I have been using one of these handmowers for about a month plus and I must admit I'm a convert. I have the soft leaf buffalo Palmetto in my backyard (100square meters) and I have never seen it so green and lush since using it. Before I've used my other machine operated Alroh reel mower but as with most of these cannot be set high enough for the soft leaf buffalo. I've also got a Honda push rotary mower which can bet set high but I found that it took awhile between cuttings to get that green lush look again. I think its because of the way it slashes the grass and takes a bit longer for the leaf blades to recuperate.
The handmower got me the best result as it can be set higher than the machine reel mowers and it aslo gave the best cut against the rotary mower. I don't use the catcher so it goes back to the lawn. Its not thatching up at all but it could be early to say. The scissor cut of the reel mowers are the best after all these years mowing. I find it very pieceful and convenient to use. A bit of an exercise but not an excessive workout at all. I guess it depends on the conditioning of the blades and the backplate/bedknife which bring me to my question. Does anyone know if its easy to sharpen these handmowers ? Also the general maitenance on them. All I do is brush the grass away after each cutting, apply some WD40 around it and tighten up the screws/bolts now and again. I don't mind in purchasing one of these again when it breaks down considering the annual cost of geting my motorised reel mower costs around $150-$200 for general maint' and sharpening.
By the way I have the Flymo H40. The users manual does not say much about looking after it and I couldn't much on the net about it either. I have read on the forums that its self sharpening but I'm not sure about that ?
There is a link in youtube where a guy paints on some grinding paste onto each of the reel blades and simply turns the wheel against the backplate/bedknife in effect sharpening the blades. Anyone know what we can use here in Oz instead ? Is this what they call Backlapping ?
By the way after I had bought the Flymo I found another quaility handmower for purchase. For those in Perth, the guys at Mey/Alroh apparently sells the new Qualcast (UK) push reel mowers...