How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade? Complete Guide

How to Sharpen A Lawn Mower Blade? Three Best Ways to Follow: A lawnmower is a machine that uses one or more rotating blades to cut grass to a uniform height. Mower blades are made of rigid metals to withstand hard objects like rock, pebbles while trimming grass. To prevent them from getting obtuse and maintain efficiency,  one must sharpen the blades twice or at least once a season.

If you are using a mower for the first time, you must learn how to sharpen a lawnmower blade so you could take quick action on your own whenever needed. In this article, you will come to know about the 3 best ways of sharpening a lawnmower blade using different sharpening tools.

Why Sharpening a Lawnmower Blade is Important?

 

 

You will never love to cut your hair with a blunt scissor, right?—Yes! —  None of us will, as it will make a random and uneven haircut.  A dull blade tears off the grass blades instead of cutting them, which results in an uneven edging. Moreover, the jagged grass tips are more likely to be affected by fungus and insects because of the moisture content within them. Grass growth will slow down; after all, your lawn will lose its elegance.

To avoid all these messes and make your lawn look great, you must sharpen the mower blade whenever it becomes dull. “When to sharpen” depends on your use. If the mower is frequently used, you should sharpen it every week or whenever you notice any uneven cutting.  

Tools & Materials required to Sharpen a Lawnmower Blade

There is a variety in the types of tools to sharpen a lawnmower blade. If grass mowing is your profession, you must invest in buying the high-end powered tools to sharpen your mower blade. But if you are not a pro and use a mower for general cutting only, lower-end powered or manual tools might be perfect for you. Here are some essential sharpening tools for a lawnmower blade.

Tools

• Mower blade grinder
• Powered Drill
• File
• Rag
• Vise
• Ratchet set
• Workbench

Materials

• Hearing protectors
• Safety glass
• Safety gloves

How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade using a File?

 

The safe and manual way to sharpen a lawnmower blade is using a file sharpener. Follow the following quick steps:

1. Remove the Spark Plug

Take off the ignition plug wire from the spark plug to prevent any unexpected accident. If your mower is cordless, then remove the batteries from it to make it safer to work.    

2. Separate the Blade from the Lawnmower

Turn the mower on its side so the site of nut-bolts, securing the blade, is exposed to you. Stake a wood block between the blade’s end and the deck’s inner surface to prevent the blade from spinning. Then slowly loosen the nut or bolts with the help of a wrench.  Finally, disjoint the blade from the mower.

3. Mark the Blade

Use spray paint or color to point out the downside of the blade while removing it. It will help you to remember which way to settle it back. Clean the dust from it before sharpening. 

4. Sharpen the Blade

Grip the blade in a vise that is settled on your workbench. Start sharpening the edge of the blade using a file until “butter-knife” sharpness comes. Once one side is done, flip the blade over and sharpen the opposite edge in the same way. File until both the edges have equally been sharpened.

5. Check Balance

After finishing burnish, hang the blade over a hook and see if both edges are balanced. If either side dips, sharpen it to make a horizontal balance.

6. Replace the Blade

Reinstall the blade, same as the past position, and screw the nut or bolts tightly to fit the blade in the mower.

How to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades using a Grinder?

The process of removing the blade from a lawnmower is the same as we’ve described above. Here are the further steps of sharpening a blade with a grinder

• Set the tongue guards of the bench grinder to prevent the flying of the grinding objects. Position the upper tongue within ¼ of an inch and the lower one ⅛ inch away from the stone
• Lay the blade flat on the table surface, so the edge faces the wheel at a 90-degree angle.
• Set the motor switch forward for the right-hand cut  (cutting edge on the right side), or reverse for the left-hand cut blade (cutting edge on the left side). Then turn it on.
• While sharpening, use both hands to hold the blade on the opposite ends of the cutting edge.
• Repeat the process for both cutting edge and get a well-sharpened blade.  

How to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blade Using a Drill?

• After you take the blade off of the mower, you can either clamp it in a vise or hold it with one hand (must wear gloves) and use the drill-powered blade sharpener with the other hand. But it is advisable to tie it in a vise for safety.
• The drill sharpener consists of a beveled surface – round abrasive stone, a ¼ inch diameter steel shank, and a flat sharpening guide. Move the drill back and forth along the blade’s cutting edge, facing the beveled surface of the spinning stone over them.
• Sharpen both edges with the drill, and place it back in the mower when done.

Things to consider when sharpening a Lawnmower Blade?

• Never forget to remove the spark plug first.
• Must use hand gloves
• When using a grinder or drill, wear safety glasses, as they are tougher to control and there are chances of getting hurt by the flying pieces of materials and dust.   
• Sharpen the blade perfectly and balance the edges to prevent over-vibration and damage to the shaft of the mower. 
• Do not leave the bolts slack when replacing the blade. It might cause an accident during use.      

Final Verdict: Best Way to Sharpen a Lawnmower Blade

  

Now that you have got ideas on how to sharpen a lawnmower blade applying different sharpening tools. You must be thinking of which would be the best way of sharpening a blade. Well, if you think of the low cost and more safety, then using a file might be the best option for you. It is manual, safe, and not costly.

Read more about How to Cool a Greenhouse without Electricity?

However, if you want to do the work in a more fast and convenient way, sharpening with a drill is the best suggestion. Yet, finally, it depends on your budget and choice.