Notched and cutaway disc blades
Scalloped-edge discs that cut crop residue instead of riding over it — for stubble, sugarcane trash, matted roots and hard, dry surface crust. Made by Dates Discs Pvt. Ltd., Ghaziabad.
Why a scalloped edge cuts when a smooth one will not
A plain disc relies on its whole rim pressing evenly into the soil. Put a layer of straw or standing stubble underneath it and that even pressure becomes the problem — the residue acts like a mat and the disc floats across the top of it.
A notch changes the geometry. At each scallop the rim meets the trash at a point rather than along a line, so the same downward weight is concentrated into a much smaller contact area. The point punches through, the trailing edge of the notch draws the residue in, and the disc cuts. That is the whole principle, and it is why notched discs are standard on the front gang almost everywhere residue is left in the field.
Notched or cutaway?
Notched
Shallower, more frequent scallops. The general-purpose residue disc: cuts wheat and paddy stubble, cotton stalks and crusted soil, and still leaves a reasonably even finish.
Cutaway
Deeper, wider scallops. For sugarcane trash, green manure, matted root zones and badly crusted land. Bites harder, pulls heavier, leaves a rougher surface.
Where these discs earn their money
- Paddy–wheat rotation — chopping and mixing stubble after combine harvest
- Sugarcane — cutting trash and old ratoon roots between crops
- Cotton — slicing stalks before primary tillage
- Dry, crusted fields — breaking a hard surface the first pass after a long dry spell
- Front gang of any offset or tandem harrow working behind a combine
Sizes we make
| Diameter | mm | Thickness | Concavity | Centre hole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18″ | 460 | 3.5 / 4.0 | 38 mm | 32 mm round · 1⅛″ sq. |
| 20″ | 510 | 4.0 / 4.5 | 45 mm | 1⅛″ · 1¼″ sq. |
| 22″ | 560 | 4.0 / 4.5 | 50 mm | 1¼″ sq. |
| 24″ | 610 | 4.5 / 5.0 | 55 mm | 1¼″ sq. |
| 26″ | 660 | 5.0 | 60 mm | 1¼″ · 1½″ sq. |
Notch count is typically 6 to 12 depending on diameter and how aggressive you want the cut. Tell us the crop and the implement and we will suggest the pattern.
How they are made
The scallops are formed, not ground in afterwards, so the edge keeps full section thickness right up to the notch. The blank is then hot pressed to concavity, quenched and tempered to 42 HRC, and the cutting edge is turned on a lathe — including through the notches, which is the step cheaper discs skip. Finally shot blasted, painted black and stamped with the Hippo® seal.
Compare with plain harrow discs →
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between a notched disc and a cutaway disc?
Both have a scalloped edge. A notched disc has shallower, more frequent notches and is the general-purpose residue-cutting disc. A cutaway disc has deeper, wider scallops for heavy trash such as sugarcane and matted roots, where it bites harder but leaves a rougher finish.
How many notches does a disc have?
Typically 6 to 12 notches depending on diameter. Fewer, deeper notches cut more aggressively; more, shallower notches give a smoother and more even cut.
Do notched discs wear out faster?
Notched discs lose a little more steel per acre because the load is concentrated on the points. In trashy fields they still outlast plain discs in useful terms, because a plain disc stops cutting long before it stops turning.
Are notched discs good for no-till or happy seeder operations?
Yes. Where residue is left standing or spread, a notched or cutaway disc is what lets the gang penetrate instead of floating over the trash.