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I have a one year old Honda self propelled mower. We have several large pine trees that drop needles that are 9 to 12 inches in length. Do these needles contribute to dulling the cutting edge of my blades? Also are there "high performance" blades available that take longer to go dull?

foxriverguy said:

I have a one year old Honda self propelled mower. We have several large pine trees that drop needles that are 9 to 12 inches in length. Do these needles contribute to dulling the cutting edge of my blades? Also are there "high performance" blades available that take longer to go dull?

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Are you sure there's no pine cones amongst those needles??? Hitting cones would definitely tend to dull your blades,

I would think that anything that is a bit harder than grass would dull the blade a bit faster. I have never seen any high performance blades, but there are different kinds of blades available for mowers in general, like high lift blades or mulching blades. But they are made for specific tasks, none of which include less wear on the blade. Now that I think about it there are some Carbide Tipped Blades that are supposed to stay sharp longer, but people have mixed feelings about them. See thread: http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/general-mower-discussion/13207-tungston-carbide-tipped-blade.html

Whatever you do, you might want to check with Robert@Honda on this forum or a Honda dealer to make sure it is still safe and that you are not voiding the warranty. Not all blades fit with all mowers!

How short are you cutting your grass?

Sure reads like the lawn conditions are such that the blades will require more regular sharpening to provide best performance.

This is a reasonable DIY, just use tools designed for sharpening blades, and you'll likely get better results by removing the blades from the mower for the procedure. Be absolutely sure to use gloves when working around the sharp blades, pay attention to the order and orientation of all parts (bolts, washers, blades, ) when installing, and use a Torque Wrench to properly tighten the blade bolts. All the steps are in your owner's manual [digital copies can be downloaded free from www.hondapowerequipment.com]. If you don't have the correct tools or think this procedure may be more than you feel comfortable DIY, an Authorized Honda Dealer can inspect, sharpen, and replace worn/damaged blades for you. Here's a link to find a dealer in your area:

Find A Honda Dealer

Don't know your definition of a sharp blade. A lawnmower blade shouldn't be sharp as a knife edge. Instead it should have a small radius to save its edge and prolong its life, Also to prevent the edge chip off when hitting something hard. I use an fine oil stone to touch up the edge after sharpening the blade.