In a sickle cutting system, it has been found that a significant decreasein cutting inefficiency, which is measured by calculating the area of thecuttingprocess where crop is not immediately cut but is instead pushed forwardly byengagement with a surface of the system, can be obtained by a combination ofoneor more of the features where the cutting stroke is reduced from theconventionallength of 3.0 inches to a value of the order of 2.0 inches； the length of thecuttingedge of each knife blade is increased to a length greater than 2.2 inches； thewidthat the rear of the ledger surface of each guard is increased to greater than1.0inches； and the front edge of the blade is formed with an apex to shed cropmaterialto one or other side of the apex.
