Yes, you can sharpen your mower blades with an angle grinder and this is a fast and efficient way to do so. Handheld angle grinders are inexpensive, quick, and may be used to sharpen mower blades and a number of DIY tools, making them a good investment and quite useful to have.
In the rest of this article, we’ll talk more about sharpening blades, deck tilt and levels, wheels, and more! Read on to see the most frequently asked questions about these subjects compiled into one easy and convenient list!
What is the best way to sharpen lawn mower blades?
If you’ve got a bench grinder, then this is going to be the fastest way to sharpen your lawnmower blades. Be sure to put in earplugs, wear your gloves, and throw on some protective eyewear and this should allow you to grind and sharpen the blade in a matter of minutes. It will produce a lot of sparks but you’ll finish the job fast.
What size bench grinder is best for sharpening mower blades?
For sharpening your tools, as well as tiller and mower blades, a small, 8-inch bench grinder is ideal. They are inexpensive, won’t take up much space, and should be adequate for keeping most of your DIY gear sharp with very little time and effort on your part.
What angle is a mower blade?
For most of your standard variety mower blades, you’ll want to go with a 30 degree angle if you are using a specialized sharpening tool.
By contrast, if you are simply using a file, then hold it at a 45 degree angle when you are sharpening and be sure only to push in one direction – you’ll meet resistance and that is how you’ll know you are sharpening correctly.
Should a lawn mower blade be razor sharp?
No. While razor sharpness sounds ideal, it actually weakens the overall durability of your blade. You want to go for a thinness comparable to a butter knife, so that you can get a good mix of sharpness and durability in the finished session. Oversharpening will cause the blade to dull too quickly and it might even be damaged during normal operations, due to the thinness of the blade.
Do you sharpen both sides of a lawn mower blade?
No. When you are sharpening, you always want to target the top side of the blade. Hold your file at a 45-degree angle and you should feel it biting into the steel when you are moving it in the right direction. Sharpen only in this direction and only the top portion of the blade, and be sure to balance your blade afterwards as this is important for normal operations.
Should you sharpen new mower blades?
No, you do not need to sharpen a newly purchased mower blade or the blades on a newly purchased motor. The manufacturers of these blades send them out already sharpened, so you should not need to sharpen them again until after 20 – 25 hours of use. Sharpening them before this will just reduce the working life of the blades unnecessarily.
Can you sharpen a lawn mower blade without removing it?
You can sharpen a lawn mower blade without removing it in most cases, though it will depend on the design of your make and model of mower. Most often you can elevate it at an angle with wood blocks or other suspension means and this will allow you to employ a handheld angle grinder in order to sharpen the blades without removing them.
How often should lawn mower blades be replaced?
With standard blades, as long as you are maintaining them, you should get 100 – 200 hours of use or approximately one year. Higher end blades, which incorporate heavier metals or alloys can last significantly longer, sometimes up to 400 hours of use before replacement is required.
Do you have to balance mower blades after sharpening?
Yes, after sharpening your blades you should always balance them. Unbalanced blades will cause the mower to vibrate. Cuts will be inefficient, the overall work life of the blade will be reduced, and it could even damage the mower in worst-case scenarios. So, make sure to always balance the blade after you sharpen it!
Should a mower deck be level front to back?
Known as the ‘deck pitch’, a mower deck will typically have a ¼ inch pitch depending on the make and model of your mower. Simply put, the front of the mower should be slightly lower than the rear for best results.
Should back wheels be higher on lawn mower?
Often because the deck is tilted, you’ll get the illusion that the wheel are not the same size (which is standard in most, but not all mowers). Typically, the wheels will be the same height, on average between 2.5 to 3.5 inches. This helps to provide better control on even surfaces and helps to minimize how much the clippings are blown around the yard.
Should mower deck wheels touch the ground?
Depending on the cutting height that you have set, the bottom of the wheels will be approximately 1/8 to as much as ½ an inch from the ground. This is by design, as it keeps you from cutting the grass too close to the ground when you are moving the mower on uneven terrain.
What level should a lawn mower be set at?
Usually, the highest setting is going to be the best. This will typically be around 3 inches or slightly higher. This will give you the ideal height after cutting the grass so that it still looks healthy, rather than ‘scalped’, but still looks well-maintained.
What is the advantage of large rear wheels on a lawn mower?
If your yard has a lot of uneven terrain, holes in the ground, depressions, grooves, or ruts, then large rear wheels are a must. They will help to ensure that you are getting an even cut when you are dealing with less predictable terrain, as the larger wheels are able to better navigate in these conditions than a mower with smaller, standard wheels.
Hi, I’m John Stephens, chief editor and writer for Totalgardener.com. I’ve been gardening and raising animals for over 15 years starting with a small backyard plot in Northern Virginia where I grew corn, potatoes, squash, and using a high mulch technique called the Ruth Stout Method. I also raised ducks and small mammals for meat and eggs in a movable pen similar to the ones used by Joel Salatin. I later moved to Colorado where I experimented with growing greens using aquaponics inside. I eventually added a microgreens setup and home sprouting operation. I’m excited to share everything I’ve learned plus more from the other local gardening and animal raising experts I know.
