Mid-Mount Mower Mulching blade issues

[HOOTSBX23]

Has anyone else seen cracks coming from the serrated back edge of their blades?. My blades are Oregon mulching blades and are 1 1/2 years old. They are one of two sets I have so they get rotated out with the others as need be. I was cleaning up a set at work tonight and noticed they are cracking from the back edges at the depth of the cuts for the serrations.
Anyone else seen this or is this isolated?
Mower is a 60" Kubota mower deck on a 2005 BX 23 Kubota.

I'll be pulling off the other set of blades Tuesday and inspecting those. Not sure what brand those are as they were bought through a tractor store. My Oregon blades came from Ebay.

Thanks.

 

[oosik]

I have a 60" JD mmm. The blades are OLD - more than six years - and I've seen no cracks. Of course, mine aren't serrated. I think a pic, if possible, might help.

I was thinking - WoW, you must be hitting something, with the blades, pretty hard to cause cracking. But, I hit my share of big rocks and have never had a blade crack. Oregon is a reputable company - I might give them a call and see what they have to say.

As a side note - it might be best to not use the cracked blades. At least until you get a satisfactory answer or get the cracks welded.

 

[orangeandgreen]

I swap between Oregon Gator G6 and high lifts, and have several sets of each. All my G6's have started showing wear at the bases of the "fingers" somewhere in the second year of use. Mine don't appear to be cracks, but more like wear grooves from the sand/dirt/rocks blasting across them. The high lifts also show wear at the base of the sail, but usually is just a shiny spot that gradually gets deeper.
My neighbor ran a set of G3's all season last year, and when he removed them for a sharpening this spring, all the fingers were completely gone. He installed a set of the thicker G6's for this year.

 

[HOOTSBX23]

These blades have had a very hard life. I started volunteering this summer to clean up an abandoned 30 acre cemetery.

The cracks just surprised me when I noticed them at work yesterday. I'll be pulling the others off as soon as the caffeine kicks in. I'll try to take some pics.

The cracked blades will not be used again.
I also have 2 sets of Kubota blades in the garage as back ups.

On a side note I would like to add that I have been nothing but totally impressed with these blades. Most likely buy another set tonight. I do maintenance often enough on my mower that it would have to be a catastrophic failure to catch me off guard.

 

[HOOTSBX23]

I just pulled the other set of blades and they are doing the same thing.

[URL=http://s49.photobucket.com/user/HOOTfromIFSJA/media/Kubota/Kubota%20blade%203.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[RandyT]

There should be a part number and maybe the name stamped into the blade. Getting that info will help identify the company that made them by part number. Maybe able to forward that info to the company with pictures to see what they say. Stens had a recall on blades a few years ago due to potential cracks forming, so maybe could be the same type of problem.

 

[HOOTSBX23]

They are Oregon Blades. Both sets. 396-612
Not sure why the pic didn't show.

 

[HOOTSBX23]

Just wanted to add that they were bought 1 year apart and from different suppliers as well.

I doubt they were the same batch.

I have another set coming in Friday from yet another supplier.

 

[RandyT]

I have emailed Oregon, with a link to this thread so lets see what they think.

 

[RandyT]

could you post a few more pictures of the blade and the crack from different angles. Also a picture of any numbers or letters stamped into the blade. Oregon maybe looking for more information concerning your blades.