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New Split Sickle Knife

J

James Howell

Well-known Member
Ordered a new, 9ft sickle knife last week for one of our John Deere 350 sickle mowers.

UPS delivered the knife yesterday and Nancy took it to the shop.

When I returned home, she told me that the new knife had been delivered.

Went out to the shop to open the package.

The package was shorter than 9ft. so I didn't even bother to open it.

Called the manufacturer and asked about their return policy.

Told them I had ordered a 9ft knife and had received a 7ft knife.

They told me that UPS would not deliver packages over 7ft.

They told me to open the package and make sure there was a "[i:654c4848f0]splice kit[/i:654c4848f0]" included.

Opened the package and there was a splice kit and a 25 1/2" knife extension.

a277553.jpg" width="650"




For those of you with experience using a "[i:654c4848f0]split knife[/i:654c4848f0]", I welcome your comments on their performance.
 
Combine heads can be 30' wide (or more), imagine shipping or servicing or handling a knife/sickle THAT long, so they are typically made in sections and spliced just like what you are dealing with.

In general, the splices work well, even with a knife that long, you will have no problems with your 2' splice.

Only issue might be if the particular guards you are using won't allow the splice to pass through.
 
I've had,several combines that used that type splice. Should be fine. If the hold down is there you may need a tall hold down like used by the head.
 
I got a 2 ft section laying around here. I needed a 5 ft. for my LA siclke bar and TSC stocked 7 ft. ones !
 
That?s just the way it is. Whenever we?ve bought replacement sickles for our 36ft and 40ft draper headers they?ve come in sections that you splice together. You will be fine. That splice kit in your picture looks identical to the ones we?ve used for putting together new sickles and fixing broken ones. It?s kinda hard to deliver or carry around sickles unless they are broken down into sections.
 
James, I about had a heart attack when my sickle showed up a month ago in the short package. I tore thru it and lo and behold there was the extra length. I put it together and slid it in the bar using the original JD hold downs. For me everything went fine. Took it out and cut 3 miles of road bank alot better than the old 1.
 
I am curious why it would not pass through guards. The splices on the combines are the same thickness as regular bar. Each side is half thickness and they overlap. Cannot see any other way they could make them and have them work.
 
"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]about had a heart attack when my sickle showed up[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]"

Not quite my same reaction, but "[i:654c4848f0]lost my religion[/i:654c4848f0]" for a few moments and displayed my total lack of vocabulary.
 
James the sickles for combines have been spliced for over 30 years. So they have it down pat. Just make sure and the bolts are tight and pulled down fully. You will be good to go.
 
James, I had to put the splice kit sickle bar on this mower as well. The bar I pulled out had a splice in at too.
a277591.jpg
 
You can look at this a couple of ways. Your clips should allow the bolts, or riviets to pass under and to work. There are extra height clips just for allowing bolts to pass through. That kit looks pretty slick. Now if you know about sickle bars then don't read any further. I had to make a custom knife and this is how I did it. Now here is where we get crazy. Go to your local metal supply place and pick up a section of steel strap. Trying to remember if it is 1/8 or 3/16 thick. The width is 1/2 or 5/8 wide. Made my own for a Gravely like 3 or 4 years ago. You collect all of the parts you need and take the old knife and grind all or the rivets out. Remove the knife sections, vice grip the old and new bars together as a guide and start drilling holes. It takes some time but it really isn't that bad. When done you have a perfect fit custome made knife. One thing is you need to learn how to rivit correctly. If done correctly the rivits will look like little metal toad stools. They are SOOOO tight that a bolt wouldn't come close. See if you can find a friend with an anvil and knows how to rivit. Have fun!
 
Totally normal, though I prefer 1 piece knives. Most combine heads are shipped with a 1 piece knife, and Deere heads for sure are shipped with an extra knife in the main frame tube. I know with Case IH, you can get a 1 piece replacement knife up to 20', after that it's a multi-piece knife.
 
A lot of things are shipped like that now, Some assembly required. Dad never ground off the rivett head. Wish I remember just how he did it. I held the bar. I believe this is how he did it.
The old blade was inserted in the vise with a slip fit, With the bar resting on top of the vise jaw and the blade snug in the jaw, using a punch hit the blade through the vise jaw, it shered off the rivetts. Stan
 
My memory is returning very slow. I believe Dad clamped the bar tight in the vice, and hit the blade to shear off the rivetts. Or I guess you can just grind them off. Stan
 
"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]the particular guards you are using won't allow the splice to pass through.[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]"

The OEM guards had plenty of "[i:654c4848f0]channel[/i:654c4848f0]" in the bottom for vertical clearance.

The wear plates also posed no problems on horizontal clearance.

Thanks for the "[i:654c4848f0]heads up[/i:654c4848f0]" on checking the clearances.
 
"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]If the hold down is there you may need a tall hold down like used by the head.[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]"

The OEM knife hold down clips had plenty of arch for the splice nuts.

The two OEM knife hold down clips over the knife head did not have enough arch for the top of the machine screws.

Had to remove approximately 1/8in. from the top of four machine screws four clearance.

Thanks for the "[i:654c4848f0]heads up[/i:654c4848f0]" on vertical clearance.
 
Thanks for all your comments.

Just really wanted some "[i:654c4848f0]assurances[/i:654c4848f0]" of this new to me sickle knife.

Sickle knife has been assembled and installed on the mower.

It is working as designed.

Final "[i:654c4848f0]tweaking[/i:654c4848f0]" of the knife hold down clips in the morning.
 
My old sickles were riveted. For me getting the rivets out of the bar was easier when I used a hammer to knock the sections off rather than grinding the heads. Must be something about the hammer vibration that loosened the rivets.
 
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