top/bottom serrated, more confused than ever!

[biggerred]

I've been reading posts about sickles that are top serrated, bottom serrated and smooth. Also in the mix is the smooth guard, and serrated (ledger plate)type guards. I'm rebuilding a 80R3 A/C Mower and want to get it right. Let me see if I've got this straight: Top serrated-teeth on the top of the sickle section. Bottom serrated-teeth on the bottom of the sickle section. Smooth is smooth on top and bottom. Yes? Of course the guard discription is self explanitory. It's even more confusing when they use the same picture in the catalogs for both top and bottom!!
 

[Leroy]

For years and years bottom serated was used for grass only with top serated only on combines for dry straw and smooth sections were the earliest type for mowers because they haden't yet had the ability to make a serated section. In sone situations in very fine grass then the smooth works better than a serated as it will shear that fine blade of grass instead of grabing and holding it. You can sharpen a bottom serated section for several times but you cannot sharpen a top serated section and the ones that think the top serated are better for hay do so because they will last a bit longer when new but then they throw away the sections instead of sharpeming them. I am in the croud that only uses bottom on a mower and they will be sharpened till no more serations on them. Amd top is all I have ever found for a combine as that is what the makers figured worked better back when combines first came out and probably was figured out with the grain binder.
 

[Carlyle hoffman]

In the JD mower oper manuals it refers to using SMOOTH sections with serrated GUARDS for grass hay. Like Leroy said that reduces the ripping or grabbing effect. Smooth sections and smooth ledger plates work good in early and later soft cut ALFALFA.
 

[paul]

Yes, you have it right.

Serrated ledger plates, I would use bottom serrated or smooth sickle.

Smooth ledger plates/ guards, I would use bottom serrated.

--->Paul
 

[biggerred]

my next task is to find the correct smooth section, as Im going back with serrated guards.
Thanks for the help.
 

[Leroy]

Unless you are going for a very fine like better type of yard grass then stick with both serated gards and underserated sections. Smooth sectiond have to be touched up every half hour of mowing in the grass they are bacsicly used in with a file.
 

[biggerred]

ill be mowing mixed field grasses for hay
 

[Leroy]

And I asume they are a coars stem type and not a fine stem type like you cut with your lawm mower.
 

[biggerred]

yea mostly. I had cattle on it for years. nothing special. Some heavy bermuda grass here and there.
 

[55deere70]

I only use bottom serrated and sharpen with a 4 inch angle grinder.