Products

Commercial Crop Shredders > Loftness Flail Knives

STANDARD HIGH RESIDUE KNIVES
Our standard knife for crops including corn, wheat, rice, sorghum, grasses, etc. This knife can run at any of the three rotor speed choices. It normally comes standard at 1700 RPM. This speed produces a very fine chop without taking an extremely high amount of power. If a very fine chop is not necessary, it can be ordered at 1450 RPM for additional power savings and added component longevity. It can also be ordered at 2000 RPM for an extremely fine chop, if desired. The higher speed does take extra power and slightly reduces component life. This speed is sometimes needed when shredding grasses and stubble.These heat-treated, side-slice knives are reversible for longer life.
OPTIONAL COTTON KNIVES
Cotton knives are very similar to the high-residue knives. They are heat-treated, side-slice knives and reversible for longer life. In addition to being heat-treated, they have plasma hard-surfacing applied. The cotton knives have a 45 degree blade angle to eliminate lint build-up. The cotton knives run at a 2000 RPM rotor speed. (2000 RPM not available on 22'.)
STANDARD CENTER-CUT KNIVES
Center-cut knives are no longer needed on most Loftness shredders. The bars used to mount the knives have been extended beyond the balancing ring and four standard sets of knives have been added.
OPTIONAL HARD-SURFACED, HIGH RESIDUE KNIVES
In addition to being heat-treated, they have plasma hard-surfacing applied to the bottom side giving them a self-sharpening effect.
OPTIONAL HARD-SURFACED CUPPED KNIVES
This 4 1/2" wide cupped knife has high suction because it's curved, and it swings the wide way. The wide knife along with the curved hood create a vacuum effect from the tremendous amount of air flow through the machine. (Most of the competition use a much narrower cupped knife.) Greater suction will allow the shredder to run much higher, thus avoiding hidden foreign objects. The rotor speed is limited to 1450 RPM.
OPTIONAL CONTOUR KNIVES
This type of knife is used to defoliate potato vines. There are three lengths of knives to follow ridges. Contour knives are available for 36 or 38 inch beds. This type of knife is not interchangeable with any other knives. The rotor speed is limited to 1450 RPM.
OPTIONAL COMBINATION KNIVES
Combination knives are side-slice knives over the rows and cupped between. This arrangement gives you extra suction with longer life. The rotor speed is limited to 1400 RPM because of the cupped knives.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT KNIVES

When choosing knives, consider the high residue as your first choice for most crops including corn, wheat, milo, sorghum, grasses, etc. This knife can run at any of the three rotor speed choices. It normally comes standard at 1700 RPM. This speed produces a very fine chop without taking an extremely high amount of power. If a very fine chop is necessary, it can be ordered at 1450 RPM for additional power savings and added component longevity. It can also be ordered at 2000 RPM for an extremely fine chop if desired. The higher speed does take extra power and slightly reduces component life. This speed is sometimes needed when shredding grasses and stubble.

Cotton knives are used in place of high residue when hard-surfaced knives are desired. When ordered for cotton, the standard speed is 2000 RPM. However, they also can be run at the other speeds. The cotton knife will not produce as much suction as the high residue knife. High suction is not needed when shredding cotton.

Cupped knives/combination knives are used primarily if corn stalks are shred long after harvesting and are laid or driven down. They produce a tremendous amount of suction at 1450 RPM are are limited to that speed. They are also used in some flood irrigated land where deep ditches are found. This knife is also used on the windrower models and in certain vegetable crops such as carrots. The cupped knife has a shorter life expectancy (even though it is hard-surfaced) for three reasons. They are not reversible. There is more movement, a lot more wind, and crop resistance opposing the knife, resulting in more wear to the ring and clips. The third reason is due to the high suction; they tend to suck up soil as well as crop. In abrasive soil, this results in excessive knife and body wear. Hood liners are recommended in this case.

Contour knives are used primarily in potatoes and are the only knives that will not interchange with the other knife options. There are three lengths of knives - 6", 8" and 10". They are positioned so the longer knives go down between the beds are the shorter above the row.

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