Sickle bar sharpner

[Stoney]

In response to Fflintstones "McCormick What is it" thread, here is a display I show at tractor shows to show how a sickle bar sharpener was used in the field.  Since a sickle mower is hard to haul around I made the display using one wheel off of a McCormick-Deering mower.  You would loosing the pitman arm bolt and using the pry on the pitman wrench you would spread the pitman fork to remove the pitman fork from the ball.  loosen the slides and remove the bar from the guards.  This was much easier and quicker than taking the mower back to the barn.





Close up showing how the bar is clamped to the grinder

[Papaw]

That certainly helps me understand how the sharpening is done, good job!!

[Stoney]

Thanks Papaw.

[Stoney]

Found a better view showing how it clamps to the wheel and how the sickle bar moves in relation to the grinder. I guess, I need to change those plated hex nuts and washer to black square nuts and washer.

[gibsontool]

A change to square nuts would be better yet

[amertrac]

A change to square nuts would be better yet

My first tractor restore was a 1947 tiger and i wanted it to be perfect in every way/ The very first tractor show I was so proud untill the judge cane to my spot and said, I can not judge your tractor because you replaced all the bolts and nuts with the wrong pieces. They were square headed feom the factory, A real letdown but a realy good lesson  for me . bob w.

[Aunt Phil]

For the man who didn't like to crank and wanted to sit a spell this model was available.

[fflintstone]

Thanks for posting up the picture. I always wondered what it did and how it worked. I had disposable income back then and enjoyed mechanical stuff.

[fliffy42]

I need a smaller version for my hedge trimmer

[Stoney]

Thanks Fflintstone.  When you pick them up they are as loose as a goose.  They want to go in all directions at once.  But when we hit a rock while mowing with our mule mower they were worth their weight in gold.

Fliffy42 I don't know of one but it sure would be a handy dandy tool.

Aunt Phil I have a small grinder that I've not started restoring yet that you bicycle to run the grind wheel.  I'll post pics tomorrow.

[fflintstone]

Unfortunately that crank grinder and all my other hand crank grinders were victims of the second fire.

[Stoney]

I' sorry to hear that Fflintstone.  I always worry about fire.  I've seen too much lost that way.

[wrenchguy]

Here are some pics of a gaggle of sickle grinders. they were featured at winamac ind show jul 02.  i had 12 different ones there, but some serious guys had 20 some there.  Maybe u guys know these wrench and tool collectors. 2 of them are ih tool guru's. It was a great showing.  Stones are real hard to find.
thanks for looking.

[Stoney]

Great shots Wrenchguy.

[wrenchguy]

Great shots Wrenchguy.

Thanks.
Gil Irps is in a tee with his hat on his knee and Dick Blough is in red shirt w/ straw hat.Both are icons in the ih tool world.