Why are "C" tiller tines different from "L" shaped tines?

[Sawyer Rob]

I can't imagine only getting 100 acres out of a set of Howard "C" tines! EVEN in sand!

I've tilled a LOT of sand (and about every thing else) and never had a set wear out anywhere near that fast.

SR

 

[sixdogs]

I can't imagine only getting 100 acres out of a set of Howard "C" tines! EVEN in sand!

I've tilled a LOT of sand (and about every thing else) and never had a set wear out anywhere near that fast.

SR

When I lived in Maine with glacial till gravel soil with shale and stone, I wore out blades in less than 100 acres. Bear in mind I go 0.9 MPH at 540 rpm and primary tillage so that's not a longevity speed. Around the clay black dirt of here, I wear them out slower but still wear them out fast if going 0.9 MPH @ 540. They last much longer if I already worked the ground and in 3rd gear or similar.

In the gravel of New England, I never saw a polished mouldboard because of the gravel and sand soil. After lots of tillage, they still looked like hit with 20 grit carbide paper on a disc grinder. That's how tough the soil was.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I can't imagine only getting 100 acres out of a set of Howard "C" tines! EVEN in sand!

I've tilled a LOT of sand (and about every thing else) and never had a set wear out anywhere near that fast.

SR

Well I've never tried a set of "C" tines. I've always used "L" because that's what the tiller came with from the factory. I believe people when they say "C's" last longer. That's why I want to try a set

 

[Sawyer Rob]

When I lived in Alaska, I tilled a lot of silty ground, but mostly it was gravel/stone mix, that the owners were trying to convert to garden soil...

MY land was gravel, but I piled in so much mulch, peat and horse poop in it, that I had a really good growing spot in no time at all...

I still have "that" Howard too, the blades are holding up really well on it.

BTW, it's chain drive and it's all original and like new...

SR

 

[HayDR]

When comparing wear between blades you have to be comparing the same types of steel. The best Manganese steel will have 25-40% less wear than a boron steel blade. Also most all King Kutter style tillers manufactured since 2005 come with Chinese Manganese blades. 80% of the blades being sold in the after market are Chinese Manganese. Look for boron steel blades if you want them to last.

 

[jeff9366]

When comparing wear between blades you have to be comparing the same types of steel. The best Manganese steel will have 25-40% less wear than a boron steel blade. Also most all King Kutter style tillers manufactured since 2005 come with Chinese Manganese blades. 80% of the blades being sold in the after market are Chinese Manganese. Look for boron steel blades if you want them to last.

I am confused.

Anyone else?

 

[Gregster613]

Yeah Jeff9366, I'm confused about those statements also. My County Line Tiller I bought from TSC has worn also out blades already and I'm looking at replacement blades now. Agristore has blades that fit for $4.99 each. They are Boron blades - but - are those blades the ones to try or not? Or am I supposed to be looking for Manganese steel blades instead? It surely wasn't clear in the statement made by HayDR. I hope he jumps back in to clear it up. Greg

 

[HayDR]

Yes Agristore's blades are Boron Steel. Same blades that Tillermaxx has and these 2 companies work together. This is the Original supplier of KK before 2004 before the steel prices on Boron steel went up. Boron blades hands down and better than any Manganese blades. Also these Boron steel blades sold by these 2 companies mentioned are from Virgin steel. All Chinese blades are from reclaimed steel of which they are never of a consistent quality steel.

 

[Gregster613]

Okay, now that makes sense. Thank you HayDR for clearing up the confusion, and ensuring that I am on track to getting the best blades I can for my tiller. Greg

 

[sixdogs]

Here's my final report.

After a couple years of using "L" and "C" tines I can report the L's wear much faster than the C tines. If the ground is first broken with chisel plows or a moldboard plow, either tine will last much longer.

Also, I reduced the depth the tines go in the ground and it takes less effort, gives a smoother surface appearance and makes either tine last longer. Since I chisel plow deeper than the tine depth, this prevents hardpan in my clay ground. Tillers are notorious compactors.

So, my tests say to run C tines, reduce the tilling depth and break the ground first with some sort of tillage tool before it tilled. I'm getting much longer tine life.