Is it ok to run over small cypress knees?

shaving the top sure. cutting it in half, no way. I shaved mine with a sawsall because they were pretty high, then have been shaving them with the mower since. Not a problem

If you only have a few of them you can take an axe to cut them as deep as you can below the surface.
If you have a bunch of them you may want to rent a little stump grinder from Home Depot and whack them about a foot deeper.

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I wouldn’t cut around them without a welded deck.

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It’s a John Deer. Is that welded?

John Deere is not likely welded. I’ve hit them with the front of the deck and it bent backwards into the path of the blades. The lawnmower died ALMOST immediately but not before one of the blades cut through the side of the deck.

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Is it ok to run over small cypress knees?

With a zero turn riding mower?

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thats a real good way to destroy the blades and damage the mower.

whoever said it was soft is FOS, that shite will tear up lawnmowers. just grab a side grinder and shave them down to no more then an inch or so above ground and when they grow after a year or two, do it again

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The lawnmower died ALMOST immediately but not before one of the blades cut through the side of the deck.

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Holy shite, man!

Yes
I tried a sawsall and damn near shook my body apart.

The grinders take forever

I’ll try the angle grinder or an axe type method

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Yes
I tried a sawsall and damn near shook my body apart.

The grinders take forever

I’ll try the angle grinder or an axe type method

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Every time someone mentions a reciprocating saw to cut them off my arms go numb. If you have more than a couple it is torture to deal with the vibrations.

If you use an angle grinder and a fiber cutoff wheel please use eye protection. Angle grinders are one of the most dangerous tool you will find in the average garage.

You mention searching for the correct tool, that is easy: a chain saw. I have maybe 50-60 knees in the back section of the yard at the camp I just what them down to ground level with the chainsaw every 2 years.

A chainsaw will work, but the bar and chain will ruin quickly cutting into the soil. Unless you have a spare saw that you don't care about, I would avoid this method.

I have found the tool you need. Its an iron digging bar. Its about an inch round and maybe 4-5 feet long. It is basically a straight shaft with a sharpened blade tip on one end and a flat top on the other end (presumably to strike with a hammer). It has significant heft and I just sort of use it like a spear to sever the cypress roots that come up. For the large thick knees, you have to just continue to strike it at ground level until you cut through. Sharpen the end every so often with a grinder if you are struggling to cut through the knees. It's a very handy tool to have in your arsenal.

A saw blade designed for use on a weed eater might work well. I’ve used it well for chicken trees and even if it doesn’t end up working out , it’s handy to have for clearing small brush.