Cutting off plow share ends

[JohnRowehl]

I’m working on fixing up an Oliver plow I bought last year. Looks like the previous owner cut off the end of the share. A friend of mine who was my plow guru and recently passed away, had told me that that “tail wing”, for lack of a better term, was mainly for cutting alfalfa roots more thoroughly.

Just interested in getting other opinions about leaving them on vs. cutting them off.

 

[casecollectorsc]

I always left them on so it didn't "cut and cover".

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

At least with IH shares you could get them either way, and the tails were different shapes for different width shares. Like your old one would be a 14" cut and the new one would be the 16" cut. I've picked up some 20" shares on clearance at Tractor Supply when they used to carry that kind of stuff, and cut about 4" off for my 16" cut plows.

 

[DeltaRed]

I leave em long. The extra overcut cuts off roots better. Doesnt leave streaks,does a better job in alfalfa/sod.

 

[ET]

By trimming the tail you are making a narrow cut share. The advantage of a narrow cut share over a full CT share is the uncut sod makes a hinge. The hinge helps sod turn over better.

 

[connor9988]

I’m working on fixing up an Oliver plow I bought last year. Looks like the previous owner cut off the end of the share. A friend of mine who was my plow guru and recently passed away, had told me that that “tail wing”, for lack of a better term, was mainly for cutting alfalfa roots more thoroughly.

Just interested in getting other opinions about leaving them on vs. cutting them off.
View attachment 103285

Most new plow shares only come in 16" bottoms. If you have a 14" bottom plow like me it is better to cut them down essentially cutting the triangular wing off the back. You don't have to but some like me think it plows better and pulls easier. Fielders choice.

 

[caterpillar guy]

They were referred to as longs or shorts. The short works fine in cornstalks and the long works better in sod to cut the roots off and not leave that section of uncut sod to let weeds come up through after plowing that would be more of a problem in fall plowing of sod in early fall before starting fall harvest. Both have their places in use and I would not bother to cut them off. for garden plowing unless you have an awful big garden you would not notice the difference in fuel nor amount of pull it requires since most are only plowing a small patch under an acre for a garden. IT has been several decades since I last saw plow points in shorts other than old ones worn out. Or one left behind from years gone by. the gas to cut them off with a torch will cost more than the difference in fuel used to pull them.

 

[flying belgian]

I always cut them off. Theoretically it should pull easier. I don't think cutting the root of that weed 8 inches down is going to kill it any more then just burying the weed 8 inches deep.