• Although there are several types of lawn mowers available, all have similarities. They all have wheels and sharp blades and, with the exception of the rare manual push mower, engines that help to make mowing your lawn a whole lot easier. There are some basic parts to a typical walk-behind, motor-driven lawn mower.
  
  

Engine

• This is the component that is the most important to those of us who don't relish getting out at least once a week and mowing grass that never seems to stop growing. Engines come in a variety of sizes, makes and models and are usually piston-driven and use gasoline, although there are some brands of electric mowers available.
  
  

Blade

• On a typical mower, the blade is connected to the motor via a steel shaft that enables the blade to spin in a circular motion. The sharp leading edges of the blade cut your grass at a uniform height. Some blades are designed to mulch the cut grass and return it to the ground where it decomposes and forms a natural fertilizer for the lawn.
  
  

Mower Deck

• Sometimes called the cutter deck, the mower deck is made out of steel and serves as the body of the lawn mower and functions much the same as the body of a car. The engine is housed on the mower deck with the blade located underneath it.
  
  

Wheels

• Wheels are made of solid rubber surrounding steel hubs and are mounted to the deck. They can be adjusted up or down to move the blade farther away from or closer to the grass to vary the height of the cut. For rough terrain or to mow over small ditches, larger back wheels are commonly used to make these tasks easier.
  
  

Handle

• The handle is made out of steel and enables the operator to push (or in the case of a self-propelled mower, follow) the mower to cut the grass. Attached to it are various controls such as a manual choke to assist in starting the engine, engine speed control, mower control for self-propelled models, and a bar that, when released, shuts off the engine for safety purposes.
  
  

Bag

• Positioned on the rear or side of the mower, bags are used to collect the cut grass while mowing. The bag is then removed and the accumulated grass is disposed of. Because repeatedly removing and emptying the bag is labor intensive, many prefer mulching blades to eliminate this chore.