# Sickle Knives - What is the difference between the types available?



## YODA (Oct 24, 2013)

My rebuilding of my IH 1300 sickle mower is coming along pretty good. Head is at Rowse, and I am cleaning rust and re-priming everything that needs it. I plan to disassemble the bar to repaint the guards, and remove some rust. My knife section is in excellent shape - just two small nicks that I touched up with a flat file.

However I went online to look at getting a spare knife section (advice from my custom baler and others). I am a bit confused by all the options. I do plan to go bolted, and know to replace the hold down with high arch types. However the knife selection has me wondering.

My current knives are under serrated. However there are smooth, top serrated, and large serrations (not sure which side? This is from Webb's sickle service web site.

Can folks advice what each type of knife is used for. I imagine each has a specific use. Most sickle mowers around here have the under serrations.

I'm cutting hay - Mixed grasses such as timothy, smooth broom, wheat grass, orchard grass, clover, and a smattering of alfalfa.

PS - where do you folks get your sickle knives or spare section parts from?


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## FCF (Apr 23, 2010)

Haven't used a sickle mower for decades, but when I did I didn't want top serrated. You will lose the serrations when sharpening. Always used smooth or under serrated. Seemed like the smooth kept an edge longer but didn't cut quite as clean.


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## aawhite (Jan 16, 2012)

Always thought serrated was a bigger need if cutting a lot of alfalfa, or forages with tough stems (forage beans come to mind).


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

For what it is worth, I vote for top serrated. A lot depends on the type of hay you are mowing. Around here sickle machines are going by the wayside because they can not handle the thick crop. As such, sharpening of sections is a no no because you diminish the stroke of the knife with each sharpening and make a bad situation worse. Top serrated knives stay sharp longer, and no they can not be sharpened, but I also think they last longer. The top serrated sections are self sharpening by nature.

When I started in this buisness, 40 + years ago, sharpening was a big thing and I can remember numerous knives where the sections were sharpened so often that the tip was a point. They also use to say that if you had a smooth guard you should use a serrated section. If you had a guard with a serrated ledger plate then you would use a smooth section.

There is no law that all the sections must be the same on a knife. Put all three on and then you can judge for yourself which is best for your situation.


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## cornshucker (Aug 22, 2011)

Look at SCH Easycut system. Best money we have ever spent on a sickle mower.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

cornshucker said:


> Look at SCH Easycut system. Best money we have ever spent on a sickle mower.


Very interesting cornshucker.

Regards, Mike

http://www.schumacherlc.com/Schumacher_LC/Easy-Cut-II/


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

cornshucker said:


> Look at SCH Easycut system. Best money we have ever spent on a sickle mower.


I could never abandon my discbine, but that easycut system looks wicked. Nice narrow profile guards should really do nicely in wet forage- bet you don't get many socks on your guards


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Boy, that looks like it would work great in beans with that crop lifter!

Ralph


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## YODA (Oct 24, 2013)

Looks interesting. Could not find on thier site if they have a system to fit my mower. Put in and Email, so I wil let folks know. For now still learning. Thanks for the help.


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## Dr Dean (Nov 4, 2013)

I have a 100 IH mower, same as yours only older. I use guards and sections for 1020 grain header. My knife sections are top serrated and just seem to wear sharp. I cut brome, alfalfa, and have even mowed my lawn with it. Yeah I know but the rider mower was broke down and my wife was growling about the yard, what can I say it was time to cut hay. The aftermarket blades are Herschel Adams B+.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

We sell SCH sickles And know they make a kit for the 1100 IH. When I put it on my swather, the kit with new knife head was $1200 or so. That's a 14' head. I will check prices today.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I've got to say the smooth sections are downright terrible to get performing in fine and leafy short grass. I'm happy to have gone discbine but a battery impact gun and bolted sections has made maintaining a sickle machine much easier than in the past.


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