A sharp blade makes a finely cut lawn.
The smell of freshly cut grass for most people is like the smell of the first rain hitting the soil, Pleasing and joyful. But this feeling can quickly be turned into frustration when using a blunt lawnmower. If you’ve ever tried using a blunt pair of scissors to cut through a cloth material before then you know this feeling.
Anyways, most lawnmower blades might give off this blunt feeling when felt with the hands even if they are new but that is not the case. The thickness of the blower does not mean that it is blunt. It is very sharp but just not enough to cut your skin at one touch.
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Do Brand New Lawn Mower Blades Need To Be Sharpened?
This is a common question on the lips of most lawnmower users and it is understandable why they ask this question. If you have felt the blades of a lawnmower then you are most likely to understand too.
Brand new lawnmowers come with already sharpened blades so you do not need to sharpen at least for the first few months of use. The blades of a lawnmower feel like a Blendtec blender and if you’ve felt the blades of a Blendtec, you know that it seems dull.
The blades of a lawnmower are made that way so that they can last very long. It is dull enough to keep it from getting damaged by rocks and roots but sharp enough to cut grasses smoothly. With the way they are, it can be used for at least 25 hours before it needs to be resharpened.
So if you are thinking of sharpening that brand new lawnmower blade, drop the thought and enjoy your blade. Sharpening newly bought lawn mower blades can damage the blade in many ways plus it would just be a waste of your time and strength.
It could also cause the blade to lose its balance and depreciate its integrity thereby making it too thin and weak; one contact with a rock and the blade bends. An imbalanced lawn mower blade will cause the mower to vibrate a lot. Now you see it is a lot of headaches.
How Do You Know If Your Lawnmower Blade Is Sharp?
First, you need to keep in mind that lawnmower blades do not need to be as sharp as a knife. It is not made to cut through hard objects but simply grass. However, the blade should be bevelled suitably and there should be no gouges on the face.
Turn your mower over to examine the blade. Place it on its side to inspect the blade. Make sure to put the carburetor side faced up to prevent gas from spilling. the gas must stay contained properly within its tank. That is one way to check your lawnmower blade.
Another way to tell if the blades are sharp is by checking the grass. Use the mower for about 15 minutes or less, then stop. A sharp lawnmower blade will cut the grass finely but a dull one will drag and tear the grass thereby resulting in rough ragged edges. If you check the grass after 15 minutes and find the latter, then the blade needs to be sharpened.
Lawnmower blades might require to be sharpened annually or almost after every use depending on how it is used. A lawnmower set to cut grass at a low-speed setting is most likely to feel the impacts of rocks and roots and so requires sharpening almost after every use. However, look out for the condition of the blades because it determines how frequently it needs to be sharpened and in severe cases replaced.
Also Read: How to Dispose of Lawn Mower Batteries?
Does A New Lawn Mower Blade Make A Difference?
Yes, a new lawnmower blade makes a difference. Unlike an old lawnmower blade, you do not have to sharpen the blade. All you need to do is to remove the old and replace it with the new. Although it would cost some money to replace a lawnmower, it might be the only option for the lawnmower.
It is also possible for you to simply sharpen the old blades if you cannot afford to replace them. Sharpening the old blades will require your efforts to restore them to their old glory but it is also cheap. It is a cheaper alternative and in this cheap alternative are even cheaper methods through which it can be done.
Replacing the lawnmower blade or sharpening it keeps your lawn looking great and also contributes to the longevity of your lawnmower.
How Do You Know When Your Lawn Mower Blade Is Sharp Enough?
A sharp blade is free of gouges, dents, bucks, and scratches and should be leveled properly. The cutting edges of the lawnmower are also finely scraped and shiny but not too thin. When attached back to the lawnmower, it should be able to cut the grass finely without tearing or ripping it. The cutting should be sharp and the edges of the grass should not be rough.
Also Read: Is it Safe to Wash a Lawn Mower?
How to Sharpen Lawnmower Blades?
Lawnmower blades can be sharpened without removing them from the lawnmower. However, it depends on how blunt or damaged it has become. If it is not badly damaged, then you can sharpen it without removing it. But also, sharpening the blades when it is still attached to the lawnmower can further damage the blades so it is advised that you remove the blades before sharpening.
The worst kind of damage that can happen to a blower is imbalance. An imbalanced lawn mower blade will cut grasses unevenly and cause the mower to vibrate more than it would normally do.
This is why you need to know the right ways and steps required to take care of a lawnmower blade. There are two ways you can sharpen your lawnmower blade.
With Hand Tools:
To sharpen with hand tools you need a 10-inch file for sharpening, a vice grip for providing balance to the blade, white vinegar, and a metal scrub pad.
Steps to follow:
- Check the instructions manual for how thick the cutting edge should be. This is so that you don’t make a mistake by over-sharpening and spoiling the shape.
- Wear your protective gear; gloves and protective glasses or a shield for your face and eye.
- Detach the blades from the lawnmower
- Remove rust and specks of dirt by soaking it in white vinegar for a couple of minutes. Remove it from the vinegar and scrub using a metal scrub pad.
- Hold the blade in place with a table vice grip.
- With the file in hand and at an angle of 45 degrees, sharpen the edges of the blade in 40 to 50 strokes, starting from the top of the cutting edge.
- Push down on the file and do not rub it on the blade by pushing it back and forth.
- You should be able to feel the file teeth grab the blade metal and then pull. If you do not feel this, then you need to get a new and sharper file of the same size.
- You just need to sharpen the working edges of the blade, so be careful not to get carried away with the thought of sharpening it to be as thin as a knife.
- Do the same to the other edges of the blade.
- After sharpening to an even amount of thickness, check the blade balance. Place the blade on the center of your finger, if one side seems thicker or heavier than the other, scrap on that end to be the same as the thinner side. Do this carefully and slowly till all edges are of the same thickness.
- Reattach the blade back to the lawnmower.
With a Power Tool:
You need an angle grinder, a metal scrub pad, white vinegar, and a blade balancer.
Steps to follow:
- Put on your protective gear including safety goggles and gloves
- Remove the blade and soak it in white vinegar
- Remove the blade after 2 or 3 hours and scrub with the metal scrub pad till all the dirt and rust are removed.
- Switch on the angle grinder and with it at a 45-degree angle, sharpen the cutting edges of the blade. Remember not to oversharpen the blade.
- Check the balance of the blade. If one side is heavier or thicker than the other, sharpen it to be the same as the other sides.
- Are you all done? Reattach the blade back into the lawnmower.
Conclusion:
The looks of the lawn can determine the state of a lawnmower blade. Do not be too penny-wise that you confuse a replacement for a resharpening. A dull lawnmower will stress the mower engine, produce a dishevelled lawn and cause you to use more fuel than usual.
A sharpened lawn mower will elongate the life span of your mower and provide a beautifully levelled lawn for you. Pay attention to when it needs to be sharpened and do not hesitate to replace it when necessary. Do not try resurrecting a dead effort. And save yourself the headaches of sharpening a new blade, it can mow your lawn just fine.
