Reel Mower Basics

Reel-type lawn mowers use blades on a revolving cylinder, called a reel, to cut grass. When the reel mower is pushed forward, either by muscle or by engine power, the reel moves.

As the mower moves forward, the rotating blades come in sliding contact with a stationary bar that is parallel to the ground. The stationary bar is called a bed knife. The grass is held up by the bed knife and is cut by the shearing action of the reel blades against the bed knife. The mower can be adjusted to various cutting heights.

Reel mowers can cut lawns shorter than rotary types because of their shearing action. That is why they are used on golf courses. The sheering action of reel mowers makes a cleaner cut than that of rotary mowers. Reel mowers also leave finer grass clippings than ordinary rotary mowers, but not quite as fine as mulching rotary mowers.

Blade adjustment is critical to a reel mower. The bed knife must be adjusted just right in order for the grass to be cut properly. If the bed knife is too close to the rotating blades, they will hang up on the bed knife. If the bed knife is too far away from the rotating blades, the grass will not be sheared properly. It typically only takes a few turns of a screw or bolt to keep the reel properly adjusted, depending on the reel mower model.

I am a firm believer in reel mowers. If you’d like more details about choosing and using one, please visit the comprehensive Reel Mower Guide site.