Me And My Push Mower
A little bit of history…
When we moved into our new home in the late ’90s I used to cut the lawn using my Dad’s old electric mower – a Qualcast something or other. It was old, blunt and rather wobbly and sort of tore at the grass rather than cut it.
For whatever reason I’d always fancied an old fashioned push mower so about 3 or 4 years ago I started to look around for one. I’d decided that I wanted an old one rather than a new one though thinking back I can’t recall why that was!
After much fruitless searching, by chance I stumbled upon an advert in a copy of Loot and a chap was offering a used push mower. We didn’t live close to each other so we met up in a road outside Warrington. The chap was offering an old, sturdy Ransomes Ajax mower and was asking £50 for it. I started to haggle when he pulled out his trump card …he had a second Ransomes mower in the boot and would let me have both for £80! He twisted my arm and I handed over my money. It would have been a perfect deal but for the fact there was only one grassbox.
The photo on the homepage is one of those Ransomes and I’ve used it since to mow my lawns. It’s a lovely, sturdy mower and cuts my (not great quality) lawns well. It’s simple to use with no cable to look out for or cable to pull-start. The only downside is the split steel roller on the back as it’s rather heavy – todays models are more user friendly of course!
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20 Responses to “Me And My Push Mower”
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The ransom ajax 12″ mower is a phenomenal mower and as you have mentioned it’ll mow ropey lawns pretty well leaving them looking good. Mow the lawn a few times with one of these and look after the lawn and it turns into a very good lawn. This is an amazing bit of machinery and the weight of the thing because of the roller is an asset rather than an issue. I mow a cricket pitch with mine and have to walk 300 yards carrying the mower to get there, but it is so worth it – check out my blog.
Hi Dave
Thanks for commenting. You’ve got yourself a lovely mower there!
I’ll keep an eye on your blog.
Ha ha, my blog and my illicit mowing of the nearby virtually unused field is coming in for some sharp criticism from the blokes that use the website “Pitchcare.com”. Needless to say they’re all professional green-keepers and they cannot comprehend the fact that I mow a little bit of a football pitch in order that my kids and the local kids on the estate can play a game of cricket. The people that own/rent the field hardly ever use it – maybe 7-10 times over the whole of the winter for football training and the rest of the year it’s not used but they still cut it once a fortnight. When we use it through the summer the people that own/rent the field use the gym that’s also on the site and not once have they ever stopped us playing cricket or have ever come over and asked “Who cuts the wicket and can you tell them to stop doing so because it’s vandalism”. The club is a boys club set up to get boys playing sports and away from vandalism etc, so whether they put up with my illicit mowing because they realise that my agenda is similar to theirs – I’m not sure, but the pitchcare blokes are not happy!
Yeah you’re right it’s an amazing mower and over the winter I’m hoping to give it a bit of a clean up and new coat of paint, oiling and greasing. To think my Father in Law found it dumped in his alleyway and walked past it for several days before he decided that he’d take it in and look at it. He then used it over a summer but decided the cut was too short and was detrimental to his lawn. At the beginning of the summer he offered it to me just after I’d bought a qualcast panther, so I didn’t take up his offer. It then went out the back of his house for the bin and has sat there for the last 4 months and fortunately they didn’t take it. Then recently he mentioned it again for some reason and this time I was round his house and had a look. As soon as I saw it and the fact that it looked as though the cutting length was massively variable I took it and what a result!
hi can u give me some guidence in as ti grease and oil my 2 ransomes ajax im new to this. thanks garry
Hi Garry
Good to hear from another ransomes owner!
erm, to be honest, I’ve never oiled mine. The actual cyclinder rotates in ball bearing races and the gears are on the side behind the metal cover.
I’ll have to look into it myself.
Any other readers offer any guidance?
Hi, cant believe i have found a web site dedicated to push mowers.
I got hooked on ‘Ransomes Ajax’ mowers last year and I am pleased to say that I now own ‘Four’. I have two mk5′s, one mk4 and one mk3. I have stripped all of them and completely overhauled them however I have left them all with original paint. The only problem being, now I find it very difficult to walk away from any that are for sale. I find them just so satifying to work on.Once you have used a good ‘Ajax’ its very difficult to want to use any other type of lawnmower.
hello today i found a cast iorn wheel from an old push mower . it has on the outside of wheel ransoms ipswitch. can you help me date this mower part. i can supply a photo if anyones curious. many thanks.
I have a Ransomes Astral 14″ mower, it looks like a cross between the Certes and the Ajax, does anyone know anything about this mower? It has a fine adjustment knob and will only cut very short, the highest cut is about as short as you dare go on a home lawn
Many thanks
Hi Folks,
Im so pleased to have stumbled across such a website! I have been onto vintage mowers for some time now and must say that the Ransomes ‘Ajax’ range is incredible, sturdy sell sharpening, that will in no doubt out live its owners!
Recently I have stripped restored, resprayed and re-decaled the grass box of a 16′ Certes MK 8 (Ex Bowling green) the cyclinder has been re-grounded and cuts through paper like a pair of scissors!!
Enjoy your Mowers Gentleman! Any queries regarding any Ransomes push’s dont hesitate to ask!!
Best wishes,
Adam
I’m the grandson of WD Akester (who’s he??)
He was the sales Director of Ransomes Simms & Jefferies right up to 1972 when he retired.
I remember him explaining to me the finer points of grass cutting when I was a very young boy and when I was a school I restored an Ajax as a project.
My grandfather’s lawn was a picture of grass cutting perfection.
I have an Ajax Mk 5 and am just about to give this one to my neighbour and by another, in better condition.
Regards
George, London
Hello George
Lovely to read your comment!
I’m due to cut my lawn with my Ajax later this week.
Kind regards
John
John
A useful addition to this website would be a directory of companies who can service our push lawn mowers.
I have a great contact in Mel at Spalls in Felixstowe. The problem is I live in London so when I pop up to see my parents I have to drop off the mower. Mel’s telephone number is 01394 283979.
Felixstowe is only about 5 miles from where the Ransomes factory was in Nacton. Most of Mel’s Ajax’s are in very good condition. He restores them in winter (when lawn mower sales are quiet) and sells them in the Spring.
I would like to know if ther’s a good service centre in North London, near Finchley?
George
That would be useful but finding the time to collate the information may prove problematic!
John
Under the heading Push Mower Information a link could be made to a list of companies known to contributors.
I will add Spalls of Felixstowe to the list and if anyone else has a company they use and could recommend that would be helpful.
I don’t think we want too many but I’m more than happy to ask around. I live very close to Middlesex Cricket ground in Finchley so I’ll ask there.
George
Anyone suggest a source for a Mk 4 grass box?
I’ve looked myself without success. ebay, loot, carboots etc
The Old Lawnmower Club is a good starting point for both mowers and spares. Very often mower and parts can be found at country farm sales where they are considered to be junk and fetch appropriate prices. The freebie newspapers often have mowers at reasonable prices, finally Ebay is a good place to look. I will be reducing my collection soon but these are mostly “T” handle sidewheel mowers. I’m still looking for transfers for Ransomes mowers, any ideas welcome
Can anyone give me any information on the mower on the home page because ive recently restored one so I just want a bit of info to go with it?
Matt.
It’s a Ransomes Ajax (series 4 I think). It has a split rear roller made from steel. Pretty heavy!
John
Hi there,Can anyone help as to where i can purchase grease nipples for a ransome ajax mk5 mower? I recently purchased a mower of e-bay but it is missing all but one of the grease nipples.I cant get this one out to see if it is screw or push in one.
Many thanks Austin