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Old 03-11-2024, 07:31 AM
 
Location: Sunnybrook Farm
4,315 posts, read 2,499,522 times
Reputation: 12551

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So, my yard is starting to green up, and the corners were looking a bit shaggy. I have a guy who comes by every week, doing neighbors' yards, and mine in summer - but I'm feeling stingy and didn't want to start him up just yet. I don't currently own a gas mower, due to cicrumstances too lengthy and boring to recount. I really didn't much want to go buy a mower to avoid a few weeks' fee for mowing. So:

I bought a push mower! Yes, the human-powered version.

And amazingly enough it works pretty darn well for my small yard. It's pretty narrow so I have to make a lot of passes; and it doesn't suck the grass up to be cut like a rotary does; but to just trim off the shaggy areas and make the yard look respectable, and cut off the tops of the weeds before they go to seed, it works surprisingly well. I think I'll keep it as an option for early spring and late fall when the turf's mostly shut down but there's still some growth and it can look unkempt. I don't think I'd want to use the unpowered mower in full summer when that thick San Augustine grass is growing so fast you could use a power mower twice a week (I only have it mowed once a week and it gets pretty long.) Now I need to see about edging - I have a nice gas powered weedeater that I use for edging but I winterized it four years ago and again, for a couple weeks before my full time guy starts doing my yard, I don't want to fire it up. Maybe a cordless?

I really like the low noise of the push mower. I don't use a leaf blower ever (my paid guy does, of course), preferring a RAKE.

Anyone else here, using a push reel mower, either occasionally in early spring/late fall, or through the whole season?
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Old 03-11-2024, 08:43 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,233 posts, read 80,460,275 times
Reputation: 57141
As a kid in the 1960s I used one, and made a few bucks at 25 cents/hour mowing elderly neighbor lawns. Now being old myself, with a bigger lawn, I prefer to use a mulching riding mower, just sit and drive it. I remember the sound of the manual push mower and it was a wonderful sound, your post brings back good memories.
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Old 03-11-2024, 08:51 AM
 
Location: Near the Coast SWCT
83,352 posts, read 74,765,373 times
Reputation: 16544
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140 View Post
I remember the sound of the manual push mower and it was a wonderful sound, your post brings back good memories.
Ahhh, I love that summer sound! Windows open, breezy warm day and the sound of a lawnmower. I hope that never fades.

I'm still pushing at 50 but sometimes I wonder if I should just bite the bullet and get a riding one. Then I see my 86 and 78 yr old neighbors still pushing and I forget the riding idea.
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Old 03-11-2024, 09:10 AM
 
Location: Albuquerque
926 posts, read 474,348 times
Reputation: 2104
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit33 View Post
So, my yard is starting to green up, and the corners were looking a bit shaggy. I have a guy who comes by every week, doing neighbors' yards, and mine in summer - but I'm feeling stingy and didn't want to start him up just yet. I don't currently own a gas mower, due to cicrumstances too lengthy and boring to recount. I really didn't much want to go buy a mower to avoid a few weeks' fee for mowing. So:

I bought a push mower! Yes, the human-powered version.

And amazingly enough it works pretty darn well for my small yard. It's pretty narrow so I have to make a lot of passes; and it doesn't suck the grass up to be cut like a rotary does; but to just trim off the shaggy areas and make the yard look respectable, and cut off the tops of the weeds before they go to seed, it works surprisingly well. I think I'll keep it as an option for early spring and late fall when the turf's mostly shut down but there's still some growth and it can look unkempt. I don't think I'd want to use the unpowered mower in full summer when that thick San Augustine grass is growing so fast you could use a power mower twice a week (I only have it mowed once a week and it gets pretty long.) Now I need to see about edging - I have a nice gas powered weedeater that I use for edging but I winterized it four years ago and again, for a couple weeks before my full time guy starts doing my yard, I don't want to fire it up. Maybe a cordless?

I really like the low noise of the push mower. I don't use a leaf blower ever (my paid guy does, of course), preferring a RAKE.

Anyone else here, using a push reel mower, either occasionally in early spring/late fall, or through the whole season?
I bought one several years ago. I really like it, my goal is to get rid of the lawn completely as it is bermuda that has invaded every part of my yards and made the cactus garden a disaster. I also have an electric weed eater that I use for edging. I have a 50 ft electric cord for it, but now they make some with re chargeable batteries that are just as good. I just bought a small chain saw that uses rechargeable batteries. I am not going to cut down a forest but some of the trees need trimming. I haven't tried it yet, still too cold here until afternoon when I am required to do other things.
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Old 03-11-2024, 09:16 AM
 
26,970 posts, read 43,486,513 times
Reputation: 31763
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit33 View Post
Anyone else here, using a push reel mower, either occasionally in early spring/late fall, or through the whole season?
Not on St Augustine grass, that would be hernia inducing. The finer bladed Rye grass which doesn't have the thick runners like St Augustine is doable however.
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Old 03-11-2024, 09:37 AM
 
Location: Sunnybrook Farm
4,315 posts, read 2,499,522 times
Reputation: 12551
Quote:
Originally Posted by kyle19125 View Post
Not on St Augustine grass, that would be hernia inducing. The finer bladed Rye grass which doesn't have the thick runners like St Augustine is doable however.
Well, you shouldn't be cutting San Augustine low enough to get into the runners anyway, but I still think the thickness of the stuff is going to make it really tough. Like I said, I just bought the thing for this in-between time when some of the yard is growing, the weeds are doing their best to get up above the turf as fast as possible and go to seed, but the turf isn't in full growth summer mode. I might give it a try later this summer just for fun, but I suspect I won't want to do that.
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Old 03-11-2024, 10:56 AM
 
Location: Indianapolis, East Side
3,042 posts, read 2,347,672 times
Reputation: 8344
I used to have a reel mower. It didn't cut through the seed stalks and my lawn looked like goats had chewed it.
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Old 03-11-2024, 12:00 PM
 
Location: A coal patch in Pennsyltucky
10,305 posts, read 10,553,441 times
Reputation: 12612
My parents had a reel lawn mower when they lived in housing project with a small yard. We moved in 1961 to a house with a large yard. It hung in the garage for a few years and I think my dad threw it out. They seem to be making a comeback. From what I've heard, they do a better job than a power mower if the grass isn't too high. The key is keeping the blades sharp.
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Old 03-11-2024, 12:54 PM
 
Location: Lost in Montana *recalculating*...
19,540 posts, read 22,428,274 times
Reputation: 24409
Yup have 2 actually. A Scotts and the other an honest to God prison mower. I used to use them solely for years. We have acreage but only keep grass/lawn around the house. A few years ago I bought an EGO electric mainly to capture clippings. But if I want a super well done cut- it's the reel mower.
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Old 03-11-2024, 03:54 PM
 
2,437 posts, read 2,437,481 times
Reputation: 5824
Quote:
Originally Posted by villageidiot1 View Post
My parents had a reel lawn mower when they lived in housing project with a small yard. We moved in 1961 to a house with a large yard. It hung in the garage for a few years and I think my dad threw it out. They seem to be making a comeback. From what I've heard, they do a better job than a power mower if the grass isn't too high. The key is keeping the blades sharp.

I grew up in the 1950's, and remember the biggest complaint on push mowers was keeping the blades sharp. It was hard to find some who knew how to do the sharpening.
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