tuatara wrote:
When I was growing up back in NZ, all the mowers we ever had and quite a few small portable engines had spring starter on them. Basically, a large spiral spring, like a clock spring, on the top of the mower that you would wind up tight with a ratchet stop. When it was tight you would just release the ratchet lock and the spring would unwind, presto the mower was off and running. This was standard equipment and not some after market attachment.
When I was a kid, my family bought one of them. It would have been quicker to pull a cord. It would have been okay if the mower started on the first try, but even with the pull-cord, it takes a few attempts. New motors usually start on the first pull, though.