in September, so I thought, "New grass? What better excuse for a new mower?"I found a friend of a friend of a friend who had just recently acquired a second push-reel mower, so this guy let me borrow it for a couple of days. I then went to the local hardware store and bought my own.First, the "not-so-good" news -- About every other year, the mower will need to be taken in for sharpening. Make sure you have somebody nearby who can provide this service--I happened to find somebody at a nearby golf course who will do it (many golf course mowers have the same type of blade assembly as pictured above). Cost? $50-100 for sharpening.The "mowing" it does can look a little... "patchy." The wheels tend roll over the uncut grass, and if you don't do a second for third pass, you might see some "stripes" in your lawn where the wheels passed over. Some people find this "unsightly"; I'm not the least bit bothered by it.Depending on what height you have the blades set at, this mower is more "susceptible" to sticks and twigs. With the old rotary mower, I just ran over smaller sticks and twigs, knowing the blade would chop 'em up and send 'em into the collection bag (which was then dumped onto the compost pile). The push-reel mower will just lock up if it hits a twig, so I have to take a few minutes to walk around and pick up the yard before I mow.[And yes, on some of these push-reel mowers, you can adjust the blade height. So, if you are gone for a week, just raise the height of the blades, and mow as usual; then, every subsequent mowing, you can lower the blade height another notch or two. Besides, most any turfgrass researcher or specialist will tell you that in the hotter, summer months, it's actually better to let the lawn grow higher/longer. This encourages root growth down below, which makes your lawn a little more drought-resistant.][more]
jrlii 5 years, 9 months ago
BTW: Sheep were used to maintain the lawns in New York's Central Park into the 20th century.Sheep have numerous advantages as lawn mowers: They are quiet (quieter thab power mowers, anyway), they produce "pelletized" fertilizer, they produce valuable fiber, and you can eat them when the mowing season is over.
jrlii 5 years, 9 months ago
The biggest down side of a reel mower in a small east Lawrence yard is that you have to pick up every single stick. Even 1/8 inch diameter twigs will stop you cold. The mowing didn't take all that long or all that much effort. However, picking up all the sticks shed by the big elm and walnut trees took forever, and eventually caused me to sent the Great States mower on to other yards.
Multidisciplinary 5 years, 9 months ago
stuckinthemiddle (Anonymous) says: doing yard work for exercise is silly?but working out at a gym is: uh: not silly?****It's kind of early, but that may win post of the day!
stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 9 months ago
Haiku_Cuckoo I believe they use reel mowers on the greens... but they are gas powered...they use them because a reel type blade set up is the finest cut you can get...as long as the blades are kept sharp...
sjschlag 5 years, 9 months ago
I have one of these for my small yard. It misses some of the taller grass stalks, but usually gets the job done fine. No gas to buy means I save $10 every time I mow the lawn. What the reel mower misses, I get with an electric trimmer. now if only they had an electric chipper...
Haiku_Cuckoo 5 years, 9 months ago
I like my lawn to look like a fairway. Those things do not do it for me.=====Hmm. I thought most golf courses used reel mowers.I agree with your "to each his own" lawn mowing philosophy though. As long as my neighbors' yards are well maintained, I don't care what type of mower they use.
stuckinthemiddle 5 years, 9 months ago
doing yard work for exercise is silly?but working out at a gym is... uh... not silly?damn...anyway: when I had an averaged sized lawn here in town I had a reel mower and it worked great: in the spring you need to cut the grass about every 4 or 5 days but in the summer you can drop off to once a week or less: depending on how much rain we get:also: you need to keep the blades sharp: I use to sharpen mine after every 7 or 8 cuttings:
barrypenders 5 years, 9 months ago
When are those hard working city employees going to start using push mowers?As soon as the city starts using them I'll start using one.
blue73harley 5 years, 9 months ago
Two words:Restrictive covenants.
Marion Lynn 5 years, 9 months ago
One word:Goats.
blue73harley 5 years, 9 months ago
log - No thanks. I have about 10 acres of grass to cut. I went through 5 gallons of gas this weekend between my riding mower and my '53 Ford Golden Jubilee tractor.
BABBOY 5 years, 9 months ago
logrithmic:If you want to use a reel mower. Great. If someone does not, what do you care. I like my lawn to look like a fairway. Those things do not do it for me. I work out regularly in a gym. I do not need to do something that silly looking for a work out.The reality is that you cannot stop me and if the City tried to make this mandatory it would be poliitical sucide. For once, I am in the majority.Lets not even get started on gas golf carts.
logrithmic 5 years, 9 months ago
Hey Harley,Get off that fatboy and mow the lawn every week. For most yards, that means about 30 minutes of outdoor exercise pushing a push-mower. Look, I know you can do it. Also, I got a couple of great bike rides in this weekend. And I actually had to apply muscle power to the pedal.
alm77 5 years, 9 months ago
timetospeak, Try Larryville.com there was a person looking for one on there yesterday. We've had our reel mower for years and I used it without complaint, for the most part (there are those tough little weed things that it just doesn't cut). But when my neighbor moved and asked me to "store" his gas mower, I couldn't resist. The reel mower has been sitting in the garage ever since....
Multidisciplinary 5 years, 9 months ago
I wonder if wash boards and galvanized tubs sales have also gone up?Can't wait!{8 [
salad 5 years, 9 months ago
If you have the planning and time to be able to mow your grass every 4 days, then a reel mower is great. Beyond 5 inches...you'd need to have lead weighted rollers on the back just to keep the cutting bar from riding up and making the whole thing useless. They have their place, but they're really limited in what they can do, and not at all convenient.
OldEnuf2BYurDad 5 years, 9 months ago
When I was a kid we used those, and they were fine. The big difference is quality. Ours was made of heavy metal and even had a bagger attachment. The models selling today are rinky-dink.
autie 5 years, 9 months ago
I was forced at gun point to use a reel mower when I was a kid. I really busted my a**. Then we went on a summer vacation and we were gone for two weeks. When we came back, my dad had to pay the neighbor kid with power mower cause it had gotten so thick. I vowed, 'never again'. Besides, I can't mulch all the sticks and rocks with a reel mower.
Marion Lynn 5 years, 9 months ago
Oh, yeah, with a bad knee and a herniated disc, I'm going to rush right out and buy a push-type reel mower!Can't wait!
average 5 years, 9 months ago
I have a reel mower and use it about half the time. I personally like the halfway compromise of a basic corded electric. Quieter, lighter, and simpler than a gas mower. And, even the Lawrence KPL plant has better emissions controls than a Briggs&Stratton.
timetospeakup 5 years, 9 months ago
Yeah, if these are so popular, why can't I sell mine on craigslist for $25? I have one in new condition (from when I rented a townhouse with a tiny yard) that I have listed multiple times, the only people that inquired were just poking fun.
tir 5 years, 9 months ago
I have used a reel mower for years. It is true that they don't cut as well as gas-powered mowers, and I have to use a pair of old hedge clippers (also manual) to trim some bits here and there. But it's good exercise, and I don't have to put up with the noise and stink of a gas-powered mower. It might not be the best choice for everyone--people with huge lawns or hilly lawns might find it impractical, but I have a little, flat yard and it works fine for me. I haven't seen any toads while mowing, but I have seen some baby rabbits and possums.
blue73harley 5 years, 9 months ago
If you have ever actually used one of these, you understand why they were replaced by power mowers. They do a crappy job and if your grass gets too high, you might as well forget about trying to use one of these antiques.
simplifying 5 years, 9 months ago
I found a long handled clipper that is hand-powered at Sears a couple of years ago and along with my prison yard model manual mower from Great States company, my lawn mowing adventure begins. I work in the early morning when its cool. Passsersby smile and my neighbor sheepishly offers me the use of his gas-powered mower which I politely but firmly refuse. One of the benefits of using the manual reel mower is that I notice my abs are tightening up and my cardio-vascular system is getting stronger. I multitask by listening to the radio from my walkman. A pleasant experience all around.And, the cousins to Agnes the frog are spared her life.
logrithmic 5 years, 9 months ago
For most yards in Lawrence, this is all you need.
lawrence_citizen 5 years, 9 months ago
Watching the toads fly out the grass chute is part of the fun of mowing.
DRsmith 5 years, 9 months ago
Only in Lawrence.
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