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.