The Traditional
The first push lawn mower appeared in 1830. Edwin Budding and John Ferrabee, a factory owner living and working in Thripp, England, invented it. Between 1830 and 1880, slews of patents came out. It seems everyone had his own design. The new machines resembled everything from paddle wheels to racecars. By 1900, the push reel mower was perfect. It was the ideal of the times. Mass production ensured its continuance.
Push reel mowers are a classic and simple machine. The gears of the lawn mower spin a whorl of between five and eight spiral-shaped blades. These pass by a stationary blade at the rear of the mower. The two, working together, slice the blades of grass. Reel mowers do not tear. They cut to provide a smooth, fine grass surface. Grass cutting experts recommend five blades for tender grass; six blades are suitable for tougher grass.
Reel mowers are not for everyone. They are good, however, for mowing native grasses and the new alternative lawns. The newer versions are quieter than ever before. Moreover, reel machines do not huff, puff, and cause your neighbors to hate you in those early morning hours.
Reel mowers are also consider safe machines. The blades are in sight and in control. You stop pushing, they stop cutting. Fewer injuries occur with reel mowers. Reel mowers also do not hit you with flying debris at high speeds.
Repairs and maintenance work make reel mowers reliable. The blades require sharpening annually, but there are no motors to tinker with or gas engines to bother about. Blade heights are adjustable, making different cuts smoother and finer.
Reel mowers are restricted in use. They are still preferred for fine lawns, but not extensive properties. They are labor intensive, demanding you spend more time cutting your lawn then you would need to allocate with a rotary mower. Moreover, reel mowers, while good on contours, are best for level grounds. They are not practical if you need to mow tall grasses and/or cover rough and uneven ground. It was one reason for their demise.
Push reel mowers ruled the lawn scene in North America until the invention of the power mower. Although the power reel mower offered the first alternative, it, too, was supplanted. By the 1950s, rotary mowers were kings of the suburbs. The larger lawns, the lighter machines and the overall perception of lawn care had shifted in favor of the rotary blade. Although a few companies continued to manufacture push and power reel mowers, many more individuals bought and used rotary mowers.
Recently, however, the reel push mowers are making a comeback. Several companies, including the ever-faithful American Lawn Mower Company, are seeing revived sales. The reasons are simple. Baby Boomers like to use the familiar. Health conscious people see lawn mowers as a form of exercise - lawn mower aerobics. Currently a priority for many people is the environment. Push lawn mowers are the most environmentally friendly mowers.
Another contributory factor is the changes made to the mower. Reel mowers no longer way 40 to 60 pounds. They are light. The wooden handles are gone. Today's mowers have aluminum handles, pneumatic tires, blades of high-carbon steel, improved ball bearings, gears and axles. The process of blade adjustment is now simpler. Overall, the new reel mower is easier to handle, maintain, adjust and push making it an excellent choice for small to mid-sized lawns.
