gadget sharpener for lawnmower blade?

S

sfm

Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
7
I hope its okay to talk about lawnmower blades here...they are kinda like knives.

I just took the blade from my lawnmower out to have sharpened at a hardware store. Is there a gadget I could use to keep it sharp during the mower season?
I was thinking it would be good if I could keep the blade on the lawnmower and just run the sharpening gadget over the blade to keep a good edge on the blade
during the summmer. Or is it even necessary? Would it be a waste of time and money?
 
I just haven't had all that much success with the gadget stuff for my lawn mower blades. The blades seem to thick for the gadgets.

I use a regular old double cut/ cross cut file for mine. Now, you'd probably have to remove the blade to use it, but it's cheap and effective. I try to maintain the same bevel angle that came on the blade from the manufacturer. I pretty much just clean it up and I'm good to go or mow as the case may be.
 
I have what Craftsman used to sell as a lawnmower stone. Ultra-coarse, about 60 grit, roughly diamond shaped. Works excellently, but you have to make dead sure that you have the blade balanced right when putting it back, else you may lose some toes.
 
SandS makes a very good point about balance. You can either get a little blade balancer from nearly any lawn mower accessory isle in nearly any hardware store. Or, you can use a screw driver through the hole in the mower blade too. I'm cheap and use the screw driver through the hole in the mower blade. So far, I have not lost any appendages ...... so far. ;)
 
Here is some info that might help.

http://www.inside-woodworking.com/sharpening-sharpeners/lawnmower-blade-sharpener.html

I have seen stone drill bits (not sure of the exact terminology) that have a cutout in the middle that fits over the end of the mower blade and sharpens it. It looks very easy and handy if you have a good cordless drill.

I usually just flip my mower on the side and sharpen the blade with a course flat file. I just unplug the sparkplug and do it when there is little if any gas in the tank. I don't even take the blade off the mower.

A flat file gets the nicks out fairly easily. If I really nick the blade then I replace it because I value my leg more than a $5 lawn mower blade.
 
Professional landscapers use an angle grinder with a flat reinforced disk. One quick swipe should clean up most nicks and sharpen the edge. Lawnmower blades can be left rough, as the cutting speed makes up for a rough edge. Cheap angle grinders are available at Harbor Freight.
You have to remove quite a bit of metal before they become unbalanced.
Bill
 
I full polished one once to see if it made a difference in effort pushing it, before I got a chance to test it out a friend used it on his lawn. When I got it back it was obvious why no one goes beyond rough grinding. Hand tools are in general *much* sharper. I just file lawnmower blades, but if I was sharpening them commericially I would just power grind them like Bill noted for the exact reason he noted. Plus the better mowers are either assisted or just ride along anyway and the blades have to be some dull before it makes a difference. You can cut grass with rope if you swing it fast enough.

-Cliff
 
I work in the horticulture field and can vouch for keeping mower blades sharp. If your blade is dull it shreds the blades of turf rather than cleanly cutting them. The dead tissue that is left hanging can be both slightly unsightly and create an entry point for disease. Having said that, it is just a lawn for chrissake! I use my 1x30 belt sander with and 80 grit belt with great results
 
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