Chopper drum system and method with improved blade configuration

A chopping method for cutting crop material, the chopping method comprising:

• rotating a first chopper drum that includes a plurality of first chopper blades attached to the first chopper drum, each blade of the plurality of first chopper blades including a straight beveled cutting edge that extends across the width of the blade from an acute end to an obtuse end;
• counter-rotating a second chopper drum that includes a plurality of second chopper blades attached to the second chopper drum, each blade of the plurality of second chopper blades including a straight beveled cutting edge that extends across the width of the blade from an acute end to an obtuse end, the second chopper drum counter-rotating relative to the first chopper drum;
• cutting the crop material using a plurality of blade pairs comprising a first blade of the plurality of first chopper blades and a second blade of the plurality of second chopper blades;
• causing the first and second blades of each of the plurality of blade pairs to contact one another to cut the crop material during counter-rotation of the first and second chopper drums;
• for each of the plurality of blade pairs, having the first and second blades of the blade pair contact one another during at least ten degrees of rotation of the first and second chopper drums;
• and
• for each of the plurality of blade pairs, at initial contact during each rotation of the first and second chopper drums, forming a swipe angle of 15 degrees or less between the straight beveled cutting edges of the first and second blades.