In 1962, when I was a teenager, my father gave our neighbor, Mr. Gruder, $10 for a reel mower of my very own. The ash handle shone with age and use, and it had a canvas grass catcher. Mr. Gruder had ...

Periodic adjustments and blade sharpening can keep a reel mower operating smoothly year after year. Step 1: A properly aligned reel mower cuts grass evenly in a scissor-like motion, pulling the grass ...