And how can you tell when they need it? They used to advertise a product on television that they claimed would sharpen them without removing the blades from the deck. Has anybody ever tried it, and what were the results?:thanku:
I remember those grinding wheel attachments for a drill to sharpen mower blades..there was a rash of fires caused by them,when folks would simply flip the mower over to sharpen the blade,and the sparks from the grinding wheel and drill motor's brushes ignited the spilled gasoline!..the drill goes too slow to do a very good sharpening job in my opinion and took forever to put a good edge on a dulled blade..
My blades MIGHT get sharpened once a year if they are lucky--I dont have to mow that many times in a season,maybe 6 or so times..and I seem to hit a rock or something immediately after sharpening them too,just like new tires always find something to puncture the sidewall weeks after buying them....
I never notice a huge improvement with freshly sharpened blades either,other than the engine doesn't bog down as much in deep grass..the cut quality dont seem too much better...
I think sharpening the blades too often makes them "dissapear" faster too..blades dont need a razor edge to work well when they are spinning at 200 mph..
I remember those grinding wheel attachments for a drill to sharpen mower blades..there was a rash of fires caused by them,when folks would simply flip the mower over to sharpen the blade,and the sparks from the grinding wheel and drill motor's brushes ignited the spilled gasoline!....
I'd be too worried of bending up a body panel on the tractor flipping it over so I take mine off once a year and sharpen them whether they need it or not.
I check mine all the time, the Gators don't dull like other blades. I sharpen them when they are dull to the touch. I sharpened them yesterday, first time since June and I mow every 4-6 days. :thThumbsU
I chnage mine so often they dont get to dull. If it wasnt for the roots and rocks i would probably sharpen them once a month. My little MTD mower is a bear to get the deck off and there are no good attachment points up front to use a comalong to lift it.
I generally put 100 hours a year on my tractors and rarely hit anything. I sharpen my blades every 50 hours or so on a sanding belt and keep the blades cool with water. I also balance the blades every time. I recently bought a set of gator blades for my 430 so I will see how long I can go without sharpening these. Adam
About every third time I use it. I mow about an acre and a half. They generally need only a "touch-up" but I can mow faster with nice sharp blades and a clean deck.
we sharpen daily at work,and they usually need it...i dont work with the mow crew anymore,but i do the majority of the sharpening...we have a grinding wheel made specifically for sharpening mower blades...they do about 160 lawns every 7-10 days,and these guys hit everything they can find...i believe each machine gets at least 2 new sets of blades each season,but it beats getting called back to re-mow a yard due to poor cutting...mine at home get sharpened when they need it...typically 2-3 times a season
In the spring and fall when the grass is moist probably once in every 7-10 days.
Like a golf course I mow a little every day...even when it's wet. You need sharp blades to cut wet grass.
I use to bench grind but now because of this new craftsman angle grinder I can one hand...that's what I'm do. That saves me the time it took to take the blades off...it was no big deal cause I kind of enjoy pulling maint.
And I sharpen both sides when my blades get old and worn. These blades are sharpen to a weapons grade lethality...because that's the way I like 'em. sharp blades keep your grass looking green/green.
You ever see grass that;s well manicured but frosty looking? That's because they cut with a dull blade that's doing more ripping than cutting and the top 32 of an inch of that takes on a white hue from being ripped instead of cleanly shaven. You get on your hands and knees and it becomes obvious.
I try to sharpen mine in the spring before I mow for the first time. I use the angle grinder and have never tried to balance them. They've never looked bad but I figure its a good idea to touch them up anyway.
I sharpen my Simplicity blades about every 25 hours of use. I cut about 3 acres, and some of it is really thick and high. This used to be horse pasture, and it's well fertilized, and the soil is moist. In growing season, you can just about watch the grass grow. I mow twice a week in season.
I use an air powered tool with 80 grit discs. Works great, doesn't heat the blade, works fast, too.
Got 22hrs on mine and they needed sharpening. Went and got another set so I can sharpen when I have a few and have a extra set on hand.
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