# Rotary mower blade questions



## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

I have a Craftsman rotary mower. I think my turf is zoysia. I mow ever four days. I usually bag the clippings but will occasionally mulch them.

I need a new blade. What kind of blade should I get? Medium lift? High lift? Mulching? I'd prefer to not have to change the blades out often.


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

If you find the lift isn't enough for your grass when mulching, discharge it and use a high lift blade. If your grass seems to stay upright and gets a good cut mulching, I'd go for a mulching blade. Mulching returns nutrients back to the lawn. Definitely a benefit there. Rotary mowers work better for lift when discharging or bagging. The air has to go somewhere...


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

My mower does not have a side discharge capability. I can only bag or mulch. I've predominantly bagged in the past for no informed reason. I guess I thought bagging was "cleaner;" that is, wouldn' track clippings into the house as much.


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

Mulching is free fertilization. If you mulch all year, you basically add the equivalent of another fert. application to your lawn.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

I mowed yesterday and bagged the clippings. Today I lowered the deck one notch, mowed again and mulched. Below are pics of the clippings visible on top of the turf after mowing. I also took a pic of the blade. I don't think it's a mulching blade.

When mulching, is it expected to have the clippings be visible after mowing? When they dry it dulls the appearance of the turf.


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Hmm. never seen a blade with holes. Interesting. There really isn't any kind of discharge on your mower?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Suburban Jungle Life said:


> Hmm. never seen a blade with holes. Interesting. There really isn't any kind of discharge on your mower?


Comes from the Arnold dethatcher blade for rotary mowers.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

Spammage said:


> Suburban Jungle Life said:
> 
> 
> > Hmm. never seen a blade with holes. Interesting. There really isn't any kind of discharge on your mower?
> ...


Correct. Dethatcher blade minus the "fingers."


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

Suburban Jungle Life said:


> Hmm. never seen a blade with holes. Interesting. There really isn't any kind of discharge on your mower?


The only discharge is a rear discharge into the bag. When not bagging, the rear door is closed for mulching.


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

You should not have clippings like that on the ground for sure.


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

when the grass is a little higher than I want or maybe I've had to skip a day or so because of rain, I can get those same types of trails with my Honda.

easiest way to get rid of them is taking the blower and walking right up to them and dispersing them. not the answer you were looking for but it does work.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

TigerinFL said:


> when the grass is a little higher than I want or maybe I've had to skip a day or so because of rain, I can get those same types of trails with my Honda.
> 
> easiest way to get rid of them is taking the blower and walking right up to them and dispersing them. not the answer you were looking for but it does work.


That does work. I do that.

Would getting a legit mulching blade help? I got these surface clippings cutting one day after the previous mowing.


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## Sam23 (May 2, 2018)

Yes you need to buy mulching blades if you have a mulching mower. You should not have clippings remaining as pictured. Also make sure you put the blade on correctly. My Craftsman blade designates right on the blade which side faces the grass.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

I ordered a mulching blade from Craftsman (actually a Craftsman blade on Amazon). I'll let you know how it goes.

Something I've been meaning to ask - why is the cutting edge on rotary blades so short? Seems like they are only the distal 1/3 or 1/4 of the blade.


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## Sam23 (May 2, 2018)

@Darrell Did you look up blade part number on Sear's Parts Direct website?

https://www.searspartsdirect.com/?SID=MerchSearsxHSTopNavPartsDirect

Just enter the model number of your mower and click on the appropriate graphic. Once you have the part number you can order it from any source.

I do not know the question about the blade you asked.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

Sam23 said:


> @Darrell Did you look up blade part number on Sear's Parts Direct website?
> 
> https://www.searspartsdirect.com/?SID=MerchSearsxHSTopNavPartsDirect
> 
> ...


Yep. I hope it's the one. It's an old mower.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

At sears direct, only one blade comes up. It does not say "mulching," just "lawnmower blade." Amazon describes it as a mulching blade.


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## Sam23 (May 2, 2018)

Darrell said:


> At sears direct, only one blade comes up. It does not say "mulching," just "lawnmower blade." Amazon describes it as a mulching blade.


Whats the part number?


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## Krooz (Feb 20, 2018)

My snapper will do that if I let the grass get too long or I mow too fast, especially the too fast part....


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

Sam23 said:


> Darrell said:
> 
> 
> > At sears direct, only one blade comes up. It does not say "mulching," just "lawnmower blade." Amazon describes it as a mulching blade.
> ...


189028


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

A visual aid to show the difference:


https://usamowerblades.com/standard-blades-vs-mulching-blades/


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## Sam23 (May 2, 2018)

Darrell said:


> Sam23 said:
> 
> 
> > Darrell said:
> ...


All searches point to a mulching blade.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

¡Gracias!


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

Do y'all sharpen a new blade before it's first use?


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## kaptain_zero (Jun 2, 2018)

Darrell said:


> Something I've been meaning to ask - why is the cutting edge on rotary blades so short? Seems like they are only the distal 1/3 or 1/4 of the blade.


Only the outer tips of blade actually do the cutting, so sharpening the inner part of the blade would only makes the blade weaker and the person sharpening work harder for no reason. Imagine the mower MOVING.... then you see that each tip comes around and clips the grass at the front of the mower... it then swings around to the back over top of the already cut grass (clipping more of the grass that was already cut off and floating in the air, to mulch it, but not cutting the grass off). At a normal walking pace, each blade probably cuts about 1 inch into the uncut grass. Walking faster forces the blade to cut more for each swipe, which is why you have to slow down when the grass is really thick.

My old mower had a gull wing style blade where the entire center portion was closer to top of the inside of the deck. Why? It was to reduce drag when trying to start the mower, if it was already on the lawn. My old mower was a pre-clutch/brake type mower, so you had to put a foot on the deck when you yanked the starter cord, to prevent the deck from flipping up.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

It arrived. I want to mow with it to see it there are fewer clippings on the turf afterwards. But we just had a rain shower. Might not be the best time to assess.

Should I sharpen before first use?


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## flats642 (May 2, 2018)

I've sharpened a new rotary blade but I am not sure it made a difference. Wet grass does make the clumps more problematic, so does cutting off too much of the grass blade.

You also might make sure there is not a missing plug or some device other than just the lid that keeps the grass churning inside the deck.

https://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-Equipment-Manufacturer-Husqvarna-Frigidaire/dp/B000K1OBFO


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

flats642 said:


> I've sharpened a new rotary blade but I am not sure it made a difference. Wet grass does make the clumps more problematic, so does cutting off too much of the grass blade.
> 
> You also might make sure there is not a missing plug or some device other than just the lid that keeps the grass churning inside the deck.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-Equipment-Manufacturer-Husqvarna-Frigidaire/dp/B000K1OBFO


I've wondered about a mulching plug. My previous mower had one. I've also lost the manual, but one I found online said that to mulch, just remove the bag and close the rear door. I called Sears Direct, too. The customer service person told me that my model does not have a mulching plug.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

I hope she and I are right.


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## Sam23 (May 2, 2018)

Enter your model number on the *Sear's Parts Direct website* link I gave you on a previous post and it will tell you all the parts available for your mower.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

I don't see a plug when I search model number 917.378870. At least not in the most commonly ordered parts.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

5th time's a charm!

It turns out there is a mulching plug. My fifth time to talk/chat with them confirmed that (hopefully). It's on its way.

Thanks for your help!


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## Sam23 (May 2, 2018)

I bought one for my Craftsman 6.75 Model #917374430. It called for Sears Parts #: 166649. I google it and found a Husqarvana Part #532166649 that said it was compatible, but when I received it did not fit. I guess that is what I get for trying to save some money. The Sears was $27.69 and the one on Amazon was $16.79.


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

Sam23 said:


> I bought one for my Craftsman 6.75 Model #917374430. It called for Sears Parts #: 166649. I google it and found a Husqarvana Part #532166649 that said it was compatible, but when I received it did not fit. I guess that is what I get for trying to save some money. The Sears was $27.69 and the one on Amazon was $16.79.


I'm not hopeful that this part will fit. The customer service rep seemed a little iffy on the matter. The previous rep told me my mower didn't need a plug. We shall see.


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