Mower blade - sharpen or replace?

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: JerryBob
I have a star-shaped mounting hole, and my circular balancer like the one in the link no longer works. So I don't even bother balancing mine...


I have the same type of hole and balance my blade by simply using the top of the "star" as a balance point. I use an ice pick but I imagine a very thin screw driver would work as well.

 

[eljefino]

Grind that back to life! You know it's more fun and BITOGy than writing a check.

You want an edge like a machete, with about 1/16" vertical, not a knife edge.

Then mist this shiny metal with your oil so it doesn't rust over the winter, not that it would be any big deal.

 

[zray]

Originally Posted By: hemitom
If the blade is balanced (no vibration) i would sharpen and use that blade with no problem..


me too. If fact, I sharpened one yesterday that was worse. As pointed out, if you don't have excessive vibration, sharpen it.

z

 

[chainblu]

Mine have to look a LOT worse than that before they go on the scrap pile. But I'm cheap and illegitimate...

 

[JerryBob]

Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
Originally Posted By: JerryBob
I have a star-shaped mounting hole, and my circular balancer like the one in the link no longer works. So I don't even bother balancing mine...


I have the same type of hole and balance my blade by simply using the top of the "star" as a balance point. I use an ice pick but I imagine a very thin screw driver would work as well.


I just cut my lawn for the last time up here today, but I'll give that a shot in April

 

[Merkava_4]

I wish I could be there to show you how to sharpen the blade because there's to way to explain it over the internet.

 

[doitmyself]

The only thing the pictures don't reveal is if the blade is bent in any way that it is not supposed to be. Setting it on a flat surface might reveal that one side is contorted and not in the same plane as the other.

That's my 2 cents. Now to taunt and tantalize the OCD guys among us......none of us loves when a person shows up here and tells us diy'ers that we should be doing things like the pros do. It just isn't practical and speaks of elitism.

Having said that, I have the luxury of using a commercial blade balancer at my work place and it is nirvana. It is a Magna matic like this:

If you care to waste 7 minutes of your life, this Magnamatic sales guru will attempt to convince you that us nail users have been doing this wrong our entire lives! I found it interesting, but I'm a techie nerd about these things.


Don't dispair.

Even the lawn care professionals don't agree on the need to precision balance blades. The video suggests their tool can detect the imbalance from a tiny attached square of paper. Imagine when grass debris glues itself to the blade unevenly??? Good evening all.

 

[spasm3]

Neat but unless in a shop setting its not cost effective. The mag 1000 is like $169.00. I agree that even a blade balanced on this will be out of balance shortly with grass buildup. With the nail or scredriver, you are making sure its not wildly out of balance.

 

[Jim K]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
I have sharpend blades like that back to use. You will have to take a bit off the end. A hand grinder is easier to use than a bench grinder. I try though not to take too much off at once and heat up the blade and take the temper out. Make it look good and see if its reasonably balanced. If not toss it, but i'd grind it up a bit. Just make sure there are no cracks there.

As far as balancers, i just stick a phillips head screwdriver through the hold and see if it stays horizontal while wiggling.
sharpen mine with a flat [censored] file and balance it the same way with phillips screw drover stuck thru the middle hole and see if it hangs level without drooping to one side or the other. I never have had any vibration issue using this process.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Just use your grinder and smooth it out and make the angle correct. Then use a hand file and finish the edge. Use a simple nail to make sure it's balanced.

And don't go years between sharpenings.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I wish I could be there to show you how to sharpen the blade because there's to way to explain it over the internet.


LOL, should I pack it in my carry on for my trip to CA in a few weeks?

 

[Lubener]

If you do not have a grinder, just dress it up with a file and make sure it is balanced when you are done.It does not have to be razor sharp. Most of the cutting takes place with the outer inch of the blade anyway.

 

[bubbatime]

Buy a new blade. You can get them off Amazon or eBay for as little as $7 or $8 shipped for some part numbers. Then sharpen this blade and always have a sharp ready to go blade hanging up on the wall.

 

[Papa Bear]

I still have the original blade on my 1989 Lawn Boy.

I run it through across bench grinder a couple of times a year.
The edge is set back about 1/2" but it cuts like a pro.

 

[totegoat]

I also rotate two blades. I switch them once a year when I change the oil.