Answers
I only have the mower part. It is very old and needs sharpening. I do not have a handle. How can I find one? Can I use one from a regular push mower?
Most of those old handles were made using hickory wood. They fit into the metal frame of the mower and were held in place by through bolts. The "T" handle across the top was a lathe turned handle that usually fastened to the upright using a "U" type of fitting that was also through bolted. Unfortumately, replacement parts for these old mowers are no longer made commercially.
If I were in your situation, I would look up a local home woodworker. If you live in a small town, you probably already know who that might be. If you live in a city, you might want to ask around at the lumber company or look in the newspaper classified ads. In any event, a woodworker might be willing to make you the handle you need for a nominal fee.
There are all kinds of websites for collectors of "vintage lawnmowers. You might find some of them interesting. A Yahoo search for "vintage lawnmowers" (include the quotation marks in the search box) yields 904 results.
Good luck with your restoration project.
www.cleanairgardening.com This video shows how easy it is to install and use a Scotts Classic Sharpening Kit for your Scotts Classic Reel Mower ...
Last year I bought a new reel lawnmover to cut the grass at my house. The only problem is that it won't cut the grass hardly at all. It wouldn't hardly cut the grass when the grass was even short. I even put it on the highest setting when the grass was short and it didn't cut well. And I also tried it at every setting in bettween. It only cut about half the grass blades. I've seen other people use reel mowers and theirs just cuts it easy as you please. I have Kentucky Bluegrass for my lawn, so it's not a tough grass either. Why is it not working?
I'm wondering if it might be the paint or something on the cutting blades. Is there a good tool to professionally sharpen the blades or ways of setting it so that it works better?
dull blades or improper blade clearance setting is my guess.
Making Do with the Not So New: Sharpening a Reel Push Mower
Buy valve lapping compound at the auto maintenance store like AutoZone ($5). Then adjust the mower's plate (the cutter bar) at the bottom of the reel mower to where it makes contact with the blades throughout the blades' entire rotation. Then put valve lapping compound on every blade using your finger, rotating it as you go along to get all the blades. And then on a smooth surface without cutting anything, push the mower until all the valve lapping compound is gone, keep doing that until it is sharp. Have you made do with the not so new? Do you have a suggestion you would like to share with my readers? If I get enough suggestions, I will post a "Reader Suggestion Friday" each week. Send me...
News
NORTH FORK OUTDOORS/Martin GarrellSuffolk Times - Sep 10, 2009
We started with sturdy quot;True Temperquot; reel mowers, and then went on to power mowers, so we proceeded from blade sharpening to blade replacement.Maine Antique Digest - Sep 09, 2009
TOOLS amp; LAWN MOWER: Lawn Chief 18 hp 46quot; cut lawn tractor, 2 stone sharpening tools, Cent. Mach. 6quot; bench grinder, Mig-100 welder etc., Circular saw, Drill,