Am I missing something obvious here?
Why sharpen both edges?
To balance?
Why sharpen both edges?
To balance?
When to condemn mower blades?
- Thread starter JHZR2
- Start date
JHZR2
Staff member
Yeah, I did to help take some weight off for balancing, and to get a sharp edge.
JHZR2
Staff member
I agree.
I thought you were supposed to…. Is really the only intent to balance the blade and make sure the blade isn’t downright square??
The blades came with all four edge areas beveled. So I assumed I was supposed to keep up the edges…
Those look like a low lift style blade, I’d keep running it. When they look like this, I’d say it’s time. Sand sucks!
I have four blades for my Toro, two are over five years old and two or only a couple years old. What I have noticed is the edges on the older ones don't last as long after sharpening as the newer blades.
I'm not a fan of either using a bench grinder or an angle grinder for sharpening mower blades because they end up getting scalloped like that.
I use a flat file. It's not really that much work, you end up taking off less material so the blades last longer, and it's much easier to maintain a straight cutting edge.
I use a flat file. It's not really that much work, you end up taking off less material so the blades last longer, and it's much easier to maintain a straight cutting edge.
A sharp, balanced blade cuts cleaner but also faster. I've noted my mower using less gas with a sharpened blade.
You can walk faster with a sharp blade and the grass catcher will work better.
Yes on scooping out the grass accumulation from the underside of the deck.
No on using a garden hose hole in the deck for clearing. I've never seen water clean away the packed grass.
You can walk faster with a sharp blade and the grass catcher will work better.
Yes on scooping out the grass accumulation from the underside of the deck.
No on using a garden hose hole in the deck for clearing. I've never seen water clean away the packed grass.
Grinders do take off a lot of material. I usually use an angle grinder with a sanding disk.
That said, I've needed the grinding disk to "fix" a few blades people have brought me.
Yeah, if you get a blade with a good sized chuck out of it, you gotta do what you gotta do.
I chunk mine after a few sharpenings due to what I feel is loss of temper in the blades from the grinding.
I've got a couple I'm tossing after this year, they just won't hold an edge very long.
Same
I've had great luck with gator blades. I use them on my own mowers, and they have been a game changer as far as leaf cleanup. I don't bag anymore, just shred everything with gator blades and a block off plate.
My grandpa has a 3 wheel Scag 61" zero turn mower. He mows an 8 acre field with it and absolutely destroys blades. Gators have held up the longest. The newest version of them have a special hardened area where the cutting edge is.
