Thank you, I just purchased this mower for $75 at a donation store thinking that it was a good investment and after seeing your video, I just confirmed.
So, I picked up a used Fiskar reel mower. Got it home and mowed a bit. Found that it wasn't cutting too well. Searched all of YT for info regarding adjusting the reel. Adjusted the reel and have found that one blade keeps making contact with the fixed blade even after adjusting. The blade doesn't look bent however there is a bit of a mark just above the edge. After seeing your video I decided that even though the mower had only been used about 5 times I'd try back lapping. Went to the auto store and bought some lapping compound and then bought a 1 1/4" socket. Now I'm at a standstill as to how to mount this 1/2 socket to my drill...it's a Hitachi battery powered drill. Just a normal one with the 3 teeth that clamp the drill bit. Any ideas? BTW, thanks for the informative video.
You use what's called a socket adapter, or sometimes referred to as a drill socket. They are very inexpensive and you can find them almost everywhere. You may want to look at my July video that I just put out. I show this in my July video. Thanks.
I apologize for the delay in this response. If you have one blade that is contacting the bed knife, this issue should be resolved with backlapping the blades. I am curious about this only occuring on the lowest setting, because the height adjustment raises the body of the mower, reel and bedknife included, simultaneously in one motion. But the fact that the contact is occuring only at one blade suggests that this is something that a good backlapping should resolve. You may want to extend the time that you are backlapping to make sure that any excess material on that one blade is ground away so that you no longer hear the contact at that blade.
Thanks for this post - super helpful. I'm just about to do this w/ my Fiskars mower, which I believe is an earlier model (no chain). But my thinking is that I adjust the stationary blade _before_ sharpening. This way the compound will make more even contact between blades. Do you see any problems with this order of things?
I cover this in my July, 2022 video. If the blades are not evenly aligned along the bedknife, then yes, adjusting before backlapping would be the correct order of things. But adjusting to increase the contact between the blade and bedknife before backlapping should not be necessary unless the mower is so far out of adjustment that the blades do not grind against each other with the grinding compound on the blades. Thanks for the comment, and hopefully you watch my July video as well.
I want to apologize to you also for the delay in responding to you. I hope you have not gotten too frustrated with your mower. Does the knocking happen when a blade or multiple blades hit the bedknife? You may want to slowly turn the reel to see if this is an issue with the blades of the reel hitting the bedknife. If it is, then you may need to adjust the alignment of the reel using the adjusting bolts. Since you have a new mower, hopefully you have the owners manual that came with it that shows you how to make these adjustments. Or you can go back and watch the backlapping video again to see how this is done. If the sound is the result of a blade to bedknife contact issue, you should be able to resolve the problem with either the alignment adjustment to the reel, or backlapping the blade. If the reel is turning cleanly without the blade/bedknife contact causing the issue, there may be something else going on, in which case you may want to contact Fiskars directly. I have found Fiskars to be very helpful when I have contacted them.
I have used my Fiskars mower for six seasons. The first three mowing seasons, I never needed to backlap. But once I noticed that the mower wasn't cutting as cleanly as it did before, I took the time to backlap and adjust the reel. After finding how easy the process is, and how little time it takes to do it, I have been backlapping my Fiskars reel mower about twice per season.
well, the problem I have with my Fiskar is that it doesn't clip the grass blades. It 'bruises' it, but doesn't cut it off. So I've had to adjust the knifes to be closer and now touching harder. So it is a lot harder to push, but seems to work better. I feel I'm doing it wrong!
Maybe if it is back lapped, the blades and bed knife would match each other more precisely and then it would ease the overall tightness they are adjusted to right now. I would try backlapping with the fine compound and check to see if it improves the issue.
The owner's manual that came with my Fiskars reel mower recommended not adjusting the reel to where the reel and bedknife are hitting each other. Not only does this make the mower harder to push, but the owner's manual states that this could damage the reel. If your mower was bruising the grass rather than clipping it, that would suggest to me that you do need to backlap the reel to put a cleaner edge in the blades of the reel. Once you have done that, make the reel to bedknife adjustment so that the reel just clears the bedknife. You may need to adjust it to where it just touches the bedknife, then back it off slightly to where the reel just clears the bedknife. Test the cut with a sheet of paper. With the reel just clearing the bedknife, you should find that the mower pushes easily, and you should be getting a nice clean cut of your grass.
@@markn3586 i ended up back lapping yesterday and still found it is not cutting all the grass blades. Rather there are a few that remain just bruised. I will say that i let it grow too long, so maybe that is making the problem bigger
As I think about the issue you are having, I suspect that maybe the reel is not adjusted evenly across the width of the bedknife. You may want to adjust both sides of the reel to where the reel is just touching the bedknife all the way across each blade of the reel. Then adjust both sides of the reel backwards to where the reel blades just clear the bedknife. With a freshly backlapped reel, you should get a clean cut without bruising the grass blades.
@@lawntipswithlew3192 thank you for the response. I've backlapped it a few weeks ago and it feels super smooth. Paper cuts nicely, and to be fair: when mowing there is a lot of grass being cut. However, longer grassblades, esp my newer rye (which is fairly thing) is still coming out bruised. I do believe I don't mow often enough with it, so maybe I'll up the frequency so that it is only needing to mow the tips. Perhaps that helps. thanks again for the response! I'll also adjust it further, based on your comment.
My 6 point 1 1/4 didn't fit either, I looked around for a 33mm in the town I live in and couldn't find one but I did find a 12 point 1 1/4 that fits perfect. Hope that helps, Aloha
Fiskar's is a piece of garbage. The stationary blade on mine has always been bent so you can't cut well on either side, and the front right wheel doesn't contact the ground if it ground is even. Good design, horrible manufacture. Stop making things in China, no quality control.
Fantastic video thank you so much for explaining in detail and showing how backlapping works 🥰
Ah fun to see a homeowner with a decent do it all screwdriver
Awesome video. Saved me some money as I already have normal valve lapping compound and a drill in the garage.
Thank you, I just purchased this mower for $75 at a donation store thinking that it was a good investment and after seeing your video, I just confirmed.
Thanks, did not want to buy the 42.00 sharpening kit on amazon when i can by 3.50 lapping compound and have a drill.
Awesome idea. I could not get the 5mm Allen sprocket off - off to Lowes to buy a socket set!
Do I have to take off the chain to adjust the blades or can I do that with the chain on? And is the 1 1/4" socket 6 point or 12?
they want too much for the sharpening kit , I think . Can you tell me which socket you use ? I guess i missed it .
So, I picked up a used Fiskar reel mower. Got it home and mowed a bit. Found that it wasn't cutting too well. Searched all of YT for info regarding adjusting the reel. Adjusted the reel and have found that one blade keeps making contact with the fixed blade even after adjusting. The blade doesn't look bent however there is a bit of a mark just above the edge. After seeing your video I decided that even though the mower had only been used about 5 times I'd try back lapping. Went to the auto store and bought some lapping compound and then bought a 1 1/4" socket. Now I'm at a standstill as to how to mount this 1/2 socket to my drill...it's a Hitachi battery powered drill. Just a normal one with the 3 teeth that clamp the drill bit. Any ideas? BTW, thanks for the informative video.
You use what's called a socket adapter, or sometimes referred to as a drill socket. They are very inexpensive and you can find them almost everywhere. You may want to look at my July video that I just put out. I show this in my July video. Thanks.
Great video but the 1 1/4 socket didn’t fit my Fiskars
On my Fiskars, one blade lightly contacts the bar at the lowest elevation setting. Is there a workaround for this or am I stuck with it?
I apologize for the delay in this response. If you have one blade that is contacting the bed knife, this issue should be resolved with backlapping the blades. I am curious about this only occuring on the lowest setting, because the height adjustment raises the body of the mower, reel and bedknife included, simultaneously in one motion. But the fact that the contact is occuring only at one blade suggests that this is something that a good backlapping should resolve. You may want to extend the time that you are backlapping to make sure that any excess material on that one blade is ground away so that you no longer hear the contact at that blade.
Thanks for this post - super helpful. I'm just about to do this w/ my Fiskars mower, which I believe is an earlier model (no chain).
But my thinking is that I adjust the stationary blade _before_ sharpening. This way the compound will make more even contact between blades. Do you see any problems with this order of things?
I cover this in my July, 2022 video. If the blades are not evenly aligned along the bedknife, then yes, adjusting before backlapping would be the correct order of things. But adjusting to increase the contact between the blade and bedknife before backlapping should not be necessary unless the mower is so far out of adjustment that the blades do not grind against each other with the grinding compound on the blades. Thanks for the comment, and hopefully you watch my July video as well.
I have a brand new one where a hear a knocking sound when the blades rotate. I don't hear any grinding.
I want to apologize to you also for the delay in responding to you. I hope you have not gotten too frustrated with your mower. Does the knocking happen when a blade or multiple blades hit the bedknife? You may want to slowly turn the reel to see if this is an issue with the blades of the reel hitting the bedknife. If it is, then you may need to adjust the alignment of the reel using the adjusting bolts. Since you have a new mower, hopefully you have the owners manual that came with it that shows you how to make these adjustments. Or you can go back and watch the backlapping video again to see how this is done.
If the sound is the result of a blade to bedknife contact issue, you should be able to resolve the problem with either the alignment adjustment to the reel, or backlapping the blade. If the reel is turning cleanly without the blade/bedknife contact causing the issue, there may be something else going on, in which case you may want to contact Fiskars directly. I have found Fiskars to be very helpful when I have contacted them.
How often would you need to do this?
I have used my Fiskars mower for six seasons. The first three mowing seasons, I never needed to backlap. But once I noticed that the mower wasn't cutting as cleanly as it did before, I took the time to backlap and adjust the reel. After finding how easy the process is, and how little time it takes to do it, I have been backlapping my Fiskars reel mower about twice per season.
well, the problem I have with my Fiskar is that it doesn't clip the grass blades. It 'bruises' it, but doesn't cut it off. So I've had to adjust the knifes to be closer and now touching harder. So it is a lot harder to push, but seems to work better. I feel I'm doing it wrong!
Maybe if it is back lapped, the blades and bed knife would match each other more precisely and then it would ease the overall tightness they are adjusted to right now. I would try backlapping with the fine compound and check to see if it improves the issue.
The owner's manual that came with my Fiskars reel mower recommended not adjusting the reel to where the reel and bedknife are hitting each other. Not only does this make the mower harder to push, but the owner's manual states that this could damage the reel. If your mower was bruising the grass rather than clipping it, that would suggest to me that you do need to backlap the reel to put a cleaner edge in the blades of the reel. Once you have done that, make the reel to bedknife adjustment so that the reel just clears the bedknife. You may need to adjust it to where it just touches the bedknife, then back it off slightly to where the reel just clears the bedknife. Test the cut with a sheet of paper. With the reel just clearing the bedknife, you should find that the mower pushes easily, and you should be getting a nice clean cut of your grass.
@@markn3586 i ended up back lapping yesterday and still found it is not cutting all the grass blades. Rather there are a few that remain just bruised.
I will say that i let it grow too long, so maybe that is making the problem bigger
As I think about the issue you are having, I suspect that maybe the reel is not adjusted evenly across the width of the bedknife. You may want to adjust both sides of the reel to where the reel is just touching the bedknife all the way across each blade of the reel. Then adjust both sides of the reel backwards to where the reel blades just clear the bedknife. With a freshly backlapped reel, you should get a clean cut without bruising the grass blades.
@@lawntipswithlew3192 thank you for the response. I've backlapped it a few weeks ago and it feels super smooth. Paper cuts nicely, and to be fair: when mowing there is a lot of grass being cut. However, longer grassblades, esp my newer rye (which is fairly thing) is still coming out bruised.
I do believe I don't mow often enough with it, so maybe I'll up the frequency so that it is only needing to mow the tips. Perhaps that helps.
thanks again for the response! I'll also adjust it further, based on your comment.
No need to take the chain off. On the other side their is a fitting to put a screw/bit in.
What fitting do you use to do this?
My socket didn’t fit
I was using a one and one fourth inch socket with my drill.
33mm worked on mine
My 6 point 1 1/4 didn't fit either, I looked around for a 33mm in the town I live in and couldn't find one but I did find a 12 point 1 1/4 that fits perfect. Hope that helps, Aloha
It’s better to adjust the blade before lapping…
Fiskar's is a piece of garbage. The stationary blade on mine has always been bent so you can't cut well on either side, and the front right wheel doesn't contact the ground if it ground is even. Good design, horrible manufacture. Stop making things in China, no quality control.