I have been an ardent gardener for the longest time.
From mowing my lawn to trimming the shrubs and bushes, I do it all. My husband rarely ever volunteers to take care of the lawn care department. And I don’t really mind since I love spending time amidst nature, maintaining the beauty of my pristine garden.
But I don’t really excel in fixing or maintaining power tools. So, when I realized that my lawn mower blade had turned dull and needed to be sharpened, I didn’t know how to go about it. I did think about getting it done by a professional; however, I didn’t want to give up without even trying.
So, I went over to my neighbor, Mr. Cooper’s place, for help. He knows everything about power tools, and as I had hoped, he explained all the steps involved in the process. And I noted them down for my benefit as well as yours.
Hi there! I’m Stacy Smith, and today, I’ll be teaching you how to sharpen a lawn mower blade. I’ve listed and highlighted the steps in detail to help you get a better understanding.
Let’s begin then!
I usually inspect my lawn mower blade while mowing the lawn. And when it looks worn out and dull, I waste no time in getting it sharpened. Follow the steps given below to know how to go about this.
Start by shutting off the lawn mower engine and disconnecting the ignition wiring from its spark plug. This eliminates the chance of it accidentally starting, especially while you’re working on it. Here’s when you’ll also need to drain the fuel tank to prevent spillage.
Next, position the lawn mower on its side to expose the nut and bolt, securing the mower blade to its underside. You may wedge a wooden block between the mower’s deck and the blade’s end to prevent the blade from turning.
Once secured in place, use a wrench and socket to loosen the nut and bolt. Now, when I tried loosening the nut of my mower, I noticed that its fastener was rusted. If you face a similar situation, apply some oil and wait for around 10 minutes before trying again. You may also consider slipping a metal pipe over the wrench handle to get better leverage while loosening it.
Remove the blade of the mower after removing its fastener while making a note of the side of the blade facing downwards. This is because you’ll have to ensure that it’s put back and secured in the same direction.
Once the blade is removed from the mower, take some time to clean by spraying it with penetrating oil and then scrubbing using a stiff-bristle brush. Use this time to also scrape and clean the lawn mower deck with the help of a putty knife having a narrow blade. This will allow you to remove the grass, leaves, mud, and other debris caked on it.
All mower blades come with cutting edges, measuring 3 to 4-inch long on both ends, positioned at opposite sides. Now, it won’t extend the blade’s length, so make sure you clamp it at a suitable angle with either of its edges directing upwards.
Next comes the crucial part; you’ll need a drill-powered sharpener to sharpen the blade. Run it at a high speed by squeezing the trigger, and then slip the spinning tool over the blade’s cutting edge. Just ensure that the dull edge is facing the round abrasive stone of the sharpener while the flat sharpening guide is against the blade’s rear.
Start by slowly moving the sharpening stone in a back and forth motion (along the blade’s cutting edge) using moderate force. Do this four to five times, and then stop to check the blade’s sharpness. If needed, continue sharpening it till its edge is sharp. You may then remove it to sharpen the opposite edge.
While sharpening, you might end up removing more of the blade’s metal from one edge compared to the other, causing an imbalance. And mowing a lawn with an unbalanced blade will cause wobbling, thereby damaging the motor of the mower.
I usually slip the center hole of my mower blade over a nail sticking out from one of my walls at home. Then, after holding it in a horizontal position for a few seconds, I let it go. You may do the same to determine if your blade is properly balanced. It has to remain in level, but if the end rotates downwards vertically, you’ll need to sharpen its heavier side to restore the balance.
Once the blade is both balanced and sharpened, put it back into the lawn mower as it had been bolted initially. You may make use of a wrench to tighten the nut and bolt. Finally, attach the ignition to the spark plug, fill in the fuel tank, and then test out the newly sharpened mower blade.
That’s all from me for today. It’s time for me to get going, but before that, here’s some advice I’d like to give you.
It’s important to sharpen your mower blade at least twice every season or after around 25 hours of use if you wish to keep it in top shape. Keep monitoring it; even your lawn can be a good indicator of when you need to sharpen it.
Look for the signs; if there’s no recovery after a mowing session, get your sharpener and safety goggles out.
On that note, I’ll take your leave. Let me know your thoughts on this guide in the comment section down below.
Till next time, take care!
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