How do you detect when mower blades need sharpening ?

MowerMark

MowerMark

Well-Known Member
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ? How can one tell if the blade is sharp enough ?

What to use to sharpen ? Or must it be done professionally ?
 
MowerMark said:
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ? How can one tell if the blade is sharp enough ?

What to use to sharpen ? Or must it be done professionally ?
Click to expand...

Dull tools have never been for me. I've had a sharp pocket knife since I was about 6. I prefer my blades to cut rather than beat the grass off and it isn't because what damage may incur to my ranch land grass ( and weeds ).

When I can run my finger the length of the edge without fear of cutting myself they get sharpened. With the system I've developed and using my Makita right angle grinder, while setting in my chair, it takes about 20 minutes for 2 blades start to finish.

Somewhere on the site there is a picture of a blade I sharpened if you would like to see the work the old man does in that 20 minutes.
 
MowerMark said:
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ? How can one tell if the blade is sharp enough ? What to use to sharpen ? Or must it be done professionally ?
Click to expand...

I sharpen my blades pretty much daily. It might be excessive but I just write my blades off as a wear item that no matter what will have to be replaced twice a year.

To sharpen my ZTR blades I use a 1/2HP Oregon blade grinder and a buffer wheel to knock and burrs off the blade just for good measure. To sharpen my push mower blade I just use a file and sharpen it about 3 times a season and replace it every year.
 
I sharpen or replace them as needed every spring before I start my seasonal grass cutting. Along with all new filters and a complete service. Right now I am getting ready for snow removal and fire wood.
 
We normally change blades every 6 to 8 hours of run time unless they are not cutting good. Then we change more often. One day last week we changed blades in my Scag twice in one day.
 
It's easy to detect your cut quality is lowered, your not mulching as well, its clumping, missing grass, grass looks beat up not cut.

I try to file mine nightly although I've been slacking lately, for heavy chunks I use a vice grip, angle grinder, and a cone balancer
 
MowerMark said:
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ?
Click to expand...

All of the above. I can usually get 4 mows before sharpening. However, It's not extremely critical. If I get lazy and squeeze in a few extra mows before sharpening it doesn't hurt much.
I use a bench grinder to sharpen, and hang the blade horizontally on a screw driver shaft to check for balance.
 
I have never sharpened blades that much. As long as they cut good and the grass looks good I keep going. My rider often goes 30 or 40 hours before I sharpen or change them out. My push mowers get sharpened once a year. Sometimes twice. Every 25 or 30 hours.
 
Well if I had a nice lawn and a machine that costs a lot of money I would want it to cut its best every time. Keeping the blades sharp is the best way. Worst thing about oversharpening is you will have to replace the blades more often. But your lawn will always look smoothly cut.

Just sharpen them regularly every month, 2 months, 3... Etc whatever is best for you if you wait for the warning signs your already damaging your lawn
 
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