OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories NZ Rotary Mowers RYAN Ryko Speediescythe - c1953

Hello ODK History Lovers,

This post presents a challenge.
I first wrote about the Ryan machines in early 2013. Since then I have made little progress.

There is some evidence that the old Auckland firm of H.J. Ryan were the first company to
manufacture domestic rotary mowers in New Zealand. I hope to present at some point their history
in the Company History forum.

Ryan (including their trade name 'Ryko') made a range of reel lawnmowers (Speediecut),
and rotary lawnmowers (Speediescythe). The first rotary machines were introduced at some time in
about 1953. The Speediecuts were also introduced post WWII, probably in the late 1940s.

This article is about the Speediescythe � a model range (rather than a single model).



The brochure (below) seems to show the first model (c1953). Note that Speediescythes
were distributed by Levin & Company in New Zealand at this time.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART TWO - Specification

The first machine would have had a 14" inch cutting width and was, I argue, a smaller version
of the UK's Hayter walk-behind commercial rotary slashers introduced in the mid-1940s.
This was not a direct drive domestic lawnmower, but a small belt drive machine.

At this point I would like to make a research observation: some vintage NZ rotaries followed
a different design path to some AUS vintage rotaries. Blades on AUS machines were directly
coupled to their engines; many domestic NZ machines had a belt drive between engine and
blade shaft (in the Hayter fashion).
[NOTE: I mean only the earliest NZ rotaries. Later domestic machines clearly followed
conventional direct drive designs]

The only AUS machine of similar design logic was the Grasshopper, first introduced here in 1951
in an electric variant. The later, petrol motor, was contemporaneous to Victa's 1952 start date and,
arguably, may predate it. Amazing!

The machine (below) is a superbly restored Speediescythe owned by collector Greg S.
It is fitted with a 34cc J.A.P. engine. Note the wooden front wheels, large rear wheels and
skirted, pressed-steel chassis and tubular handles. No 'toe-cutters' in NZ!

Best guess is that this is a 1950's machine and I include a 1956 newspaper
advertisement of its type.

A Special thanks to Greg S for bringing this important machine to my attention.

PART THREE - A Most Unusual Speediescythe
But here I present an overlay of extra importance to the Ryko Speediescythe story.

By the mid-1950s Ryan were following convention in producing a new 18" machine.
But this one also offered something special, a bit different . . .

Below is an old newspaper clipping supplied by NZ collector Greg S.
It is dated as October, 1956 [hand written date under advertisement].

This new machine is quite unusual: offset front wheel but no side discharge -
this machine has rear grass discharge. It has individual wheel height adjustment and
an Iron Horse 2-stroke engine. Note the anti-skelping feature - brought about by off-set
front wheels.

But - most unusually - its chassis is not metal. It is . . . FIBREGLASS!
It is clear that fibreglass components have been used on lawnmowers - but not a whole
rotary base made for a domestic rotary.

A grass catcher was offered as an optional extra. This would make the fibreglass Ryko one
of the earliest users of a grass catcher on a domestic lawnmower. I wonder what it looked like?

I hope ODK members come forward with information.
We have no photographs or knowledge of collectors who might have this rare and
intriguing 18" machine.