Mower blades

[DustyRusty]

Do you sharpen your own mower blades or do you send them out for sharpening? How do you balance them if you do the sharpening yourself?

 

[The Evil Twin]

I'm a DIYer. It doesn't take too long. For balance, I sprung for the Magna Matic. It's expensive. Didn't like the pyramid style.
Balancing makes all the difference in the world. Even with new blades.

https://www.amazon.com/Magna-Matic-Blade-Balancer-MAG-1000/dp/B00AZ0R8G4/ref=asc_df_B00AZ0R8G4/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=692875362841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16538406968469300101&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1027028&hvtargid=pla-2281435177658&psc=1&mcid=69203b2044be33bcb5f1b4ce07e34aec&hvocijid=16538406968469300101-B00AZ0R8G4-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1

 

[lugbolt]

I sharpened blades for 32 years.

I just buy new ones when it's time, which is about every 4 or 5 seasons. But I don't cut nearly as much as I used to either. I have a 'country yard' meaning I let it grow when it wants to, and I'll cut it down as needed but it's not manicured. I keep the rocks and sticks picked up but that's about the extent of maintenance.

 

[bird dogger]

Some sharpening & balancing ideas Here

and here

 

[PaulL]

I sharpen my own. Take them off and do it on the bench grinder. I didn't balance for about 5 years. This year I bought a pyramid balancer for $10 off Aliexpress. It said my blades were balanced enough, so I guess I didn't need it.

 

[mikester]

I take the blades off the machine and use a 4-1/2 inch 60-80 grit flap disc grinder to put on a clean sharp edge.

I don't try to re-balance. I have sandy soil and have to replace my blades every season since they get sandblasted paper thin.

I also scrape the deck bottom before reinstalling.

 

[Wull]

I just use the pyramid for balancing the blades after sharpening them in the workshop, works perfectly well and we do a lot.

 

[RCW]

Been using 60 grit flap disc last 6-8 years.

Used bench grinder before that.

Sometimes I balance, others I don’t.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

really ? You're supposed to sharpen mower blades ??? Had a new neighbour bring me his rider 'doesn't cut too good'..... The back side was SHARPER than the 'cutting edge'......
Used a 4.5" wheel on that,then ,like RCW, 60 grit flapwheel.
Always have a spare set ready to go..after all blades are supposed to be rotated...

 

[Mowbizz]

I invested in an ALL AMERICAN sharpening system and an Oregon balancer!
bothe work extremely, well. When I engage my blades on the Kubota Z422, they spin as smooth as silk!

 

[John D 2]

Around here they charge $10-15 per blade to sharpen. I installed new blades this year. I will pick up a blade grinder and before next season I will sharpen the 3 old blades and the 3 new blades.

It will take about 5 years for the blade grinder to pay for itself sharping them once a year.

 

[Ktrim]

Oregon bi directional blade machine and pyramid balancer.

 

[Ktrim]

Also have a stihl commercial chain grinder. Picked it up for $75 bucks from old coworker in a divorce sale. It had a broken degree table. About $150 in parts good as new. They sell for $700 or more.

 

[chim]

Angle grinder / flap wheel / plastic pyramid. Flap towards the sharp edge on the top side, then just kiss the bottom edge away from the sharp edge to remove any roll. I go for sharp. No worry about perfection in balancing. They get deposits while mowing that probably unbalance them a bit anyway.

 

[Velma]

Flap disk and a screw driver for balancing. The LP manual for the rear finish mower says to balance them vertically. So I just hang them on a screw driver and see if the blade tilts to one side or the other. I rotate thru two sets of blades a year and have a smaller yard. So they never get so worn I’m taking off enough material to throw them much out of balance anyways. Especially with the flap disk.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Around here they charge $10-15 per blade to sharpen. I installed new blades this year. I will pick up a blade grinder and before next season I will sharpen the 3 old blades and the 3 new blades.

It will take about 5 years for the blade grinder to pay for itself sharping them once a year.

Sharpen 2x a year and cut your ROI in half!

 

[6869704x4]

 

[Mowbizz]

View attachment 135232

Sure, that’s been done for ages! I wanted something more “accurate”

 

[Trimley]

I buy 3 sets of blades at once. When I install set #3, set 1 & 2 get sharpened and balanced. I balance my blades by hanging them on a piece of solid shaft, driven like a nail into a vertical post.

 

[mikester]

View attachment 135232