Any sickle mower experts out there?

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   For those that remember, the D15 I'm running was a barn find from across the road. Sat there for 20 years before I took it on. Less known was it was also hooked to a JD 450 pull type sickle bar mower for all those years too. Now have that out and am attempting to revive it too. I have some experience with that type of mower as I ran one mowing hay with them when I was a kid. 

Anyway, fixed both flat tires, greased it up, hooked it up to the D15 and gave it a whirl. It actually worked. Condition of sickle (they call it a knife) is marginal. Needs to be sharpened at minimum, but also concluded it needed all new guards, some of which bent pretty far from hitting something. Looked like maybe half might have been the originals, then 3 or 4 other miss matched brands. They all have two things in common.......flat worn out and sickle sections rested on the ledgers as they are supposed to. 

Turns out the ledgers can all be replaced, and started with that plan, except you can't buy those and if you could, cost as much as new guards. Aftermarket guards show up in parts books, but iffy supply and if you could find them almost as much as actual JD, so JD it was. Ordered 33 of them and not cheap. Have now put them on and all of them also have two things in common.......they are all new and none of them fit right. There is a gap of as much as 3/16 of an inch between guard ledger and sickle sections and those two have to touch to work right. I see no way to adjust these to fit. 

Anybody familiar with these at all?

Old guard that fits perfect.

New correct guard that doesn't fit at all.........

Edited by modirt - 03 Aug 2025 at 4:44pm

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modirt Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 18 Jul 2018 Location: Missouri Points: 8639	Post Options Post Reply Quote modirt Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Any sickle mower experts out there? Posted: 03 Aug 2025 at 4:32pm
	For those that remember, the D15 I'm running was a barn find from across the road. Sat there for 20 years before I took it on. Less known was it was also hooked to a JD 450 pull type sickle bar mower for all those years too. Now have that out and am attempting to revive it too. I have some experience with that type of mower as I ran one mowing hay with them when I was a kid. Anyway, fixed both flat tires, greased it up, hooked it up to the D15 and gave it a whirl. It actually worked. Condition of sickle (they call it a knife) is marginal. Needs to be sharpened at minimum, but also concluded it needed all new guards, some of which bent pretty far from hitting something. Looked like maybe half might have been the originals, then 3 or 4 other miss matched brands. They all have two things in common.......flat worn out and sickle sections rested on the ledgers as they are supposed to. Turns out the ledgers can all be replaced, and started with that plan, except you can't buy those and if you could, cost as much as new guards. Aftermarket guards show up in parts books, but iffy supply and if you could find them almost as much as actual JD, so JD it was. Ordered 33 of them and not cheap. Have now put them on and all of them also have two things in common.......they are all new and none of them fit right. There is a gap of as much as 3/16 of an inch between guard ledger and sickle sections and those two have to touch to work right. I see no way to adjust these to fit. Anybody familiar with these at all? Old guard that fits perfect. New correct guard that doesn't fit at all......... Edited by modirt - 03 Aug 2025 at 4:44pm

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Ray54 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Location: Paso Robles, Ca Points: 4719	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ray54 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 2025 at 6:24pm
	You don't mention hold down clips, are there any on your mower. They are to keep knife sections real near the ledger plate to that part of the guard.

jiminnd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 16 Sep 2009 Location: Rutland ND Points: 2296	Post Options Post Reply Quote jiminnd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 2025 at 7:52pm
	Have to agree, check your hold downs, they wear to or get bent.
	1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner)

Alberta Phil Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Points: 3913	Post Options Post Reply Quote Alberta Phil Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 Aug 2025 at 7:59pm
	Those guards are made of malleable iron and can be bent to close the gap to the section. There is a special tool that you use for that ; works sort of like a special anvil, and once it is placed properly you hit the section with a hammer to bend it. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=adjusting+sickle+mower+guards+to+align+them#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:32c8a956,vid:fKu0B8ZhczE,st:0 Edited by Alberta Phil - 03 Aug 2025 at 8:05pm

DiyDave Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Gambrills, MD Points: 53994	Post Options Post Reply Quote DiyDave Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2025 at 4:57am
	Hold downs, wear pads and guards all have to be right. Not familiar with JD, but on Allis mowers, the standard hold down clearance was a postcard or match book. Lead matters, as well as the tipping angle of the bar. I'd invest in a manual for the mower in question first and read it...
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Lars(wi) Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Location: Permian Basin Points: 8017	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lars(wi) Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2025 at 7:47am
	You mentioned some guards were bent, more that likely ‘bent up’ that can also warp the sickle, if possible pull the sickle out, and lay on a flat concrete floor so you can see if the sickle itself is warped. Aldo then is a good time to check the sickle ‘bar’ for warp, if that is warped too much, you will the fight the problem you have forever, until you get the bar back to original ‘trueness’ as possible.
	I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.

modirt Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 18 Jul 2018 Location: Missouri Points: 8639	Post Options Post Reply Quote modirt Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2025 at 8:00am
	Was looking at the wear plates and hold downs and likely all would benefit from replacement. But something else is wrong with those guards. They bolt up at an entirely different angle. And they are made heavy enough there is not bending of them. Not like the New Holland guards shown in the video (which btw was one of most informative and annoying videos ever. More google ads imbedded than video content). And this sickle knife uses rivets. Not enough room under the hold downs for the bolt on sections to pass under. I have the special V shaped grinder wheel used to grind these. No need to replace them all the time. The underserrated sections can be sharpened many times. Do not have the rivets however. I asked JD and don't think they had them either. And do have a copy of owner's manual and parts book. Parts number for the guards is right. Both in the book and on the guards. I found that All States Ag Parts has a guard that fits JD 350 and replaces same parts number. Have one ordered to see if they are a match for new or old. For most mowing tasks, these days there are better options. Disc mowers, brush hogs, etc. For hay, even the old but related New Holland Haybine is better. But for some things......they do come in handy.

steve(ill) Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Access Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: illinois Points: 87477	Post Options Post Reply Quote steve(ill) Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2025 at 12:37pm
	I have an old sickle from about 1940 that i got for FREE about 20 years ago. I have it belly mounted on a B Allis tractor.. I have run into the same things your seeing . Originally had rivets, but i put new blades on with bolts, then cut any left over off flush with the nuts.. The hold downs are close on a couple of them, but do have room. Have also had aftermarket guards that dont seem to fit very well. I have used a body grinder to grind the mounting face at a small angle so them tip up and get closer to the knifes.... YEA.. its 85 years old !! Got some problems, but i only use it 2-3 times a year for 2 hours to do the road sides and ditches... Sure wish it was different / newer / better... but cant justify anything else for minimal use... Sure wish it would TILT so i could trim the brush / weeds on a sloped road side !!
	Like them all, but love the "B"s.

PaulB Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Rocky Ridge Md Points: 5075	Post Options Post Reply Quote PaulB Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2025 at 1:08pm
	I have a "Sickle Service" rivet tool that will allow you to re-rivet new sections to a complete knife faster than you can round up the wrenches to replace the bolt in sections. Yes, you can replace the bolt in sections without removing the knife, but if you have everything in good working order the biggest problem of pulling a knife is to be sure all your fingers are not in the way.
	If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere. Real pullers don't have speed limits. If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY