105 Years Old Push Reel Mower Restoration - Why Did People Stop Using These?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Hi folks! I worked on this relic almost 15 days every day, and I hope you will like the video and the result! Thank you so much for your support! Johnny 😃🥰

[@alexxbishop7950]

What's the longest step of your process?

[@dmitryfedorchenko882]

This is a real restoration of an ancient instrument that will serve faithfully, great job 👍

[@TakDymau]

Молодец! Но! много лишних необязательных операций. Имея пескоструй- зачем замачивать детали??? Научись нормально ставить заклёпки, твой метод- это чистая боль. Ножи мог бы и заточить - это не трудно, а эффект колоссальный.

[@TommyJensen-pl8qz]

that model looks exactly like a model that was produced in Denmark many years ago. It was called Gudenaa

[@DavyCrockett101]

Awesome job.

[@donaldwycoff4154]

In our new home in about 1976, my father introduced me to a push-mower similar to this one, giving me the rare privilege of mowing the front and back lawns every Saturday. The mower came with the house, and the house was almost 200 years old. After a few years of spending summer Saturdays pushing that thing around the yard, I escaped to college and the mowing job was left to my father. He promptly purchased an electric mower.

[@garymorris1856]

Good story.

[@paulmurgatroyd6372]

Myself and a lot of people my age, can remember our grandparents making us push these damn things aroud their lawns, and they took great delight in the fact that we were often too small to really do it. This is why so many of these things went in the trash, it was therapy to see it gone.

[@jeffeloso]

I was good exercise!

[@вышедшийизметро]

в моём детстве у родителей была самодельная косилка. Самодельный каркас из сваренного металла, электродвигатель от помпы для огорода, и дисковое маленькое лезвие от маленькой пилорамы

[@davidhucks9216]

Great job used to use one of these with a little blade adjustment every now and then worked well --- just add elbow grease! 😂

[@steve-mcnuggs]

I was blown away by the variety of skills you showcased in one video - welding, wood turning, and mold casting! You're a true jack of all trades, and it's amazing to see how you brought all those skills together to bring this mower back to life. Great job! 👍🏻

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you for your kind words! 🙂

[@Domitarou_Taiyaki]

Indeed... and also sand blasting, powder coating, 3D printing, you name it... what a talented guy...!!

[@pablorafael1989]

I think the same!

[@JohnCurtisE]

I noticed the same thing.

[@franklinforrest8464]

@@Domitarou_Taiyakithe only thing he could have done differently is to make the handle using oak or hickory to make it more authentic, but beautiful job otherwise.

[@RexEdwards]

After watching this, I see we still have true craftsmen and creative geniuses among us. This was a fascinating watch and a lesson in creativity and ingenuity. Unreal! You should have millions of followers!

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@annematten7218]

It is not a compliment to call anyone a jack of all trades, the saying is A jack of all trades, but master of none. This man is a master craftsman.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

[@patjohnson3100]

Very good work. Most restorers would have passed this mower up for scrap when they saw the damaged wheel and realized it had missing parts. Thank you for bringing it back to life.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Great point! Thank you for watching and for your kind words!

[@dannyrogillio2430]

I have Mowed with one of those before I found that push it forward about a foot and pulling it back quickly and repeating in short repetitive movements spun the blades to a faster speed that cut the grass better then inching forward to cut further made a smooth yard. It was a lot of work. I only did it one time with my wife’s old lawnmower that had belong to her relatives just to see how hard it would be. I’m glad we have gas mowers 23:10

[@jameswilliamson4856]

Same here

[@parker1ray]

I am 61 and can remember using one of these to mow my grandma's yard in the early 70's.

[@mjb12141963]

I am 60, and it was an aunt of mine. 😀

[@rjb6327]

I'm 81. First one I ever used.

[@G.S.W.SewmesomeMusic]

Never a fight to see who got to mow the grass with these babies

[@-HighTide]

60 My dad made me use the grass-catcher attachment. I bought a gas mower at 10yrs old and mowed 5 neighbors lawns $5 ea

[@jjcastleberry3662]

Same here.

[@johnearley9924]

I'm 77 and I still use the one I purchased in 1972 and because I've taken care of it, the mower still does a good job cutting the grass in my yard.

[@douggief1367]

Don't you normally push back and forth?

[@Dumb_Furry_UwU]

Bruh owns perfectly flat land. Probably rich 😂

[@pela1100]

Espectacular. Tengo 58 años y, al ver esa máquina cortadora de césped, me dió nostalgia. Alguna vez usé una de esas máquinas, eran geniales. Gercias por el contenido. Salud !

[@MattMartin-ql6en]

I'm over 60 years old and I can tell you I used one back in the day and yes sir their work

[@martinploughboy988]

I too used one, on my parents lawn as a teen. But then electric rotary mowers came in & made it so much easier.

[@MarkMay-cr6bv]

They work if the grass is dry and you don't mind raking. Some of us live where the grass is often very wet and these mowers just make a mess,

[@williams2266]

My grandparents had one of these. Let me tell you, it was a workout to mow their yard. They're cool now. But thank goodness for self-propelled lawn mowers.

[@WayneDisney-t6i]

I cut grass of a neighbor when I was 12, that was 50 years ago. He wouldn't let me use my own gas mower, he wanted it cut with one of these, and I made $3.00 for doing it!

[@thetruejay20]

What were you twel.... Oh I see. 😂

[@jacekdelrios9404]

He should give you more the reel mowers and hard to use and new a lot of power

[@thomasmoshier3920]

Me too! Can’t remember what I was paid, but that sounds about right….

[@edwardmulder3777]

I had 1 of these sharpened and it cut really well until a roommate smashed it into a coupla boulders and smashed both wheels, very sad

[@jaredpeterson380]

They were brutal. You did not want the grass to get too long.

[@testdriver3146]

People like my grandpa used these on a weekly basis back in the 60's and as a kid I thought it was heavy to handle. Most homes back then had push mowers, and a very few had a motorized mower. I marveled at the loud and efficient ones, hoping we could get one and never once did I think that I would wish I could go back to the quiet Saturdays of the past.

[@Jimbo878]

I'm the very proud owner of a Qualcast E1, the first model made by Qualcast (Quality Castings, England) I believe it's around 80 years old and still cuts like a barber. Loved watching your video.

[@EmptyGlass99]

I use a push reel mower. It's a modern one - cheap, lightweight, quiet and cuts beautifully!

[@flamingfrancis]

Agree, I did the same but there's nothing like the clatter of the blades of these...and the cast Iron components.

[@вышедшийизметро]

@@flamingfrancis бензиновый триммер с максимальным скосом травы до земли передаёт привет. Механическая косилка стрижёт точно так же, как и любая другая косилки со схемой толкания. В них лезвие никогда не касается земли чтобы не повредить лезвие и не летели камни. А триммеру пофиг. Лезвие используется лишь для травы с толстым стеблем, а для такой как в видел хватит обычной лески которая выкосит траву под самый корень

[@geofftefl]

Sheer genius! As a kid i remember my father had a mower like this, different brand (I think) but same system I remember trying to mow our buffalo grass lawns, hard work! This restoration is a work of genius and brings back some wonderful memories.

[@markd6123]

They kept everyone in shape, it was an awesome invention !

[@dustinbridges6831]

One of the few restoration channels thats real! Love it.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I'm glad you enjoy my videos! Thanks!

[@mwand89]

I like the way you gave the vintage reel mower a classic finish. The celadon color makes it look more classic and presentable.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Glad you like it!

[@JLMiller410]

Great job! I restored an old gas self propelled reel mower. That wood part was rotted out and I ended up using a wood rolling pin that worked out perfectly

[@davidvarnes7708]

Had one of these as a teenage, and I remember the biggest reason we stopped using it was that once the blades went dull, trying to sharpen them was a huge problem. And if the blades weren't sharp, they wouldn't cut as much as fold grass over and jam if it was too thick.

[@WowCreativeUsername]

@@Natashajb "Back in my day we walked uphill in the snow both ways to get to school"

[@johndgowrie1376]

I was using one of these yesterday to cut my dads grass 😂

[@davenoejoe]

I've heard you put valve grinding compound on the cutting bar that the blades mesh with and it will sharpen the blades it also has to be set up right.

[@compubert2]

@@davenoejoe and then turn the blade backwards to lap them in. . . worked at a golf course for some time. . .

[@AlanMacdonald-j6n]

@@WowCreativeUsername How do you walk uphill both ways?

[@hankclausen8652]

Oh wow, I used to mow neighbors yards with one of these when I was a kid. Awesome memories.

[@davidbentley1012]

An amazing job bringing that relic back to life. I can tell by the sound the cutter blade is in need of further adjustment. I have a small yard. So I decided to get a push reel mower when I bought my place in 2001. I'm on my second mower now. If anyone is thinking of getting one, I recommend getting a mower with trailing wheels instead of a trailing roller. Rollers flatten the grass if you want to make a second pass. Another thing about push reel mowers is they are a great bit of cardio. If anyone is curious, my current mower, which I'm really pleased with, is a Great States.

[@skiplee5490]

Still have one from the 40's. Still works great.

[@ivansosnin2582]

Есть русская пословица овчина выделки не стоит и не в коня корм толку с неё как от козла молока поэтому не и выкинули а ваша реставрация пустая трата времени и сил вам бы побольше такой работы глядишь и поумнел бы малость там при первом взгляде ясно что толку ждать нечего она сделана для чермета

[@trevortucker1]

That was my Saturday chore 55 years ago when l was 10. Slightly newer model with grass catcher. Your restoration is extremely admirable. Well done.

[@michellegrain3327]

Well done 😊

[@Sgreubel]

Your demonstration brought back old memories. At 12 years old in 1970 my first real job was mowing an elderly lady's lawn with one of these. After 1 or 2 sessions, I wised up and pushed my dad's gasoline mower down and back a block. I made an easy $2.00 each time. O my Lord, how times have changed. Thank you.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I'm glad I could bring back those beautiful memories to you!

[@Анатолий-с9ф]

Всем добра! Дружище, ты красавчик!!!! Золотые руки!

[@benbaselet2026]

I just bought a new one of these (well modern version). Works like a charm! Lighter to push than the gasoline guzzling noisemakers and obviously quiet.

[@patrut-v2q]

You obviously have a very small yard, probably own a tiny lot in town. I have 9 acres with 5 to mow and no way with something like that. Could not have done it even when I was young and in shape.

[@вышедшийизметро]

@@patrut-v2q Самый легкий вариант на 2-3 месяца - это гербициды. Попрыскал, и уже на следующую неделю будет голая земля. Если земля ровная, то хватит обычной электрической или бензиновой косы на тележке. Если земля не однородная и имеет множество перепадов (а на такой земле здорово тележку не покатаешь), то используют триммер. Из минусов конечно трава во все стороны и вес с нагрузкой на спину, но из плюсов максимальная эффективность со скосом под самый корень. Ну, или на крайняк, просто завести козу

[@patrut-v2q]

@@вышедшийизметро Good advice.😆

[@almeisam]

I had one I was using 20 years ago, until I moved into an apartment. They're great, except for tall grass, when just lays over instead of getting cut. Great video.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks for sharing!

[@bite-sizedshorts9635]

It's only meant for cutting a lawn, not a field. There are swing blades for manually cutting weeds.

[@stupidas9466]

They work great if you have a lawn without many weeds, no tall grass, and is almost perfectly flat and smooth. If not they are frustrating to use and the result is crap.

[@markjones7063]

I kept one of these around for when I didn't get behind on cutting (or heavy rains prevented mowing). I loved using it! It's great how it shears the grass so cleanly. I wouldn't want to have ONLY this, but so long as the grass isn't out of hand, these things are a dream to use.

[@TheParkAttendant]

I remember shoving one of these around on my grandparents lawn.

[@pyroboobysmith359]

Yup, hated every minute of it, thought I had died and gone to heaven when they bought the electric.

[@ralphneal9743]

I’ve used one of these on a number of occasions!! As long as the blades are sharp they work good !!

[@mikemullen8174]

I think the test answers the question in the title quite nicely 😀

[@ROGER2095]

I use one - a modern one, that is - and it works well cutting grass but weeds, not so much. I have to go back and forth, back and forth. But I like it because it's quiet and I can mow any time of day without disturbing the neighbors. Also, I live next to a golf course and they have gangs of these, which they pull with a tractor, as their primary cutter for the fairways.

[@ronm3245]

Yep, I was going to say the same thing.

[@lucianstoeckel5825]

I used to have to use one if blade is adjusted correctly they cut nice but the blisters you got on your hands were horrible. Also you need to make sure there are no sticks in the grass they will stop you in your tracks.

[@Riley_1955]

Agreed this can't hold a candle to a newer designed mower ..... The "TEST" looked absolutely worthless for what is was supposed to actually do.

[@nunyabiznez8120]

I have a newer one and they all have the same issue. They cannot cut tall or thick grass.

[@Highlordratick]

I am 66, used one of these when I was a kid, and I still use a reel mower even now, much newer, of course, I get a workout out and my lawn cut and ask for much more than that.

[@leongt1954]

I'm 70 now but I can still remember my grandfather getting me to mow the lawn with one of those but it had sharp blades

[@JM-iz3fr]

Great job! I recall attempting to mow with one like this when i was very young. When i waa old enough/strong enough it worked great! Learned how to maintain- sharpen, clean etc. Love that sound or the rotation cutting! Thanks for sharing!

[@reuben9213]

It was such a great pleasure in watching you restore that old push mower . I've used them myself when I was a lot younger back in the middle sixties onward .

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MrBizley45]

I too had the opportunity to use one of these as a boy for my grandpa. It was heavy but once you got it rolling the grass clippings flew. Yup, it was cool.

[@phoobar9640]

Any man that will put googly eyes on his parts tumbler deserves my upvote. Well played, sir!

[@boblalonde6879]

My father had a side gig sharpening and repairs to manual mowers like that. No welding. I was too young to learn how... Thank you for the fond memories.

[@Angel2043-w3s]

I used one like this when I was a kid. I mowed lawns in my neighborhood for 25 cents. It is a great machine if kept sharp.

[@СергейЕрмилин-п3х]

Нет слов - МАСТЕР на все руки!

[@deadskunk8733]

I would much rather listen to that at 8:00am on a Sunday morning than Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasaaaaa!

[@ericball6000]

so would I.

[@johnpekkala6941]

@@ericball6000 They are still used to mow the greens on golf courses (a rotor mower would scalp the green due to the grass being cut extremley short there and so slightest ground height difference would make the blade cut right into the ground). These reel mowers are however also diesel/gas powered so they are also just as loud but as they are used in areas where they don´t disturb the surrounding community the noise is not a such big problem. As battery tech improves there are however many new battery powered machines for mowing larger grass areas comming out on the market wich leads to both much less noise and also no pollution from exhaust gasses.

[@jefftucker9225]

Landscape crew comes around here every Monday morning at 8am, I work nights and I hear the mowers, weedwhackers, and leaf blowers, never fails to wake me up

[@mweskamppp]

My one is electric and makes Hummmmmmmmmmm. It is even allowed to use over lunch time, legally. In my country you are not noisy at lunch or on sundays.

[@davidbentley1012]

Don't be so sure! I've had one for twenty years, and my neighbor across the street always complains that my mower it too loud! 😄

[@barneyc4919]

A pleasure to see proper restoration! I used one as a child, the single wheel drive meant was awkward to use, the Qualcast push mower my parents replaced it with was much easier to use.

[@randolphfriend8260]

From what I remember, these cut wonderfully. However, one needed to use them often . . . easier. And, little tree starts, including larger weeds could stop the forward motion easily 😁. So . . . just grass was best; and, the finer the better. A well manicured lawn, with a grounds keeper, made life lovely. 💚

[@paulbrasier372]

Mowed Grandpa's yard in Monticello, KY with one just like it in the late 60's. Beautiful job bringing back a little slice of our history.

[@nineteenandfortyone]

I used a push mower that had a wider cut than yours for about 3 years. It worked fine for a small yard. It was used and I had it sharpened at a place that still did them before I started using it. That made it a useful tool like yours instead of a frustrating piece of machinery. Good work!

[@m.lecollie3565]

I had one just like what you're working on. It was quite heavy but once you got it rolling it worked fairly easy and cut the lawn perfectly. Used it for years and all it took was a bit of oil and elbow grease and it really did the job very well. They don't make them like that anymore.

[@BITTYBOY121]

Very well done - First class restoration - 100% total transformation ! - This lawn mower now has a new lease of life ! Great Video - 10/10 👍👍👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks 👍

[@BITTYBOY121]

@@rustyshadesrestoration You are most welcome :)

[@joelsmith3473]

Literally just came inside to have a rest from mowing my front yard with a mower like this and this video was top of my recommendations

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

That's a funny coincidence 😄

[@douglasroderick9873]

I pushed allot of hours on that exact mower. Well done!!!! Well done!!!!

[@larryg.9187]

I felt myself leaning into each tap of the hammer, each stroke of the file, each moment on the wire wheel, etc, etc... In short, I was totally emersed in every aspect of the clip... Very soothing to watch... 🔧 👏 👀 ...

[@georgebrown8312]

Good job you did restoring that reel-type push mower. You made a new handle for it as well. It looks much better and it works like a charm too. Excellent work.

[@danielsveda3659]

Mi padre ya fallecido tenía una máquina de estas y le había adaptado un motor eléctrico hacia tremendo ruido jajaja pero funcionaba bien! Un genio el viejo!

[@siriosstar4789]

that brings back horrible memories . my dad made me mow the lawn on saturday with one of these beasts .

[@nwicconsultants6640]

lol....same here. Huge yard front and back. Got a little pissed but then got into the groove and just considered it a nice workout and training for the up coming sports I was involved in. Actually had the nicest looking lawn on the block!😇

[@johnfowler6189]

For sure, It didn't need to be restored on my account. Good riddance

[@вышедшийизметро]

видимо вы никогда не пользовались ручной косой (как у Смерти). Вот это был труд, а не эта детская игрушка. А потом весь участок надо было пройти тяпкой чтоб не единой травинки не было

[@johnniewelbornjr.8940]

Beautiful and thorough restoration... I always love seeing old tools saved from becoming scrap. Well done!

[@JackFelker]

I’m 74. I grew up cutting lawns around my neighborhood for cash with one of these. They beat the hell out of gas powered lawnmowers in cutting quality and give you an awesome workout at the same time.

[@HowardWhitney24]

I did also

[@towdoctor670]

Yeah the awesome workout part is the thing people are scared of now

[@giorgiobassi9078]

😂😅😊👍🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🙏​@@towdoctor670

[@scottadler]

I did it too, but the blades were dull and they wore me out so badly that I had to leave half of the lawn unfinished and overgrown. :(

[@jefftucker9225]

I'm 56 and they were still around when I was a kid, but not common place, but I've used them before

[@mrknotthall]

These videos are oddly satisfying. I watched a guy last Sunday night restore a rusted power mower from the 40’s or 50’s. Now I’m hooked.

[@Progressive_Canadian]

I remember pushing one of those things around as a kid to do my dad's lawn. They don't really cut the grass, they just kind of beat it into submission. 😁

[@williamkaiser8067]

That's funny. When we replaced our reel mower with a rotary one, my brother said the same thing but the other way. It's the rotaries that beat the grass into giving up.

[@jamescampolo7824]

You have to sharpen the blades at least once a season.

[@tommcewan7936]

Might not have been adjusted properly; the rotary blades have to actually rub against the fixed blade in order to cut the grass with a scissor-like action. If there's a gap, it just stuffs the grass into that gap without cutting it. Obviously, all the moving and fixed blades also need to be sharp.

[@Progressive_Canadian]

@@tommcewan7936 It was old and I'm pretty sure your second observation was accurate because I don't think it had ever been sharpened over the years of use.

[@allenschmitz9644]

@@jamescampolo7824 ah the magic trick to make them work right a simple file...not taught to us dim witt kids.

[@cowantom]

amazing craftsmanship! I remember having one of these when I was young. Quite hard work when the grass was long but I loved the engineering that went into them

[@jt9498]

Excellent job restoring that push mower. Here's a tip: don't push it too fast. It works better when pushing it back and forth. It takes longer but cuts better.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I will try that tomorrow. Thanks for the tip! 😀

[@chuck6458]

An old greenskeeper at a golf course once told me that this style are the best mowers ever made. Keep in good condition and apparently you can't beat them for quality of cut.

[@ЯрославЛукьянчиков-у9ы]

Какие же качественные вещи раньше делали 👍. А что сейчас.....

[@zeldastipe]

I have mowed many lawns with such a mower, and a sharp one was remarkably easy to use. The one I under had a hardwood handle with a straight clear grain I do not know what the variety od wood was. I do remember sharpening it was a challenge, but when sharp it did a very good job on the lawn.

[@jomercer21113]

A well-sharpened reel mower gives the best cut, and it's less damaging to the grass than a rotary mower.

[@orestesmontero8842]

Este video,me llevo al tiempo de mi niñez, cuando mi papa podaba el cesped de mi casa,con una de estas podadoras.muchas gracias por traer esta resauracion,que tantos recuerdos me trajo.Dios lo bendiga.

[@SafariNZ]

Why did we stop? They are **heavy**, the wheels slipped and made gouges in the lawns. Twigs or small stones would jamb the rotter and you would have to turn them back by hand to unjam it. The blades needed sharpening, the edge they cut against needed adjusting and you would often have to carry them which was awkward and they banged and bruised your legs.

[@cheesesniper473]

Not to mention they only work on flat ground. Any sort of pit or hole, and suddenly you're mowing dirt.

[@Octavian7771]

I was mowing grass by time I was 4 years old with a push mower. However, at that time, the 1960's , push mower design had radically improved. The mower was lighter, the blades were sharper, and the mower we had cut the grass much much better than this 1920's one. Love the video! The demonstration at the end illustrates how far that simple technology had advanced in 40+ years.

[@richardsims1805]

As a small bo, it was our job to mow the 1.5 acres of grass on a hilly lot surrounding our house. It was mind numbing drudgery for kids to do. As a result of this experience I haven't touched a lawn mower since.

[@tony-lx6cz]

and you walked 10 miles up hill both ways to school in the snow !

[@jamesharmon3827]

​@@tony-lx6czduring a hurricane

[@вышедшийизметро]

а теперь представь другую ситуацию когда ты находишься в СССР, и в место ротора, а тебя обычная ручная коса, а потом, после того как покосил ей, нужно было собрать скошенную траву и убрать корни тяпкой

[@restoration-restore-repair]

Your channel is amazing! The restoration videos are always so interesting, and I’ve learned a lot from them.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Glad you like them!

[@Пастухиовчарка]

Спасибо вам за вашу работу. У нас золотые руки. 👍

[@abg3933]

I love tools that are not dependent on external energy, such as fuel or electricity. Great job.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Me too! Thanks a million! 😀

[@damonhill4909]

I remember using one of these to cut my grandma's front lawn. It was always sharp and cut really well. The company I work for, Home Depot, actually carries a modern version of these mowers. I've actually sold a few too. People don't always need a modern gas or battery powered mower when they just have a small lawn.

[@devinteske]

You rebuilt that broken cast iron wheel like a BOSS! You are my hero!

[@andrelarnechita]

Its just sooo satisfying to watch stuck bolts being removed, cleaned and reused. Dear sir, you have a great restoration video.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you, bro. Yes, it is satisfactory, like going with the bike on the rain 🌧

[@dijpurdy]

Amazing, what a fantastic job on restoring, it makes you realise how difficult the original build was without modern tools, you are amazing to restore and rebuild to such high quality. Well done.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you very much!

[@darylhudson777]

My suggestions: make the push handle wider, the handle shaft should be made of oak or hickory to prevent twisting and the blade needs to be sharpened better.

[@realcygnus]

Nifty AF ! My gramps had one of those when I was a kid & it worked like a champ. Glad it was a tiny backyard though. I remember finally being big enough to push it.

[@BusterdBodycrab]

When I was eight, I used one of these in the early 1960s to mow lawns for 50 cents.

[@peterrees6335]

Really impressive skills and great video. I usually get bored half way through vids like this, but every couple of minutes you were demonstrating competence in a different skill. Kept my attention right to the end. I used one of these many years ago on my parents back yard. It's really surprising how effective they actually were. Nice one.

[@kmcc01]

Wht a magnificent restoration. I'm 66 and one of our chores growing up was to cut the grass. Well we the last ones in the neighborhood to get a powered mower, I guess after a while my Poppa got tired of us complaining. So one weekend there in the garage was a bright orange Jacobsen mower with a side discharge. What a difference. Now today I would push that restored mower back and forth to show it off.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks for sharing!

[@knutknutsen5610]

Nice job. I had one such, only a lot younger, but it cut the grass perfectly. It’s a matter of cleaning and a few drops of oil, and it lasts forever, and gives you exercise too. 😊

[@DeminPeter]

Мое убеждение - тот, кто восстанавливает старые вещи, обязательно попадёт в рай. Отличная работа !

[@shawnaburns5158]

You did a amazing job on that broken wheel!!! The mower looks brand new!! I also bake my paint jobs in my oven ( i use can spray paint) and bake it at 200-225 for 1-3 hours then let fully cool ,,nice job well done❤

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

That is awesome!

[@MarkBrighton-nb8je]

I stopped using one, when my Dad bought a gas powered one ! 1962 ,I am 69 ! 👍👍😎

[@jao_cnjao_cn6022]

Great job bro! I have trimmed the grass many times using one of these in the backyard of my childhood house 50 years ago.

[@naturalcambion3747]

I bought an old house that had one of these in perfect condition with a bag. It is the greatest thing ever if you have a small yard. Wouldn’t get ride of it for anything.

[@tested123]

Never seen one with a bag

[@naturalcambion3747]

@@tested123 they’re great!

[@devinteske]

Bought a push mower in 2009 from OSH made by Craftsman, paid $300, and it had a gear ratio in the hub that turned every push into a great many turns. I loved that mower. It was mind boggling how good that modern push mower was.

[@donparker1823]

I loved this. Never seen anyone remove the blades before. I used to mow our lawn with a push mower because I liked the sound of the mower and I liked the exercise. My neighbors would sometimes say things like, "Hey Don you can borrow my gas mower if you want." If I wanted a gas mower I'd get one. I said to myself. I just said, "No thanks."

[@вышедшийизметро]

раньше мы косили двор обычной ручной косой и убирали корни тяпкой, и ни кто не хотел этим заниматься. А потом когда это всех достало, мы сказали "да е*ись оно всё конём", а купили триммер. Покосили им и просто сказали "ах*енно"

[@Alacritous]

I have one. My back yard is the size of a postage stamp so having a powered mower is severe overkill. The one I have is more modern and is very light but it's just as effective. Works like a charm.

[@PRH123]

They are still used, for example on golf greens, because they cut the grass stems, rather than tearing them as a powered mower does. The key to making them work well is to use them frequently. You can't cut the grass once per month with them, but if you do it weekly they work pretty well actually. They can't cut tall grass, so its like a barber giving a haircut, with a scythe you mow down the tall grass, if you have it, then trim, even and clean it up with the push mower. It's great exercise, no need for a health club membership :)

[@dancingnature]

My former landlady had one of those back in the very early 60s . I remember liking the way it sounded when the grass got mowed

[@nat9909]

Ours came in working order with the house we bought 45 years ago and we used it for 30 years and then we got a gas mower and used it for 8 years and it broke down so we cleaned up the push mower and used it until we sold the house. We left it in working order.

[@jangarr222]

I have a rusty old mower just like this in my front garden , I love the look of it even in it’s rusty state

[@billmullins6833]

"Why Did People Stop Using These?" Short answer is they're a whole lot of work! I mowed my Grandma's faily small yard any times and I can tell you IT WAS A CHORE!

[@denkeylee]

They work great on Bermuda grass but not so much on St Augustine.

[@billmullins6833]

@@denkeylee They're still a CHORE!. These days I have a self propelled mower with an electric starter. MUCH less of a chore.

[@mattwharton5939]

I was transfixed by this one.. one of the only Reno videos I didn’t skip 15sec at all. Beautiful work!! Subbed! 💙

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks for the sub!

[@Ramitupyourkilt]

They were hard to push, but they worked well when you did.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

That's right ✅️

[@stefanschneider3681]

BEAUTIFUL! When I was a child (that's about 40 years ago) we had one of those in our little garden. I can still remember the sound it made when someone was using it. It worked, but it was strenuous ...