Brush Hog Blade Sharpening

[kcflhrc]

Any tricks or tips on how to get the nicks and sharpen my brush hog blades a little? I know they aren't suppose to be sharp like a mower blade but I have a couple of good nicks in them from a little accident. I bought an angle grinder today at Harbor Freight and some grinding wheels. I figured that would be the best way. This is a Frontier RC 2060 5 foot cutter.

Thanks

 

[HEC]

When I sharpen mine with the angle grinder I just go over the nicks, not trying to take them out , it doesn't seem to hamper the cutting ability at all .

 

[kcflhrc]

When I sharpen mine with the angle grinder I just go over the nicks, not trying to take them out , it doesn't seem to hamper the cutting ability at all .

I appreciate the info. I will do just that, get the nicks out. I backed the cutter into a stump and that caused the rear of the cutter to get pushed into the blades. Made a **** of a racket. Thanks

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

For lawnmower blades, I like using a flap wheel on an angle grinder a lot more than a grinding disc.

Like this: Diablo 4-1/2 in. 60-Grit Steel Demon Grinding and Polishing Flap Disc with Type 29 Conical Design-DCX045060N01F - The Home Depot

 

[zombie]

Agreed. Damaged blade I hit with a flapper wheel and then draw file them to the edge I want.

 

[kcflhrc]

It's not a lawn mower blade

 

[zombie]

It's not a lawn mower blade

Still applies....

 

[LD1]

Dont file them. Waste of time. Ignore the Knicks. Flappers are better.

 

[Hiltz]

It's not a lawn mower blade

I agree with Kcf on this one. Years ago I bought a used bush hog, got it home, jacked it up to look at the blades. The guy I bought it from only cut grass and weeds with it so the blade had no nicks. The front edge was dull, rounded over maybe like 1/8th inch. I got out the grinder and sharpened it up real nice. After cutting one acre of sunflower seeds I took a look at the blades and they were dull and rounded over just like before, like I had never sharpened them. It's not a lawn mower blade.

 

[MortOz]

On this sort of grass slashing machine, it is the tip speed that does most of the cutting - the radius to the blade tip is quite large compared e.g. to a lawn mower, and at the operating rpm the tips are really whipping around. Grass, shrubs, small trees, etc don't stand a chance! If you get stuck into the blades with an angle grinder, you run a very real risk of overheating them and altering the design temper/hardness of the blades. Better to leave them alone, except to make sure that both blades are the same weight to ensure that the machine is balanced - one blade noticably different in weight from the other leads excess vibration and therefore extra load on parts like bearings and more wear and tear overall.
You will find that sharpening helps, but it isn't as critical as on a lawn mower. I have only sharpened my 6' slasher blades a couple of times in more than 20 years, and it has always cut effectively. Neater finish on "lawn" kinds of grass when sharp, would be the main observation I have made.

 

[kcflhrc]

Still applies....

Not at all, a lawn mower blade you want sharp. A Brush Hog blade you definitely don't want it sharp.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Not at all, a lawn mower blade you want sharp. A Brush Hog blade you definitely don't want it sharp.

There is nothing wrong with using a sharp blade on a bush hog IF all you cut is grass and weeds. It will lower the HP requirements needed when using a sharper blade and make a smoother looking cut on the grass.
Roadside cutters all have sharp blades so they get a better cut with less HP.

You only need the thick edge on the blade if you are cutting saplings so it shatters the tree stem rather than making a punji stick out of it. The thick edge also allows the blades to whack a rock or other large object away without significantly denting the cutting surface. Most folks use their bush hogs like a lawnmower AFTER the get their property under control. SO after whacking down all the underbrush on your property and your needs are just to maintain the grass and weed control, it is fine to sharpen up the bush hog blades a bit.

 

[kcflhrc]

There is nothing wrong with using a sharp blade on a bush hog IF all you cut is grass and weeds. It will lower the HP requirements needed when using a sharper blade and make a smoother looking cut on the grass.
Roadside cutters all have sharp blades so they get a better cut with less HP.

You only need the thick edge on the blade if you are cutting saplings so it shatters the tree stem rather than making a punji stick out of it. The thick edge also allows the blades to whack a rock or other large object away without significantly denting the cutting surface. Most folks use their bush hogs like a lawnmower AFTER the get their property under control. SO after whacking down all the underbrush on your property and your needs are just to maintain the grass and weed control, it is fine to sharpen up the bush hog blades a bit.

Never mind

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Never mind

??? I don't understand. You posted this:

Any tricks or tips on how to get the nicks and sharpen my brush hog blades a little? I know they aren't suppose to be sharp like a mower blade but I have a couple of good nicks in them from a little accident. I bought an angle grinder today at Harbor Freight and some grinding wheels. I figured that would be the best way. This is a Frontier RC 2060 5 foot cutter.

Thanks

Then I said that I use a flap disc for lawnmower blades. I know you were not talking about lawnmower blades, but my point was simply that a flap disc does a much better job (in my opinion) of sharpening a blade than a grinding disc. It doesn't matter what kind of blade. If it's a brush hog blade, you sharpen it less sharp. If it's a lawnmower blade, you sharpen it a little more (although you still don't want a knife edge on a lawnmower blade either).

Maybe I misunderstood. What type of advice were you looking for?

 

[zombie]

I'm not saying to knife edge it. By all means you could, but I don't on a hog. I draw file after a flapper wheel just cause it's easier to control. I can draw file the cutting edge back to whatever blunt edge thickness i want. Sometimes I can get carried away with sharpening things. Just sharing my method.

 

[100 td]

My method, each to their own. These are blades of a 50" toro zero turn. I know, different blades, different use, but some similar concepts, especially if you have cleared the lot and you are now back to wanting a reasonable finish with what you have.
When a blade wears, the front cutting edge wears away, which makes the rake on the blade steeper with wear. So when you sharpen the blade you need to remove the material from the back to put a proper angle back on the blade. When I sharpen my mower, I normally go a little past the first pic, but not as far as the second pic. You don't need a razor edge on the blade, but you do need a rake for it to cut nicely. I grind these on my 8" bench grinder, you grind "away" from the cutting face, meaning the sharp edge is against the wheel and the opposite edge of the blade is on the rest so you are removing material front to back. You can do the same with your brush hog blades, take the back away to make a decent angle and leave the cutting face.

 

[MMagis]

I know it’s been said over and over, but I’ll mention it again. Lawn mower blades and bushhog blades are not the same. And they should NOT be sharpened the same. People read these boards for advice, and they may think this is the right way to sharpen a bushhog blade. I’m sure it works fine is all you’re doing is mowing short grass, but most people use their bushhogs for what they are designed to do, mow brush. That last pic is far too sharp for a brushhog blade. Heck, the before pic is as sharp as mine ever are.

 

[kcflhrc]

I know it’s been said over and over, but I’ll mention it again. Lawn mower blades and bushhog blades are not the same. And they should NOT be sharpened the same. People read these boards for advice, and they may think this is the right way to sharpen a bushhog blade. I’m sure it works fine is all you’re doing is mowing short grass, but most people use their bushhogs for what they are designed to do, mow brush. That last pic is far too sharp for a brushhog blade. Heck, the before pic is as sharp as mine ever are.

Exactly, It's a bushhog not a mower. If I wanted a finish cut I would use my zero turn or buy a finish mower.

 

[LD1]

The tools used and methods to get the "knicks" out are the same. You just sharpen a mower blade to a finer edge. But the process is still the same.

I have 2 sets of blades for my hog. A sharp set for pasture clipping, and a blunt set if I know I am doing more "land clearing" type work which will have saplings and woody stuff.

 

[tcartwri]

The blades could have a square face and you would not see any difference in the cut.