Lawn Mower Blade Care - The Important Steps You Need to Master
Caring for your lawn mower blade is critical. A blade that is in poor condition can affect the appearance and health of your lawn. Proper care of the blade is your first line of defense against lawn diseases.
Remember, when working with the blade it is best to wear a pair of gloves. You don't want to slice your hand or even worse cut off your finger.
Tools Required to Remove the Lawn Mower Blade
It is a good idea to have on hand the following tools when you need to remove the blade.
- Closed-End Wrench
- Torque Wrench
- Vise
- 10 inch File
- Hammer
- Nail
Don't forget, when working with the blade it is best to wear a pair of gloves.
Return from lawn mower blade page to lawn mower care.
How to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades
Disable the lawn mower then tip the lawn mower on it's side
You don't want the lawn mower to accidentally start while you are tipping the lawn mower on it's side.
To disable the lawn mower............
Gas Lawn Mowers - remove the spark plug
Electric Mowers - remove the battery
Tip the lawn mower on it's side so the entire underside of the deck is accessible.
Stabilize the blade
Wedge a piece of scrap wood between the blade and the deck of the lawn mower. This will help you stabilize it. You don't want the blade to move while you are trying to remove the bolt holding it in place.
They also sell special devices to help stabilize the blade. I think it is just as easy and definitely cheaper to use a scrap piece of wood that is laying around.
Remove the blade
Use a closed-end wrench to loosen the bolt that secures the blade to the motor of the lawn mower.
If you can't move the bolt, try spraying it with a lubricant. Let the lubricant soak into the area for a few minutes. This should make removal of the bolt much easier.
Secure the blade in a vise
Inspect the blade for nicks and other damage.
Using smooth, even strokes file the blade along the cutting edge. Be sure to file at an angle that matches the existing bevel. You always want to use the same number of strokes on each edge of the blade so it is level.
Check the blades balance
This is an important last step before you reinstall the lawn mower blade.
There are several ways for you to check the balance of the blade:
- Drive a nail into the wall in the garage. Hang the blade on the nail to check it's balance. (This is the method I personally use)
- Lock a screwdriver securely into a vise and slide the blade onto the shaft of the screwdriver to check the balance of the blade.
- Buy a blade balancing cone at your local home improvement center or hardware store. Lay the cone on a flat, level surface and slide the blade on top of the cone to check it's balance. This devise is pretty easy to use and they are pretty inexpensive.
Reattach the blade to the lawn mower
Using the manufacturer's instructions, reattach the blade to the lawn mower.
As a test, cut a blade of grass. Inspect the top of the grass blade to make sure it was cut cleanly. This means the blade is sharp. A dull blade makes a ragged cut which can leave your lawn susceptible to lawn diseases.
