# Sharpening your own mower blades



## daganh62 (May 4, 2018)

does anyone here sharpen your own blades? If so is it easy how do you make sure its balanced? Also has anyone used one of these

https://lunartools.com/products/blade-sharpener


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

Those drill grinders were pretty useless for me, they keep jumping around on you. It's easier with a flap disc on an angle grinder, and Home Depot sells a blade balancing gizmo.


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

Easier to buy a new blade especially rotary mowers. Rotate old one off after spring scalp or aeration busting plugs and put fresh blade on for season.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

corneliani said:


> Those drill grinders were pretty useless for me, they keep jumping around on you. It's a assets with a flap disc on an angle grinder, and Home Depot sells a blade balancing gizmo.


+1 on the angle grinder and flap disc - makes quick work of sharpening blades!!


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## greengrass (Sep 9, 2018)

daganh62 said:


> does anyone here sharpen your own blades? If so is it easy how do you make sure its balanced? Also has anyone used one of these
> 
> https://lunartools.com/products/blade-sharpener


I use one of those, mine came with a balance gizmo. It works alright for what it is. Need to hold the blade tightly in a vice.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I use an angle grinder with a flap blade. Use a squeeze clamp to hold it. Bought a balancing too, on amazon for like a$6. Other items i got at harbor freight for about $30. Very easy. Would also recommend buying an air impact wrench from harbor freight for $20 and hooking it up to your compressor. Makes the bolts easier and i use it for everything now.


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## Mer2112 (May 12, 2019)

I use my drill press.

https://i.imgur.com/c4r3ca4.mp4


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

Mer2112 said:


> I use my drill press.
> 
> https://i.imgur.com/c4r3ca4.mp4


Yeah that's bad azz!


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## Dkrem (Mar 16, 2019)

I have a 4x36 bench belt sander. I put a 60grit zirconia belt on it and pretty much sharpen the entire cutting edge in one go. Just lay the blade down on the belt, find the angle, and give it a little pressure in 1-2 second bursts. It takes me about 5 minutes to sharpen the three blades my deck uses.

For balancing I fastened a ball bearing to my workbench that has matching diameter with the bolt hole in the blade. I just slide the blade on and see which end of the blade falls. Then take a little bit off that side (either the edge, or the end) with the belt.


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## beardizzle1 (Jun 13, 2019)

FedDawg555 said:


> Mer2112 said:
> 
> 
> > I use my drill press.
> ...


+1

I also use an angle grinder and a big box store balancing "gizmo"


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

Don't buy that grinder thing. It is pretty much worthless. Get an angle grinder and a flap disc.


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

Has anyone tried using a worx electric sharpener? They do advertise it for outdoor tools but I am not sure if the belt it comes with can handle the load?


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I use a bench grinder to sharpen my mower blades.

Keep a bucket of water nearby to quench the blade in.

Then I finish the edge with a Nicholson handfile, double cut to start with.

Use the single cut side to get the finish edge sharp.

Use a blade balancer to ensure harmonic balancing when done.

Grind the heavy side down if it is off using the grinder to remove metal.

I keep a factory new set of blades on hand. Install those, grind the old.

I do it at night to send sparks flying everywhere - light up the night...!

My neighbor buddies come over to watch me shoot sparks sometimes.

Keep the bride, kids and pets away, or at a safe distance. PPE gear on.

Leather gloves and a face shield for the grinder monkey (that's me).....

I actually enjoy sharpening blades and tools. It is fun, and cool to do.

"Master of sparks on high."


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## zinger565 (Nov 28, 2017)

Hey guys, when sharpening, how sharp is "sharp"? Are we talking being able to slice a pepper sharp?

I only ask because the factory new toro blades I've bought in the past aren't that sharp. There's an edge, but certainly nothing close to a knife. I've been sharpening by hand so I don't take too much material off, but I'm having a hard time getting the blades knife sharp.


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## greencare (Sep 14, 2019)

zinger565 said:


> Hey guys, when sharpening, how sharp is "sharp"? Are we talking being able to slice a pepper sharp?
> 
> I only ask because the factory new toro blades I've bought in the past aren't that sharp. There's an edge, but certainly nothing close to a knife. I've been sharpening by hand so I don't take too much material off, but I'm having a hard time getting the blades knife sharp.


The Toro replacement blade is three years old and I haven't sharpened it because I feel it still has the same dull edge as new. There are no nicks or dents in it. The benefit of a slightly dull edge is that it will last longer without the need for frequent sharpenening. Of course, the disadvantage being that cuts will not be clean like a reel mower, leading to slightly frayed cuts.

I can understand reel mowers need to be sharp or they will not cut through, and commercial users will need to replace/sharpen everyday because of their heavy daily use.


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## Mister Bill (Apr 12, 2019)

zinger565 said:


> Hey guys, when sharpening, how sharp is "sharp"? Are we talking being able to slice a pepper sharp?
> 
> I only ask because the factory new toro blades I've bought in the past aren't that sharp. There's an edge, but certainly nothing close to a knife. I've been sharpening by hand so I don't take too much material off, but I'm having a hard time getting the blades knife sharp.


A blade that is almost sharp will hold its edge much longer than one sharpened to cut paper. That's why the new OEM blades are sharpened to a dull edge. Unless you are lying down on the ground and looking at the grass blade through a telescope, you won't notice any measurable difference in cut quality. OCD doesn't apply. :lol:


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## Mister Bill (Apr 12, 2019)

FedDawg555 said:


> Easier to buy a new blade especially rotary mowers. Rotate old one off after spring scalp or aeration busting plugs and put fresh blade on for season.


Easy is not allowed here. Send me your old blades. Lot's of life left in them. :lol:


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

The OP's grinding stone (or something similar) might actually work in @Mer2112's awesome drill press jig.



Mister Bill said:


> A blade that is almost sharp will hold its edge much longer than one sharpened to cut paper.


I agree 100%.

Mower blade steel is 45-ish Rockwell Hardness for safety reasons. A feathery, super-fine edge is very fragile and wears away almost instantly. Your blades last longer and cut equally well if you stop grinding just before the edge gets "grabby" to a light finger touch. By pocket knife standards, this is very dull. But by shovel standards, this is extremely sharp.

*Rotary mower blades are soft, stamped steel and are never tempered*. While hard tempered steel wears better, it is also brittle as glass. If a tempered mower blade hits something rigid, it may shatter and ninja-star slivers of steel come flying through the mower deck at bullet speeds. Not good.

*So never quench mower blades in water or oil if they get hot to the touch while grinding.* Take a break and let the steel cool slowly if it gets too hot. Grind slower in the future. Don't even try to temper "only the edge" for better wear and sharpness.


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## TNTurf (Mar 20, 2019)

uts said:


> Has anyone tried using a worx electric sharpener? They do advertise it for outdoor tools but I am not sure if the belt it comes with can handle the load?


I use the worksharp with the green 80grit belt. It gives the blade a bit of a rounded edge versus a more brittle angled edge. Works great. I use it for all of the hand tools as well like shovels so they cut in better when I dig.


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## Mister Bill (Apr 12, 2019)

hsvtoolfool said:


> The OP's grinding stone (or something similar) might actually work in @Mer2112's awesome drill press jig.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well said, Sir, and 100% accurate. :thumbup:


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## zinger565 (Nov 28, 2017)

Awesome. Thanks for the information folks, really helps put my mind at ease.


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

TNTurf said:


> uts said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone tried using a worx electric sharpener? They do advertise it for outdoor tools but I am not sure if the belt it comes with can handle the load?
> ...


Nice. I will try that tomorrow.


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

I'm curious as to what is considered sharpened mower blades? Pix below are from Timemaster done with Ryobi angle grinder. Is it sharp enough or should I sharpen more all around?


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

@VALawnNoob That looks fine to me. Be careful on the bottom of the blade. It looks fine in the pictures, but you don't want to create a bevel on the bottom. The blade should have a single bevel.


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## T76turbo (9 mo ago)

I probably went for overkill in my setup for a homeowner but I use the All American Sharpener model 5005 plus a dewalt angle grinder I already had to sharpen my blades and Magna Matic Mag-1000 balancer. You would have to try this balancer. It is super high quality. There are a lot of cheaper knock offs but I refuse to reward theft.

https://www.allamericansharpener.com/

https://www.magna-matic-direct.com/


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