# Steel cutting edges on driveways



## lilphil26

This is going to be my first year plowing and im concerned about scratching customers drives with the stock(steel cutting edge) on my new snoway 26 series. I have 2 customers with interlocking brick, which I assumed would be better to backdrag only, but I am reading that steel will scratch up the bricks(even when backdragged) as well as asphalt drives. I am seriously considering getting a poly cutting edge from snoway. I see on their site that they offer it for the 22 series plow. Would this fit the 26 as well(90 inch plow)


Can a few people chime in on this one for me?? I dont want to be getting into the Re-paving business

Thanks a ton


----------



## 06HD BOSS

i wouldnt be too concerned about it if its older pavement. if they are new asphault drives theres a lot greater risk of scratching thats noticeable. as the pavement ages it loses color anyways and you will never notice a scratch on it. brick on the other hand, i have seen many drives where bricks are frost heaved or high and low parts where the blade has scraped the bricks...that never looks too pretty. if they are anal people and you dont want to take the risk i dont think i would even service them, just for risk of future headaches.


----------



## basher

I think I have a 26 urathane wear edge around.


----------



## elite1msmith

i wouldnt plow brick with steel , its just not worth the risk... 

but ill also tell you , i never had good luck with poly or rubber scrapping.... i will only use steel, as a result, if i get a brick drive, i will sub it out, or tell them its last, and done by hand


----------



## ServiceOnSite

or charge them 50% over what it normally cost to cover buying the special edge just for them and make them aware that there is still a risk of popping out a block or two. once the ground freezes you should be ok.


----------



## Enzo

yeah I would notify them there is a risk that the bricks can receive damage from the plow, another thing you can do is just use a snow blower on that driveway and charge more for it.


----------



## scottL

When we take on residential we tell the client that we use a truck and steel plow. We ask if they have any brick, cement or stamped concrete. If they have brick outline only we will do it but, we tell them at best effort we will avoid the edge but, it will scratch. For stamped we do NOT touch this and for cement only we tell them it will scratch.


----------



## nbenallo33

what about using your shoes so it wont scratch the driveway... it wond give you as clean of a cut but it makes it so you dont have to buy anything special


----------



## iceyman

pop the plow up a 1/2 " and tel them thats the lowest youll go


----------



## hydro_37

You have a few options. 1. Pass on the account. 2. Just raise the blade or you shoes. 3. Shovel or use a snowblower.
I would just raise the blade.


----------



## scottL

I've heard the Ol use the shoe theory before .... Mine are metal, they scratch too. Does someone else have rubber or wheels as shoes???


----------



## Kevin Kendrick

I have seen guys come in here with a 4" thick piece of poly bolted to their plow. You should be able to find a local guy that sells poly and have him cut you a piece, then drill holes in it and bolt it to where your cutting edge was. The guy claimed it cleaned great and didnt scratch the pavement. Says it lasted him a while too. Just another option for you.


----------



## Neige

All we use is poly, around 30% of our drives are interlock. Wont leave a scratch, and lasts usually a season. Poly will never rip up a brick, if it catches something raised, the poly will chip. I am looking into trying rubber this year, to see if it will last longer.


----------



## Danscapes

I used to plow for a guy that had rubber cutting edges, and in wet snow it did good, like a 8ft squeegee.


----------



## basher

Kevin Kendrick;596496 said:


> I have seen guys come in here with a 4" thick piece of poly bolted to their plow. You should be able to find a local guy that sells poly and have him cut you a piece, then drill holes in it and bolt it to where your cutting edge was. .


You need the Right Poly, they have different hardness and wear characteristics. T1 for small plows T2 for BIG units is most common.



Neige;596496 said:



> All we use is poly, around 30% of our drives are interlock. Wont leave a scratch, and lasts usually a season. Poly will never rip up a brick, if it catches something raised, the poly will chip. I am looking into trying rubber this year, to see if it will last longer.


To work properly rubber needs to be adjusted after every storm and requires the steel edge in place but upside down. you need an inch protruding below for hard pack and icey conditions and 3 in wet/soft snow


----------



## 02DURAMAX

lilphil26;595926 said:


> This is going to be my first year plowing and im concerned about scratching customers drives with the stock(steel cutting edge) on my new snoway 26 series. I have 2 customers with interlocking brick, which I assumed would be better to backdrag only, but I am reading that steel will scratch up the bricks(even when backdragged) as well as asphalt drives. I am seriously considering getting a poly cutting edge from snoway. I see on their site that they offer it for the 22 series plow. Would this fit the 26 as well(90 inch plow)
> 
> Can a few people chime in on this one for me?? I dont want to be getting into the Re-paving business
> 
> Thanks a ton


 First off, DO NOT PLOW A BRICK DEIVEWAY!!!!
your will chip the brick and scratch the SH!T out of it.

Do it by had or use a ploy edge...Also dont charge extra to pay off your poly edge. If you can't do it in the first place don't bid on it.

As for asphalt I will plow those there is little to no scratching. And thats what sealcoating is for.


----------



## scoot98758

What type of cutting edge would you recommend for doing commercial & residential on asphalt and concrete? The blade I have is currently steel, if I need to change to rubber or poly is there a way that I can make my own from something like horse matting (rubber) or does anyone have any ideas of where I could get material to make my own?


----------



## basher

scoot98758;596811 said:


> I can make my own from something like horse matting (rubber) or does anyone have any ideas of where I could get material to make my own?


Rubber blades are typically 1 1//2-2 inches thick. Then you will need to put slots in it for adjustment purposes.


----------



## TurfSolutionsMN

This year I have a few accounts that did a fresh coat of sealer a few weeks ago. Is there anything I can do to have a fewer scratches in it. They are all local hospital clinics. I would really like to run nothing but the cutting edge with no shoes if I could or is that going to be a disaster.


----------



## Sno4U

I've been called to put in a price on a paver driveway b/f and flat out said "no". Its simply not worth the risk of damage, if anything goes wrong the client will do their best to make U pay for whole new drivewaypayup
I have 1 client who has an exposed aggregate driveway and every fall we go thru the same explanation of me using my plow w/ a steel edge and he always says "go ahead, the installer said it will be fine". OK. Whatever.


----------



## SimpleOrange

Basher,

Can you point me to a retailer that sells poly? I need 42" for my small tractor. I just put in a stamped drive!


----------



## basher

Give these guys a try.

http://www.fallline.com/store/snowremoval.cfm?Cat_ID=9


----------

