Keep Those Blades Sharp!! No need for expensive sharpeners!!

[577jersey]

Here is a quick video on how I sharpen blades...hope it may help somebody save $$ down the road!!

Tom

 

[Rivets]

If it works for you great, but a couple of things I would do different. You really should clean the blade first to get a correct balance. Doesn't look good and affects balance. If you are cutting the bottom of the blade to get it razor sharp, you factory cutting angle has changed. Your razor sharp edge will last one or two cuttings, depend on conditions, and is not needed. No factory blades are that sharp or need to be. All factory blades have a .020-.040 thick edge. As I said if it works use it, but to others, you should some things to accomplish a better job.

 

[ILENGINE]

The world largest blade manufacturer Oregon, uses what they call the 30-30 rule. Angle is ground at 30 degrees and leaving a .030 blunt cutting edge. No need to make a razor edge, which will immediately wear off,

 

[bertsmobile1]

Nice video.
Just one point.
If and only if you lawn is clean with no stick, stones or protruding roots should you put a sharp edge on a ride on blade.

A "razor edge" will cut better and cleaner but will dull very fast and dent badly when it strikes anything other than nice soft clean grass.

 

[577jersey]

If it works for you great, but a couple of things I would do different. You really should clean the blade first to get a correct balance. Doesn't look good and affects balance. If you are cutting the bottom of the blade to get it razor sharp, you factory cutting angle has changed. Your razor sharp edge will last one or two cuttings, depend on conditions, and is not needed. No factory blades are that sharp or need to be. All factory blades have a .020-.040 thick edge. As I said if it works use it, but to others, you should some things to accomplish a better job.

If you read the description in my video I mention to scrape the blade clean first,this is just a basic video,not professional at all.Yes it works for me,been doing it for a long time and my lawns look prime.Also Im just removing burrs when I go across the bottom lightly not changing the angle at all,,my blades last 15 hours no problem...they are still cutting good after that but could use a slight edge.

 

[577jersey]

The world largest blade manufacturer Oregon, uses what they call the 30-30 rule. Angle is ground at 30 degrees and leaving a .030 blunt cutting edge. No need to make a razor edge, which will immediately wear off,

Of coarse there is no reason for a razor blade edge,,this is just the way i do them and wanted to share my 28 years of experience thats all.They cut great all week long doing 30 plus lawns.By the end of the week they are probably close to factory sharp..lol

 

[John R]

Thanks for the demo.

 

[577jersey]

Thanks for the demo.

No problem my friend glad you like it,
I just wanted to share the way i have been doing it,and it works great...they cut better than new blades for a few days then the edge gets a little beat but still cut good for another few days,,and Im talking cutting all day long every day

 

[577jersey]

Nice video.
Just one point.
If and only if you lawn is clean with no stick, stones or protruding roots should you put a sharp edge on a ride on blade.

A "razor edge" will cut better and cleaner but will dull very fast and dent badly when it strikes anything other than nice soft clean grass.

I have a couple spots on my trim side that hit a thing or two,after two or three touch up sharpenings the blade looks good as new,sticks wont damage the edge from my experience only rocks,wire,metal ect...the blades I use are XHT and are super hard.
This method probably wont work for everybody but it works great for me and my application here in the North East.

 

[oldyellr]

I have a couple of questions.

1. I've never balanced my blades, relying on removing similar amounts of metal from each end. I've never noticed any vibration from the deck due to imbalance. Would I notice it if there was any?

2. I notice the OP grinds the blade almost all the way back to the hub. Most blades I've seen are sharpened only for about the outer 4" or so. It's the tips that do most of the cutting. Half way back to the hub the blade speed is only half the tip speed and doesn't cut much anyway. Also, it's the tips of the blades that get to the grass first and farther in the the grass the blade sees is already cut.

3. Okay, one more question. You can see it in the video, the tip corners of the blade take the most abuse. If I were to sharpen the blade straight each time I'd have to remove a lot of metal each time, which would take a lot of grinding and the blades wouldn't last long before there was nothing left. So atbthe tips the sharpened edge starts to take on an angle or a rounded profile that likely does not cut as well. What do you all do?