The disclosure describes a cutting system for a harvesting header, which includes a transversely extending cutter bar, a transversely extending knife back, a knife section mounted to the knife back having a knife edge extending generally in a forward direction, a knife guard component having a front guard portion and a rear portion interconnected by a medial portion having a recess, the medial portion for receiving a lengthwise portion of the knife back with the knife section being received into, the knife section operable to move transversely into and out of a cutting slot in the front guard portion, a hold down component located between an upper surface of the rear portion of the knife guard component and an underneath surface of the cutter bar, and an attachment mechanism operable to secure the knife guard component and the hold down component to the underneath surface of the cutter bar.
