Re: Finish Blade test - results
The first post in this thread has a picture attached comparing the PT rough-cut blade with one I made by cutting a Gravely blade in half and getting a 1" hole drilled in it. I did some comparison testing, which was reported earlier. and Sedgewood (John Coxon) made up some blades from thinner lawnmower blades and did comparison tests with mine. He then sent me a set of his, and I did some mowing with both.
The result, John's blades are the best so far. They beat the factory blades and mine in each type of mowing I did. With the deck at its lowest setting, they do a finish cut that is acceptable on my lawn - but not Bubenberg's customer lawns or golf courses. Set a little higher, the blades do a good smooth pasture cut, with almost no missed area. The factory blades, and to a smaller extent my blades, leave a stripe and some tufts.
The attached photo shows one of my blades and one of John's, with his on the right. His is reversible, and has the whole blade area twisted, so the whole blade outside the stump jumper lifts. Mine has a level leading edge, and bends up at the trailing edge, also creating lift, but not as much.
So, now all I have to do is wear out two sets of my blades, and I can make some like John's.
I am going down to Power Trac with Bubenberg in November, and will see what they have in the works, and give them a bit more detailed report. Maybe they'll offer a revised finish blade set for the 72" rough cut.