Gator Blade Question

[Carscw]

The dealer will make it razor sharp for every day if you want him to.

After you get him to sharping them how many yards do you cut before they need to be sharpened again? I get about 50 and I think ric said he gets around 50.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

 

[djdicetn]

Always just sharping the top edge. Now if you want you you can do a pass on the bottom side just to clean it up.

Now should not go razor sharp because it makes the edge to thin and will just wear the blade down faster.

You want to bring it down until it is not rounded over. Should not cut your hand when you install them.

I have always used a bench grinder. But was at a buddy's shop and I tried his way with a hand held grinder. So much better

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

Thank you sooooooo much for making it simple to understand for a simple mind like mine. Everything you said makes sense and I doubt seriously if you will receive any challenges to that advice!!! You guys are gonna make a lawn maintenance professional out of me yet:0)

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

The dealer will make it razor sharp for every day if you want him to.

After you get him to sharping them how many yards do you cut before they need to be sharpened again? I get about 50 and I think ric said he gets around 50.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

I don't sharpen them as often as I should. :frown:

 

[djdicetn]

I don't sharpen them as often as I should. :frown:

I think I've mowed approximately 25-30 times since I bought my Gravely and am going to install the mulch kit & new blades this weekend. I'll sharpen the original blades and remove the mulch kit at the end of the season and start out next season with my re-sharpened OEM blades. I really only plan on using the mulch kit in the middle of the mowing season when the grass is growing the fastest and thickest. I haven't had any problems with excessive clippings in Spring, early Summer or Fall.

 

[Carscw]

I don't sharpen them as often as I should. :frown:

If I was you I would learn how to use a file to clean the blade up. What that does is takes the little burrs off and keeps it sharp.
This is good to do if your just cutting grass and not rocks or walnuts

Only takes a couple mins

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

 

[Carscw]

I have been using gator blades for a long time and side discharge. Well stopped by my cub dealer for a free cup of coffee. We got talking about blades. He talked me into trying the cub cadet mulching blades put them in Monday. Just did yard number 53 ( on way home now )
Very good blades I can cut faster and no clumps when cutting wet grass.
Gator blades will go back on when the leaves fall.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

 

[Ric]

If I was you I would learn how to use a file to clean the blade up. What that does is takes the little burrs off and keeps it sharp.
This is good to do if your just cutting grass and not rocks or walnuts

Only takes a couple mins

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

What works for clean them up is a hand held grinder and a light sanding disk, takes the little burrs off and keeps it sharp, clean and doesn't take off a lot of the blade.

 

[exotion]

If I was you I would learn how to use a file to clean the blade up. What that does is takes the little burrs off and keeps it sharp.
This is good to do if your just cutting grass and not rocks or walnuts

Only takes a couple mins

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

The thing about this is getting the proper file.... I had a couple harbor freight files...this was a mistake I sprung for a craftsman file... man what a difference

 

[LoCo86]

I understand that the proper sharpening angle is 28 degrees. I use a Oregon mower blade grinder. I grind the bottom side of the blade with one pass on each side followed by grinding the top side of the blade. After that I use a buffer when that is apart of a old bench grinder I have to remove any burrs that might be on the blade. I sharpen my blades as well as clean the under side of the deck on a daily basis. I just made a habit of it to always insure that I get the best quality of cut. I noticed that user Carsaw switched from Gator blades to Cub Cadet mulching blades. Carsaw could you explain the difference between the two types of blades.

 

[Carscw]

I understand that the proper sharpening angle is 28 degrees. I use a Oregon mower blade grinder. I grind the bottom side of the blade with one pass on each side followed by grinding the top side of the blade. After that I use a buffer when that is apart of a old bench grinder I have to remove any burrs that might be on the blade. I sharpen my blades as well as clean the under side of the deck on a daily basis. I just made a habit of it to always insure that I get the best quality of cut. I noticed that user Carsaw switched from Gator blades to Cub Cadet mulching blades. Carsaw could you explain the difference between the two types of blades.

As you can see in the two pics they are not designed even close to the same.

We all know how gator blades work the fins push the grass up and in.

The cub mulching blades don't seam to do that as I can throw the grass across the road.

My biggest reason for using gator or the cub mulching blades is how thick they are. For the extra few bucks they last 3 times as long as the bagging blades

Now when the leaves fall I will put the gators back on have not found a blade that can mulch leaves like gator blades.



(( cowboy up and get over it ))