How timely a subject!

I have 3 dull, as in blunt, shovels and 4 dull hoes.

I have a drawer full of hand files but have little patience to use them.

I just got delivered by Amazon a Bosch 4 & 1/2 inch angle grinder, have not used it yet. I will get a flapper disk like you’ve recommended.

Thanks for the topic!
.

You're welcome, marksman41.

For a balancer, I use one of these: MAXPOWER 339075B Magnetic Wall Mount Blade Balancer

Kinda spendy, but, man, does it ever work. If a blade is even the slightest bit out-of-balance, it'll show you.

At over 80$ for a set of blades for a 50" Cub Cadet, you bet I'll be resharpening them. In fact, I'll keep resharpening them until they get to the point..dings, dents or broken..and they are no longer useful.

quote:

There is No Better Way to Sharpen Your Lawnmower Blade Than This

R.B.G. 712

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Yup. Angle grinder, flapper discs, and an All-American Sharpener jig FTW. Add a good blade-balance tester and Bob's your uncle.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
I've got a potentially better way: Replace them with factory sharpened blades.

A new pair of factory blades for my Honda mower is less than $30.

The blades for my commercial-grade ZTR mower cost considerably more than $30 each, much less per pair.

Dayum - How big a mower you got? Bob-Cat Predator Pro 61" or Hustler Super Z 60" are +- $20 ea x 3.

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/Products/Blades

Oregon G5 gator blades are considered the best going by most and they are under $25 ea for a 60".

https://www.oregonproducts.com...ade,-21%22/p/596-347

I use a flappy disc on a Makita handheld grinder and go for a sharp edge. New blades are typically credit card sharp - I don't want a razor edge but I do want my blades sharp. I use a Dewalt 1/2" impact driver and changing blades are a snap.

Kinda off topic -- blade steel is pretty mild, would hardening the edge be a no no? Stay sharp longer but more prone to chipping or breakage and a danger as such?

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
For a balancer, I use one of these: MAXPOWER 339075B Magnetic Wall Mount Blade Balancer

Years ago I got a Magnamatic balancer after using a neighbor's that he had from the 1960's. Kind of pricey, even on sale, but like the Maxpower model these types of balancers are the cat's meow!

quote:

Originally posted by marksman41:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
For a balancer, I use one of these: MAXPOWER 339075B Magnetic Wall Mount Blade Balancer

Years ago I got a Magnamatic balancer after using a neighbor's that he had from the 1960's. Kind of pricey, even on sale, but like the Maxpower model these types of balancers are the cat's meow!

I used to just hang them on a finishing nail on the wall and made sure it was level. Seemed to work OK.

I think you absolutely could heat treat them as long as there is a good temper for the steel to reduce stress and toughen.

$$$

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
I used to just hang them on a finishing nail on the wall and made sure it was level. Seemed to work OK.

I tried the nail trick on my blades. Because of the way they're shaped they wouldn't sit normal to the axis of the nail. Instead they'd flop over. Then the bearing surface wasn't very bearing-y.

I also looked at every economical balance tester I could find. Found many of the same kinds of complaints about all of them.

Admittedly: I'm a bit of a tool junkie. I just plain like good tools.

I have a zero turn xmark(toro) 42 inch. Has 2 blades. I take it to the dealer and they replace both sets and change oil and tune engine for $100. It’s so heavy I couldn’t get under it if I tried. We have Sandy soil and I have almost 2 acres of lawn and mow every other weekend. The sandy soil sandblasts the blades dull

This is my outfit

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:


Huh. I hadn't noticed anything in the thread to suggest the topic was limited to push mowers.

Perhaps I missed it? Can you point that out, please?

RogueJSK’s reply is what I was referring to, he’s talking about replacing the blades on a residential type Honda walk behind or push mower which do run $30 a set.

Of course blades on a commercial machine or a large one of any type wouldn’t get replaced like this. We’re just going by what Honda recommends.

quote:

Originally posted by Ripley:
Kinda off topic -- blade steel is pretty mild, would hardening the edge be a no no? Stay sharp longer but more prone to chipping or breakage and a danger as such?

I would stay away from hardening them. They will last longer but the failure mode will be much worse.

Hit a hard object.

A "soft" blade will ding, bend or nick. Plenty of time to realize something is no bueno and stop.

A hardened one is more likely to shatter. Causing shrapnel and a massive unbalance on the shaft.
No chance to shut down before mower damage

I have two sets for my 60” Dixie Chopper. I swap them out at 20-25 hours.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Yup. Angle grinder, flapper discs, and an All-American Sharpener jig FTW. Add a good blade-balance tester and Bob's your uncle.

Nothing wrong with having all the tools, and doing it yourself, but if you add up all the stuff, it's a lot of new blades for a regular push or my JD 130, a new set of mulching blades is $35, regular blades a bit less, unless you go to the big box store and they want $50+

Ace Hardware near me, good ol local country ACE has a guy that sharpens blades, $20 for a pair.

That alignment doo hickey is $200, the balancer $80, 10 flapper disks $40, The Dewalt angle grinder $80, that's $400 or 20 sharpenings or for me, 10 to 20 years of having someone else do it or buying new blades...

Probably buy a new mower in that time frame, or two....

Still, you probably get a better edge and a lot of satisfaction sharpening it at home.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
I switched to flapper discs this year. Way better and faster than grinder wheel or Dremel.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon video on YT (can't get it to embed)

To get Youtube shorts to embed you have to change the URL manually to the regular video URL format.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3F-sjt_1ms

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Still, you probably get a better edge and a lot of satisfaction sharpening it at home.

This.

Like changing my own oil - I know it's done correctly and on my schedule. I've done the drop off/pickup to sharpen the blades and I didn't like the feeling of having someone else do for me what I could so easily do for myself.

Yeah, I get the "my time is precious" argument. For some it's a large cost/benefit savings. For me 30-45 minutes to sharpen 3-4 blades every few months is something productive to do, and satisfying when it's done.

Cost of the gear vs. new blades - four blades for me each year would be about $60 (if I get the cheap ones). Seven years and the gear is paid for, and I've been using the same blades for the past five years. Should see another couple out of them before they need replacement.

Everyone's needs are different. This set up will work well for me and the 2+ acres I maintain. I've found this thread to be extremely helpful.

I’ve been doing my Honda push mower blades that way since I bought it when we moved to TX. It actually has two blades one is bendy and the other straight. I guess it’s for mulching. The flap sander is better around and over the shaped blade.

When I had the three blade zero turn I used the bench grinder as the blades were straight and I couldn’t screw them up.

My dad always claimed doing it with a proper file by hand was the best method. Might have to try a flapper wheel. I like to try and get one sharpening out of a blade before buying a new one.