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Where To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

A Word About Sharpening

How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

Most of the time, all you need to sharpen a blade is to refresh its edge with a file and then suspend it from its center on a nail driven into the edge of your work bench or a wall stud to check it for balance. A blade thats been damaged can be sharpened on a bench grinder. This requires a bit of practice, so that you dont remove too much steel.

A file like this is all you need:

Nicholson Hand File

How Important Is A Sharp Mower Blade

Think about the difference between the times you shave with a brand-new razor blade compared to when you are trying to get one last shave out of an old blade. With an old blade, your skin is more prone to cuts, infection, and irritation. When you use a brand-new, sharp blade you get a nice, clean shave.

The same thing happens with your grass. A sharp cutting blade makes your lawn look great and helps keep your turf healthy. If the mower blades are dull or nicked, it will smash the edge of the grass blade, leaving a torn end rather than a clean cut. This torn end will usually turn your grass brown a few days after mowing and become more susceptible to pests and diseases. But if your mower blades are nice and sharp, the grass will get a clean cut with greatly reduced damage and stress.


Tools To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

Landscaper and gardening expert Fiona Jenkins says, Its always important to use a vice when sharpening the blades, to keep them firmly in place and avoid injury. You must wear long sleeves, gloves, eye, and ear protection while working with blades. This protects you from hearing damage, cuts, and abrasions from both the blade itself and the loose metal fillings that fly off in the process.

1. Hand file

Using a hand file thats at least 10 inches long, you can manually sharpen your blades, securing them in a vise for safety. Hold the hand file at an angle of about 45 degrees, which is usually the same angle as your blades cutting edge.

Using smooth, firm strokes, work from the inner to the outer edge of the blade. Continue until your mower blade is around the same sharpness as a butter knife.

A hand file allows good control of your technique and stops you from over-sharpening your blades. However, it requires a lot more manual labor and time than other tools in our guide.


2. Angle grinder

Often the choice for professional blade sharpeners, an angle grinder works quickly to sharpen the blade.

Secure the blade in a vise or to the edge of a workbench. Level the grinder at the same angle as the cutting edge on the blade and move it along the blade several times, using just light pressure.

Angle grinders are quick, cheap to buy, and fairly easy to use. However, youll need safety goggles and gloves, as angle grinders send up tiny shards of hot metal that can cause injury.

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Make Sure You Have All The Right Tools

One more thing make sure you are prepared with all the right supplies.

That includes a

  • A clamping vise that you can use
  • A file for sharpening the blade
  • And a blade balancerand it really helps to have at least a little experience using these things.
  • You can use a number of additional sharpening tools as well, depending on your preference, but a bench grinder may be a little difficult to use because of the awkward shape of the mower blade .

    Is It Worth Repairing A Lawn Mower

    Sharpening Your Lawn Mower Blades

    To determine if it’s better to repair or replace your lawn mower, consider the following:

    • How much will it cost to repair vs. replace your mower?
    • Does your lawn mower break down frequently?
    • Is your lawn mower more than 10 years old?

    If it’s expensive to fix your broken engine or transmission, buying a brand new lawn mower may be a better investment. And if it’s old and requires constant repairs, it’s probably time to consider purchasing a newer model.


    Don’t hesitate to ask your repair technician if they recommend you repair or replace your lawn mow

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    Who Typically Grinds Blades With An Angle Grinder

    This is going to probably be the ‘best’ way for a homeowner to efficiently and cost-efficiently maintain their mower blades. We say that because they more than likely have a single lawn mower which has one or two, possibly three blades, to sharpen each time sharpening is due. This only this volume of blades to sharpen, this is a perfectly acceptable method.

    It also very well may be the best option for smaller lawn care, lawn mowing, or landscaping companies since it does not take that much longer than the other methods, and the cost savings it pretty significant in comparison.

    We honestly feel looking at the other methods is warranted when you have 5+ mowers in your fleet. The time-savings could be cheaper than the cost of the blade grinders in the long run and provide better results.


    How To Properly Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

    Its crucial that once you know your angle, you can properly transfer it to the blade when sharpening your mower blade. My favorite methods to sharpen a lawn mower blade are to use either a metal file, angle grinder, or bench grinder. These methods, in my experience, give me the best results and make for an easy transfer of the desired cutting blade angle.

    Its also important to use the right grit for the job. I find 60-grit to be the best grit for sharpening lawn mower blades.

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    Method : Using A Bench Grinder

    The fastest way to sharpen a lawnmower blade is by using a bench grinder. Simply grind the edge of your blade against the spinning wheel of the grinder. However, you should always wear protective equipment such as safety goggles, earplugs, and work gloves to avoid the risk of injury. While a bench grinder is usually loud and produces sparks, youll be able to sharpen the blade in a matter of minutes. A bench grinder is also a great option for repairing heavily-damaged blades that are hard to file smoothly by hand.

    Lawn Mower Blade Sharpeners

    How to â? Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade â? short and sweet !

    1st we will go over the ‘traditional’ angle grinder method. This is very effective and requires the smallest investment in equipment. It is going to be the most time consuming and leave the most room for user error.


    Next, we will take a look at the professional blade grinder made by RBG. RBG has several models available but the RBG 712 Blade Grinder is the most popular by a long shot and for good reason. It is incredibly efficient and leaves little to no room for user error.

    Finally, we will check out the EMBSX by Noracore which is the world’s first blade sharpener that does not, I repeat, does not require the removal of the blades from your lawn mower!

    And if you thinking the EMBSX will never last, you are correct, they are already out of business and the EMBSX is no longer available! We still wanted to leave it in this article for historical sake!

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    Step : Disconnet The Ignition Wire

    The first thing to do is to disconnect the ignition wire from the spark plug. If youre using a cordless mower, remove the battery pack. This is to prevent the risk of the engine accidentally starting up while youre working. You should also drain the gas tank so it wont spill any fuel while youre working on the blades.


    Installing The Blade The Right Way

    As silly as it sounds, its too easy to install a mower blade upside down. Blades are designed to lift the grass and allow the blade to cut at a uniform length. After all your effort sharpening your blade, it would be a shame to put it on backward, not that you would be the first. So remember the cutting edge is up, and dont forget any metal washer spacer that goes with the blade.

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    Step : Reattach The Blade

    Once your blade has been sharpened and balanced, attach it back onto the mower, using the wrench to tighten up the retaining nut or bolt. Reattach the ignition wire, replace the battery or fill the gas tank and test run your newly sharpened mower blade.

    Fix your Lawnmower with our Lawnmower Troubleshooting tool.

    How To Sharpen A Lawn Mower Blade With An Angle Grinder

    How to Sharpen A Lawn Mower Blade Using a Grinder (Example: Craftsman ...

    Here I will describe the steps required to sharpen a lawn mower blade using an angle grinder. The only difference is that you will use a grinder and not a metal file this time. You can use the same clamping and balancing methods as before.

    This is my preferred method as it takes a little less sweat, it can produce a better finish depending on your skill, and it can also file off the metal very quickly. Lets look at how to sharpen a lawn mower blade with an angle grinder and the steps required.

    Clamping Down the Blade

    Without sounding like a broken record, use the same clamping methods as before, secure your blade and ensure that you have the lawn mower blade in the correct orientation.

    Sharpening with an Angle Grinder

    Using the angle grinder, take long continuous passes, starting from the blades center. Every pass of the angle grinder should extend the blades entire length, ensuring an even reduction of the metal. Keep the grinder in contact with the blade during each pass, applying light pressure so that minimal metal is removed.

    You also need to ensure the grinder is in contact with the entire width of the blade edge during passes to avoid concave/convex sharpened edges. Check the angle being made with your protractor and adjust the passes accordingly.

    Grind Off the Burr

    Using the grinder on the backside of the blade, make a very light pass square to the surface to remove burrs. Repeat if necessary, being cautious not to create a second sharpened edge.

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    Knowing When It Is Time To Sharpen Your Mower Blades

    Look at the cut your lawn mower blade makes and the blade edge. These two very simple methods will tell you if its time to sharpen your blade.

    If the grass is not being cut cleanly, its likely the blade is not sharp. And if the mower blade feels dull or has dents, its not sharp either. It wont take you long to make this diagnosis.

    So now that you have identified that your blade is dull, lets dig a little deeper into how to sharpen a mower blade and what the process is. There are a few ways you can do it.

    Lawn Mower Blade Sharpening: How

    Sharpening lawn mower blades can be as easy as securing the blade in a vice and running a metal file along its edge in line with the angle of the bevel.

    However, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video probably is worth an entire manual.

    Once you feel that you know how to sharpen mower blades, there are a few tips to keep in mind that will make the sharpening go quickly and safely:

    To sharpen push mower blades, always drain the fuel tank before turning a push mower on its side, and tip it with the carburetor and air filter facing up. Disconnect the spark plug before doing any work on your mower.

    Use your flat metal file for quick maintenance or if you suspect you might have hit a rock or another object that nicked your blade. Use a disc grinder to restore the bevels angle and the blades overall sharpness once or twice a season.

    Maintenance schedules vary, but every 25 hours of use is a common suggestion as to when you should sharpen mower blades. A good rule of thumb is to look at the tips of your lawns grass blades a day or two after mowing. If they look ragged and torn, your blade is dull.

    After sharpening, check that your blade is balanced. Look for a nail or a tack sticking out of a wall, and hang your blade on it through the center hole. If the blade tips to one side, that side is too heavy and needs to be filed.

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    Learn How To Sharpen Your Lawnmower Blade

    There are various methods used to sharpen a lawnmower, including the use of a hand file, bench grinder, angle grinder, or rotary tool. A lawnmower blade sharpener helps you make your lawn-cutting job faster and less stressful. Here, we provide a detailed guide for a lawnmower blade sharpener that works for almost all lawnmowers.

    How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades Without Removing

    How to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades | Tutorial from Gardening Products Review

    Maintaining a sharp blade on your lawn mower is extremely important for keeping your grass in the best condition it can be. Dull blades struggle to slice through grass and tear it instead. This results in yellowing, disease, pests, and an all-around unhealthy lawn.

    The best way to sharpen lawn mower blades is to first remove them from the mower and take care of the sharpening and balancing at the same time. However, some property owners arent able to get their blades off. This could be due to missing tools, excess rust, or maybe just a lack of time. Whatever the reason might be, it begs the question of how to sharpen lawn mower blades without removing them. Lets take a look at if this is possible, and if so, how exactly to go about doing it.

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    Why You Should Keep Spare Blades Around

    The wear and tear on a blade is considerable and if all you have is a single blade, youll probably find yourself running a dull blade. Its human nature. Youve got a lawn to mow and other work to do, so its only natural to put off sharpening. But changing out a sharp blade is pretty simple and only takes a few minutes. Then you can sharpen the dull blade when you get a few minutes.

    More From Popular Mechanics

    The hits just keep on coming. I patrol grass before I mow it to clear the area of rocks and garbage and I still hit stuff. Once, somebody threw a Coke bottle that bounced its way under the edge of a shrub. I never saw the bottle but I heard it, as soon as the blade sucked it up. That blade was toast.

    Stay sharp. Having a spare means a sharp blade on hand and ready to go at a moment’s notice. This way you can cut grass for a few weeks and then swap the blade when you have a few spare minutes. Save the chore of blade filing or sharpening for a rainy afternoon or an evening.

    Spread out the wear. Having spare, sharp blades allows you to distribute the wear. That way youre not working one mower blade to death. And a sharp, well-balanced blade is easier on your mower because the mower doesnt have to work as hard if the blade is sharp.

    Come fall, youll thank us. Why? If you get a combination blade or a dedicated bagging blade, youll be able to better pick up leaves with your mower. Conversely, a dedicated mulching blade helps mulch leaves into your lawn.

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    Why Sharpening Your Lawn Mower Blades Makes A Difference

    Ive known friends who have never sharpened their lawn mower bladeever. Apparently, if the mower does something to chew the grass down to 2.5-inches or so, thats all they require. And it may be natural to think that a blade spinning at just under 200 mph wouldnt need to be terribly sharp in order to cut grass. Youd be right. However, a sharp lawn mower blade slices through the grass. With a clean cut, your grass stays green and you avoid that unhealthy brown or burnt look that plagues so many lawnseven when they get plenty of water.

    Check out the photo below and see if you might start to get the picture:

    For professionals and people who want their lawns nice, healthy, and as green as possible, knowing how to sharpen a lawn mower blade makes the difference. This goes double for grasses like Fescue which tend to grow very straight and require frequent cutting.

    In the professional landscaping world, some professionals sharpen their zero-turn lawn mower blades every other day. When your business is nice-looking lawns, you need to do everything in your power to ensure you keep them healthy.

    How To Sharpen A Lawn Mower Blade With A Bench Grinder

    Sharpen Your Lawn Mower Blade

    My last method uses a bench grinder to sharpen a lawn mower blade. If, or should I say when, my angle grinder ever dies, this will be the method I adopt. In my opinion, this removes the guesswork and gives results close to what the factory can produce. So lets delve in and see how to sharpen a lawn mower blade with a bench grinder.

    Setting Up the Bench Grinder

    First, start by disconnecting the power to the bench grinder so that it cannot function during setup. Now check the tool rest, ensuring it is secure and away from the abrasive wheel. During the sharpening, you will pass the blade horizontally so that the edge to be sharpened passes over the abrasive wheel.

    Next, place the blade on the tool rest, with the cutting edge being the highest part, so you can make passes like previously described.

    Tilt the cutting edge towards the abrasive wheel, maintaining contact between the tool rest and the blade. When you have the blade in position, you will notice you have formed a triangle between the tool rest, abrasive wheel, and blade. By either pushing or pulling the bottom of the blade, you will adjust the angle at which the cutting edge comes into contact with the abrasive wheel, thus creating your sharpening angle.

    Making Passes on the Bench Grinder

    With the grinder set up, you can move on to passing the blade over the abrasive wheel. Firstly, you want to put on your protective gear and maybe have a fire extinguisher readily available to deal with unruly sparks.

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