Sickle bar mowers were the first mechanical mowers to be invented, and horses initially pulled them. Modern-day sickle bar mowers still use the same reciprocating action, with triangular blades traveling back and forth between stationary guards. Every back-and-forth motion will shear any vegetation currently sitting between the two guard fingers and resembles the same movement that barbers’ clippers use when cutting hair. Not only do sickle bars cut grass, but they can also cut hay.
Some sickle bar mowers use a double-action mode that not only quietens the machine’s vibrations but also doubles the blade speed, increases longevity, and makes the haymaking equipment more comfortable to use. Another reason many people opt for sickle bar mowers is that they require minimal horsepower and can be utilized by tractors with 15hp or less. They’re also compatible with smaller tractors because they’re much lighter than drum mowers.
A sickle bar is an excellent investment if you find yourself regularly mowing ditch banks because the sickle mower can perform angled cutting at well above or well below horizontal. In some cases, you can even trim hayfield hedgerows and trail edges in the vertical position with this haymaking equipment.