Month: July 2026

Custom Tensioner for Fiskars Reel Mower

After my latest attempt to get replacement sprockets from Fiskars, I figured I had to fix my mower some other way.

The reason for a custom tensioner is simple: the chain tends to fly off from time to time. Sometimes it is due to a stretched chain – I use the mower quite a bit, and on average every 3 years the chain is visibly stretched. In other cases, it is because the mower has a few bad teeth on the sprockets – more details in the post.

Well, yesterday I finally managed to install a custom tensioner on my old Fiskars StaySharp Max 6201. Big thanks to JTDesign for creating it, showing how it works, and answering questions.

While the custom tensioner might need a little fiddling – it all depends on the print, parts, and such – it is nothing that can’t be done with a few basic tools and a little time.

Overall, the custom tensioner is awesome. Thank you, JTDesign.

Backup: chain tensioner fiskar model filesDownload

Marvellous mower, crap company

I’ve been mowing my lawn with a Fiskars Reel Mower for over nine years. After my last post and watching an interesting YouTube video, I decided to try my luck and once again email Fiskars to plead for parts.

Well, no dice…

It took nearly two weeks for the Fiskars warranty department to answer. When they finally did, they informed me that the mower was too old – which is fair – and that I couldn’t purchase any parts whatsoever.

Fiskars simply does NOT sell parts once your mower is out of warranty, which lasts three years. So, after three years, if you need anything at all, well, good luck. I guess you’re supposed to make the parts yourself, buy a new mower from Fiskars, or perhaps find a used one for parts.

Honestly, I’m very happy with the mower. It’s simple, it does the job, I enjoy using it, the design is very good, it seems to last well, and it doesn’t take much to keep it running.

However, Fiskars does not want to support its customers. Why not let people purchase parts? Is that too much to ask, or must everything nowadays be disposable?

I got the mower from a second-hand store, and despite it not being in the best shape, I’m happy that I did. Going forward, I will not be buying anything from Fiskars, since their modus operandi is simply to sell and ditch you once the warranty runs out.

Oh, and by the way, read their warranty carefully: the big print says “LIFETIME WARRANTY,” while the small print says “Limited 3-year warranty.”

Fiskars inquiryDownload


P.S: even back in 2019, Fiskars did not sell replacement parts!