
How often should I have my mower blades sharpened?
Your Honda mower blades should be sharpened after every 25 hours of use. For the average homeowner, you will be sharpening your mower blades twice a year. Again, when operating in sandy and gravel conditions, you will have to sharpen your blades more often in order to maintain a good cut.
Do new lawn mower blades need sharpening?
If you own a new lawnmower, there’s no need to sharpen the blade. Throughout the manufacturing process, blade sharpening takes place, which means that new mowers come with sharpened blades from the factory. Some people think new blades need sharpening because of the paint finish on most replacement blades.
How much does it cost to sharpen a mower blade?
On average, for sharpening a push mower blade you are looking at $5 to $15 dollars to get them sharpened, balanced, and ready to go. Some blades may cost more, if they incorporate special alloys, are for larger mowers, or require complex steps to sharpen. For these, $20 to $60 may be a more realistic estimate – call your Hardware store with the make and model for an exact quote.
How to sharpen lawn mower blades safely and effectively?
Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade with an Angle Grinder:
- Put on your safety gear. ...
- Use a vise to clamp the mower blade still.
- A flap disc is a good choice for the angle grinder.
- Align the blade of the grinder with the cutting edge of the mower blade.
- Move the grinder slowly back and forth against the edge of the mower blade.
- Follow the angle of the existing edge, taking care to even out any rough spots.

Are lawn mower blades supposed to be sharp?
How Sharp Should Your Mower Blade Be? Mower blades should be aggressively sharp, but not as sharp as a razor's edge. You should be able to touch the blade with your hand without getting cut.
How do I know if my lawn mower blades need sharpening?
How to Tell If You Need to Sharpen Your Mower BladeDents or nicks in the mower blades.Uneven grass height after cutting.Grass blades look torn instead of sliced.Brown, frayed grass edges.
Are new lawn mower blades balanced?
Are New Lawn Mower Blades Balanced? While you should not sharpen new lawn mower blades, you should check to make sure they are balanced. Even though all of the new lawn mower blades I've bought have been balanced, it is worth checking.
Are lawn mower blades sharpened when bought?
If your lawn mower is brand new, then there won't be any need to sharpen the blade. During the manufacturing process, mower blades are always sharpened, and new mowers come with sharp blades from the factory.
Why are new mower blades dull?
But it really does depend on its condition, a mower blade that cuts a small mature yard will last longer. New yards usually have rocks, stones, and debris that impacts the blade causing it to become dull and wear out quickly.
Why is my mower leaving a strip of grass?
Rows or streaks of uncut grass in your lawn may be the result of your lawnmower's cutting blades being dull or otherwise damaged. Dull blades are the result of normal wear and tear from mowing. The blades can be sharpened with a bench grinder by you or a professional.
Does a new lawn mower blade make a difference?
So, does sharpening lawn mower blades make a difference? Yes! It is an important step in keeping your lawn looking great. Not only will it help the appearance of your yard, but it can also prolong the life of your lawnmower.
What happens if you dont balance lawn mower blades?
An unbalanced blade spinning that fast will cause a significant amount of vibration, which will put stress on yout blade shaft, spindle, and even the engine. So if you want to get the most life out of your mower... keep the blades balanced!
How often do mower blades need to be sharpened?
A lawnmower blade should be sharpened after every 20 to 25 hours of usage time on average. In reality, the best time to sharpen blades is when they start getting dull and it becomes more difficult to cut grass.
What does a properly sharpened mower blade look like?
0:165:04How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade | This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAfter you cut it and you look at it if it's a nice clean cut on the top of piece of grass. Then yourMoreAfter you cut it and you look at it if it's a nice clean cut on the top of piece of grass. Then your blade is great if it's all ragged on the edge.
How often should you sharpen or replace lawn mower blades?
You'll know that you need to sharpen your lawn mower blades when the tips of your grass are brown and ragged. When this happens, your grass becomes less capable of storing water and more susceptible to disease. Some lawn mower manuals suggest sharpening or replacing blades after every 25 hours of use.
What happens if you mow with dull blades?
A dull mower blade may cause the turf to have a brown cast or look ragged after mowing and can make turf more susceptible to disease. Sharpen or replace mower blades at least once a year or more frequently if needed. The grass over high spots may be scalped and the crowns of plants exposed in lawns with uneven terrain.
Why is my lawn mower blade bent?
Note that a bent, off-balance mower blade is a safety concern and might cause premature mower damage by damaging the bearings.
How long do Oregon mower blades last?
High-quality blades such as Oregon Mower Blades will easily give you 400 hours of use. Keep an eye on your blades’ condition and how well they’re cutting your lawn so you’ll know when it’s time for a replacement.
Do You Need to Balance New Blades?
Like most homeowners, you’ve probably wondered: “do new lawn mower blades need to be balanced?” Some mower blades arrive unbalanced and can vibrate considerably when used.
Does It Matter Whether the Blades Are Sharp?
However, while dull blades still cut grass, they will merely rip through grass and produce jagged tips.
What is the difference between gator blades and mulching blades?
Mulching blades push grass down while gator blades give a clean and even cut by providing a high lift that draws grass up. The high lift produced by gator blades makes them excellent for bagging operations.
How does a lawn mower work?
A lawn mower has revolving blades that work by cutting grass and making the surface seem even. While freshly cut grass smells and looks great, cutting grass with a lawn mower with dull blades can be annoying. If you’ve just bought a lawn mower, you might be wondering whether new blades need sharpening.
What is a mulching blade called?
Mulching blades are frequently referred to as “3-in-1 blades” since they perform three tasks rather than two. Mulching blades can bag or discharge clippings and cut them into fine mulch, leaving them on the lawn.
Why Sharpen Your Own Mower Blades?
The biggest advantage of doing your own lawn mower blade sharpening is that it saves you money. All you need are a few pieces of equipment:
How to tell if a sharpener blade is dull?
After sharpening, check that your blade is balanced. Look for a nail or a tack sticking out of a wall, and hang your blade on it through the center hole. If the blade tips to one side, that side is too heavy and needs to be filed.
Why Use a Sharpening Service?
Your local hardware store might offer blade sharpening services; you also might find blade sharpeners at such gatherings as farmers markets. Having someone else sharpen your blade can be a valuable option:
How to sharpen a bevel blade?
Use your flat metal file for quick maintenance or if you suspect you might have hit a rock or another object that nicked your blade. Use a disc grinder to restore the bevel’s angle and the blade’s overall sharpness once or twice a season .
Why is my lawn turning brown?
For the homeowner or property owner who’s been looking forward to green summer grass, the sight of brown spots on the lawn can be worse than a sudden crop of dandelions. You might think that your wilted, dried-up lawn needs fertilizer. You might worry that you haven’t given it enough water.
Do you need a sharpening service for a riding mower?
A sharpening service is also handy if you don’t have the tools or the space to sharpen blades yourself. This is especially true if you own a riding mower, which requires you to have a mower lift to maintain it properly, or a reel mower, which uses special sharpening kits for reel mower blades.
Can you sharpen your own landscaping blades?
That being said, sharpening your own blades can be a timesaver. By doing it yourself, you save the time you would have spent driving to a store or searching online for replacement blades. If you’re a homeowner, you could enjoy some free time instead. If you’re a landscaping pro, you can keep to your work schedule.
Why sharpen blades before use?
The main reason that some people believe that new blades should be sharpened before use is due to the powder-coated paint finish that is applied to most replacement blades by the manufacturer. This finish is particularly thick around the blade’s cutting edge and to the touch, it can make it feel like it’s dull. And we all know that a dull blade isn’t good for your grass!
What happens if your mower blades are unbalanced?
Unbalanced blades in particular can have a whole host of knock-on effects, causing lots of vibration (not a pleasant experience when you’re mowing), and place your blade shaft, spindle and engine under greater stress, likely shortening their lifespans.
Why Don’t You Need to Remove The Protective Finish that Makes Your Blade Feel Dull?
After 30 minutes or so of mowing, if you take a look at the blade, you’ll see that the protective layer around the blade’s edge has worn away and as a result, the edge is sharper and perfect for cutting grass (remember mower blades only need to be butter-knife sharp and not carving knife sharp).
Does paint finish protect mower blades?
It Protects You From Injury – When installing your new mower blade, you’re obviously going to have to handle it. The paint finish dulls the cutting edge and makes it much more unlikely that you’ll cut yourself when installing it, even if you don’t wear any protective gloves.
Do new lawn mower blades need to be sharpened?
The fact that brand new lawn mower blades don’t need to be sharpened not only saves you time and effort, but it also saves you potential headaches too. This is because sharpening a new blade can potentially cause it to become unbalanced and compromise its integrity.
Why is it Important to Have Sharp Blades on Your Lawnmower?
Dull lawn mower blades can lead to a variety of problems, such as a clogged mower, improperly and inadequately cut grass, grass trailings, and more .
How Often Should You Replace Your Mower Blade?
Regardless of how much you sharpen your mower blade, I recommend that most homeowners replace their mower blades every 4-5 seasons.
Why is my lawn turning brown?
Using inadequately sharpened mower blades can lead to mowing injury of your lawn and this can lead to a ragged lawn with a potentially brownish hue. More importantly, ragged ends on grass from dull blades can lead to your lawn being more susceptible to disease, which is something that many homeowners don’t realize.
What happens if you use a dull blade on a lawn mower?
If you use a lawn mower that has dull blades, then you will end up with grass that has jagged tears on the tips. After a while, the tips will take on an unattractive yellowish hue.
What happens if you notice gouges on a razor blade?
If you notice any significant gouges or indentations on the blade, then the blade probably needs sharpening.
How to smooth out a sharp knife edge?
Alternatively, you can simply try using a grinding wheel to smooth out the edge. Be careful not to get carried away with this. Don’t ruin the shape. And ensure that the blade is properly balanced before you’re finished.
Can you set the cutting deck of a lawn mower too low?
Be careful not to set the cutting deck of your mower too low. Doing so can lead to the blade being severely impacted by objects in your yard. As a result, you’ll have to sharpen more often.
How to tell if mower blades are dull?
The simplest way to tell if your mower's blades are dull is to look at some grass blades after you have finished mowing. If their tips are torn-looking or ragged, it's time to sharpen the blades (or perhaps buy new ones).
Why do lawn mower blades wrap around grass?
Grass will wrap around these dull mower blades as your lawnmower rips them out of the ground, and this will produce more stress yet on the machine, reducing its lifespan and damaging individual components.
What is the same thing on a lawn mower?
No matter what type of lawnmower you use, whether it's a push mower or self-propelled, all mowers have the same thing: blades beneath.
How many hours does a lawn care professional spend on mowing?
It turns out that lawn care professionals spend an average of 25 hours actually mowing lawns every week, so if they are sharpening their blades once in that period too, in effect, they are doing so every 25 hours.
What happens if you cut a dull blade?
Dull blades will leave the grass turning yellow or, worse, brown. Sharp edges make for healthier, less damaged grass, better able to recover swiftly, and leaving your lawn looking more neatly trimmed.
How does sharpening work?
Sharpening works by honing both sides of the blade, grinding the edge down to as thin a surface as possible. The only way to achieve this is by shaving off bits of each edge, making the blade itself thinner and weaker.
Why cut grass frequently?
Cutting the grass frequently is another excellent tip because short grass is easier to rake and keep clear of anything that could blunt blades.
What to do if you can't remember what your mower blade looked like?
If you can’t remember what your mower blade looked like when it was new, take a trip to any store that sells them and give yourself a quick refresher. Because one look at a new blade and you’ll know exactly how sharp a mower blade should be.
What Happens When Your Mower Blade is Too Dull?
Instead, it achieves the cut by force, ripping your grass blades rather than slicing through them . This is not great for your lawn for a few reasons:
Why isn't my lawn mower rock sharp?
Stones, pebbles, sticks and other yard debris (particularly anything hard) that your mower runs into is likely to create nicks in the edge of the blade , reducing its effectiveness and causing it to dull much quick er compared to a blade that has just the right level of sharpness.
Why is my lawn not looking good?
This is not great for your lawn for a few reasons: Loss of Moisture – If you take a closer look at individual blades of grass after passing over them with a dull blade, you’re sure to see ripped, frayed ends. This will allow moisture to be wicked or evaporated from your grass.
Does a dull blade hurt grass?
Increases Risk of Lawn Disease – The cut produced by a perfectly sharpened mower blade will be clean and the grass will heal quickly. But a dull blade produces gaping open wounds that take a considerable time to heal. These wounds provide a direct entry point for disease pathogens to attack your grass, rather like an open wound on your finger could allow bacteria to get in and cause an infection.
Is it better to get a sharper lawn mower blade?
You might think that the sharper you get your lawn mower blade, the better. But that’s not actually true. But it’s not because it’ll have a negative impact on the health of your lawn like a dull blade will. If you were to get your blade as sharp as you possibly could, and then do a side by side comparison against a newly purchased blade, ...
Do lawn mower blades need to be razor sharp?
While it’s not an exact science and you’re likely to come across different opinions if you ask around online, the general consensus is that your mower blade needs to have a nice straight edge (when it dulls, you’ll see that the edge becomes rounded), but it doesn’t want to be razor-sharp to the touch. If it is, you’ve gone too far.
When Will a New Blade Need to Be Sharpened?
New blades need to be sharpened after at least a few hours of mowing. Typically after 25 hours, you should check the blade for nicks or damage then sharpen it as needed.
How to sharpen a saber blade?
Check the blade balance. Balance the center of the blade on your finger. If one side is heavier and sinking lower then sharpen that end more to lighten it up. Do this slowly and repeat till the blade balances evenly on your finger.
Will Sharpening A New Blade Hurt It?
Yes, if the edge is too fine it could be nicked or damaged by rocks and roots. This will require additional sharpening. Each time you sharpen you whittle away the metal lowering the life of the blade.
Is It Worth The Time To Sharpen A New Blade?
No, sharpening a new blade is not worth the time. It’s already perfectly edged and ready to cut.
Are They Actually Dull Or Do They Come Sharpened?
No, new blades aren’t dull. They’ve been precisely sharpened to the manufacturer’s specs.
What happens if Blendtec blade is sharp?
If a Blendtec blade was sharp it’d simply get dull or possibly damaged while spinning. Then you’d have to replace the entire container as it comes fused with the blade. The same thing is true for lawnmowers. Most push mowers are 2-7 horsepower. Many are just like the Blendtec blender.
How much horsepower does a push mower have?
Most push mowers are 2-7 horsepower. Many are just like the Blendtec blender. Just like the Blendtec that puts the tip of the blade at about 200-250 miles per hour. Blendtec blades and push mower blades operate at 2 horsepower with the outer tip spinning at 200 mph.
Why Sharpen Your Own Mower Blades?
Why Use A Sharpening Service?
- Your local hardware store might offer blade sharpening services; you also might find blade sharpeners at such gatherings as farmers markets. Having someone else sharpen your blade can be a valuable option: 1. Blades will be properly balanced 2. Tools and equipment are readily available 3. Possibly a cost-effective option One advantage of using a blade sharpening service i…
Why Replace Mower Blades?
- Sharpening your blades is a great option for the budget-minded and DIY-minded consumer, but it might not always be the best option. The most important reason to replace your mower blades that they show signs of irreparable damage: 1. Bent mower blade 2. Cracked mower blade 3. Blade worn down too far However, you don’t have to wait for your blades t...
Why Not Sharpen and Replace Your Blades?
- In the end, the most cost-effective option might be a combination of sharpening your blades and buying a replacement setor two. Sharpen your regular blades on schedule to help them last as long as possible, but have a replacement set on hand in case of sudden damage. If you happen to hit a rock, you won’t have to wait to sharpen your blades before you can continue mowing. Inste…