# Sharp blades - ragged tips



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

I just sharpened my blades before I mowed today. I use a 60 grit flap disc on a grinder.

After mowing, I notice a lot of the newly cut blades are clean cut but there are still a lot that are very brown and ragged.

I am currently mowing at 2.5". Was keeping it at 4" until July. InJuly, I mowed down to 2.5"and let it grow back out and maintained it at 3.0". Now in August I am maintaining it at 2.5" but I didn't do an initial 0.5" lower like I did before.

Why does there seem to be a lot of grass blades below the cut level? I never cut lower than the hoc I am maintaining now. Shouldn't it be growing out and get fresh cut? Do I need to go down to 2.0" and let it grow back out to 2.5"?


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## MassHole (Jun 27, 2018)

Same problem!!!


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## gmorf33 (Jul 30, 2019)

I don't know if this your issue, but i remember LCN talking about having the frayed brown tips and getting a lot of flak from people telling him to sharpen his blades. He stated his blades were sharp, but these particular areas of his lawn were suffering from heat stress and didn't matter how sharp his blade was.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Is the entire mix of lawn grasses actively growing? A lot of grasses slow down growing with the heat.


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## FuzzeWuzze (Aug 25, 2017)

Is it possible the mower isnt powerful enough and getting slowed down too much to cut cleanly?


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## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Could be heat stress.

The entire mix is not actively growing the same. Some of it is growing at a much higher rate than the rest.

I don't think the mower slowing down is an issue *currently*. But when I took it from 4.0" - 2.5" in July (a little at a time) it was definitely bogging down due to the high amount of clippings. I think the ragged edges of from back then but it just seems like it should have grown out in a month. Maybe not? It is all irrigated.


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## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

I have a similar problem in my yard. Sharp blades and ragged tips. To some degree mine is a problem from the end of spring flush through the summer. 
This is what I've figured out, I think.
Mine yard is a blend of good quality TTTF varieties. Those varieties grow at different rates. So when I mow on, say, Monday I'm cutting varieties A and C. Then I mow on Friday I'm mowing varieties B and D, while A and C didn't grow at all or not much(maybe worse for a quality cut). Maybe I'm thinking to much into this but it's the best theory I've come up with and the reason I'll be doing a TTTF mono stand someday.
What do you think?


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## john5246 (Jul 21, 2019)

FuzzeWuzze said:


> Is it possible the mower isnt powerful enough and getting slowed down too much to cut cleanly?


Or he is walking/riding too fast for the mower. Slow down for a better cut if you fell behind on the mowing or your grass is really thick.


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## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

I go slow so I can enjoy the mow and I usually mow every other day...?


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Have you tried discharging and also raising the rpm?


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

I tackled a similar problem this year. I went through a lengthy troubleshooting process. Many of the things I considered have already been mentioned
blade sharpness
blade balance
congestion/build-up underneath the deck/air flow
pace of the mower
RPM
pitch
tire pressure
air filter
baffle

In my case, adjusting the pitch helped the problem considerably, but it is still not perfect. Despite this partial improvement, I eventually concluded, after conversations with forum members, that at least some of the less-than-ideal cut is due to the grass itself. I notice that my bluegrass cuts cleaner than my fescue.

So, some of the problem may be in the grass itself. Still, that isn't stopping me from being on the lookout for a mower that will give a cleaner cut. :mrgreen:


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## jessehurlburt (Oct 18, 2017)

You're sure both blades are on correctly? I saw Allyn Hayne put on one of his blades on upside down and that caused a similar issue.


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## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Maybe it is just the type of grass. Blades are definitely on right side up. I cut it down to 2" last week. Been gone a few days but will see how it looks when I get back and bag everything.


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