Friday, May 16, 2008

Reel Mowers


I have three lawn mowers in my possession, all of them being of the "push" variety. Of the three, two are non-powered, "reel" type mowers, like the kind that our granddads used to use (or our dads, depending on how old you are).

I picked up a copy of the Daily Hampshire Gazette's weekly magazine, "Hampshire Life," where I saw a story that caught my eye because of my ownership of said reel mowers. It was about a guy by the name of Jim Ricci who collects old reel-type lawn mowers, as well as other models. He also collects promotional materials, literature, and other lawn mowing artifacts as he pursues his long-time ambition of writing a book about old mowers. This issue's story marks the fourth story Hampshire Life has has written about Ricci's hobby since he started up his collection back in the mid-1990s. He now owns several hundred mowers, plus other landscaping equipment he has come across.

It's an interesting story, a good read, and you can check it out yourselves in the May 16th hardcopy issue of Hampshire Life. If you're reading this post after that week's issue has gone out, you're shit outta luck. Either that or subscribe to the online edition of the Gazette, or wait and hope Google caches the story. Whatever.

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4 Comments:

At 1:02 AM, Blogger Deborah Wilson said...

Ok, I've been sitting this one out, hoping that I wouldn't have to admit that I *do* remember these mowers.

When I was small, we lived in apartments and we could rent these for around a $1 a day. Later, we moved and my dad bought one for the house, I use to help him cut the grass. I was around 7 yrs old. I don't remember them after that, so the motor most likely took over within a year or two.

 
At 1:44 AM, Blogger VanDog said...

Hey! I still use a reel mower for my postage stamp sized back yard, it's the perfect mower for my needs. They still sell them at Sears.

 
At 11:38 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Hey, I enjoyed to read this great blog:) i think this post is very informative. thanks!!!!

manual push lawn mower

 
At 6:49 PM, Anonymous Ted Castellon said...

Reel mowers are designed to mow grass not tall weeds. But if you have half acre lot a small lawn mower is advisable for you to use.

 

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