Combines which sickle works bestIJ

[alsteracr]

Brother Charlie is using a 920 head this year on his 9500 that is equiped with tiger jaws and says they are great. The last several years he's used a 220 with just the standard deere sickle and I've used a 215 with crarys. We went to the progress show last thursday and saw the razor cut system in action. It looks pretty impressive but also rather costly. I didn't hear a price on it but it does mow down the beans. Myself, I'm totally sold on this row head I've been using this year. I couldn't be happier about the way it's working out. But I guess if I had to run drilled beans or narrow rows, I'd probably go with the tiger jaws based on what little I know about the subject. My .02 worth on it anyway. Have a safe harvest.

 

[highpockets]

I have tried Tiger Jaws and they work good while they are new but don't cut in grass after a short time. My best luck has been with SCH easy cut, lasts a long time before wearing out. I had 5000 acres on my last sickle and it still did a good job. They cut from the top and bottom side and no adjustment is needed. They also stay sharp much longer than anything else, they are HARD.You must try to cut an old guard with a grinder, you'll need a torch.

 

[greenstrat]

Thanks you guys, My buddy has a MF with a factory sickle and it works really well until the ground speed approaches the speed of cut then it begins to get ragged. I have never switched to drilled yet and run a row head. This year I planted 30"s in the middle of a field of his drilled and we just took off the test of the same beans all handled the same way, one spraying of roundup etc. His drilled (no till on both) averaged 2 bu_acre better than the 30"s after I took them off with my row head. Beans in the test made mid 50's. We got to kicking the plusses and minuses around afterwards and both of us noticed I could run faster field speeds without much difference in shatter loss because of the faster cutting of the rotary knife. I also must follow the rows. I farm in steep hills w_terraces and all contoured so you better not lose your concentration with the row head. Kind of a drag after a long day, although after running one since 1977 I guess I really don't know any better. GS

 

[Mutsky]

We have an 8820 TII and run a 930 flex on it with the SCH sickle. It seems to cut fairly well up to speeds of 3.5 mph...It may do better at higher speeds if all sections were new. We don't have the variable speed feederhouse drive so maybe that would be a consideration also. SCH seems to last a fairly long time and does a good job on the beans.