Resharpen or Replace

[WM75Guy]

I use to love mowing until I bought a ZT. now it's more of a chore because I can't carry a beer with me.

No problem. Just tape over the openings to keep the dust out.

 

[JeepHead]

No problem. Just tape over the openings to keep the dust out.

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I honestly have considered this!!!

 

[Duds13]

I honestly have considered this!!!

You could also get a Camelback and just wear it on the front!

 

[Slomo928]

I’m in agreement. While my place is relatively small (1acre), I am mowing with the original blades on my 2013 Kubota BX25D. The blades are dressesed lightly with a flapper disc and sharpened with a file by hand. The edge comes out like a knife without removing too much material. Yes, it takes more time but I don’t mind for once a year. Certainly not a process for lawn service guys.

 

[MidwestMike]

I'm of the lawn care school that says "If it's green and the mower can cut it off, it's grass." Consequently, I have several different species of "grass" in my lawn, some even planted on purpose. When I mow, especially this time of year, it looks great when I'm done, but by the next day some species have grown faster than others, and it looks ragged.
I learned long ago that there are things that are a lot more important to me than a lawn that resembles artificial turf. So I sharpen my blades when I think they need it, or when I get the time, and do it with the bench grinder in my garage. I eyeball the angle, check the balance with a cheap balancer I bought 30 years ago.
It's lots easier than sharpening the sickle bar from my old hay mower was before I got an angle grinder. And the blades keep cutting the "grass" just fine.

My solution was to decide it's not a lawn, it's a meadow...

 

[Oaktree]

I'm of the lawn care school that says "If it's green and the mower can cut it off, it's grass." Consequently, I have several different species of "grass" in my lawn, some even planted on purpose. When I mow, especially this time of year, it looks great when I'm done, but by the next day some species have grown faster than others, and it looks ragged.
I learned long ago that there are things that are a lot more important to me than a lawn that resembles artificial turf.

Same here. Fortunately, the chief aesthetics officer is OK with that. Ours is what she refers to as "north country green", more or less as you described. Actually, most of it seems to grow at a fairly even rate, it doesn't get scraggly like some do.

 

[RjCorazza]

I love to mow and find it to be therapeutic. Also drives me nuts to see beautiful homes with sh*tty lawns full of weeds and a foot high. That's just me though!

Same here... This thread is a prime example of how "we are many, and varied". To each his own!
I occasionally cut some wild patterns in my lawn which gives the neighbors something to talk about.

 

[tomkatohio]

I use a jig to get a consistent edge using a 40 or 60g flap disk. Sharpening every 30-40 hours I can keep the tips square, and they get balanced each sharpening.
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I'm using some of those Gator blades on my smaller (42") riding mowers and love them. Unfortunately I can't find them for my larger Woods decks. For the Gator-type blades, are you sharpening the edges of "lifting cuts" on the trailing edge of the blade? If so please provide more details. Thanks!

 

[RjCorazza]

I'm using some of those Gator blades on my smaller (42") riding mowers and love them. Unfortunately I can't find them for my larger Woods decks. For the Gator-type blades, are you sharpening the edges of "lifting cuts" on the trailing edge of the blade? If so please provide more details. Thanks!

I don't sharpen the mulching wings. In my soil type (no sand) the lift wings see little, to no wear.

 

[careyo63]

The frontier mower I use high lift blades. Mowing season 3 acres. Sharpening the blade itself isn't what wears the most for me it's the bent Vert. lift that goes. The lift wear starts showing and Blade cutting trip won't last long after words. 2nd. set of Agri Supply on it now and the wear has seemed to be noticeably better. Maint. just under it a few Wks. back. Looking like 3 Yrs. before replacement last time.

 

[5030]

I use the Agri-Supply replacement blades as well. They offer a quantity discount on them and I take advantage of that plus I have an ag exemption on file with them so no tax levied. I buy a lot of farm related stuff from them, not just blades and I have the same issue as you do. Not the cutting edge that wears out, it's the rear kick up that wears away and because the blades are heat treated and tempered, I'd never consider welding on them. To me, that sounds like a bad accident waiting to happen. Actually had to fabricate and replace the underside baffles on the mower decks in th past because our sandy soil wears them away as well.

 

[5030]

Sandy loam has very distinct disadvantages when mowing grass. Continuous sandblast under the mowing deck. Also why I prefer a fabricated deck over the stamped steel decks. While I've never wore a hole in a deck, I know someone who has worn a hole in a stamped deck from mowing grass on sandy loam.

 

[5030]

Been thinking as of late, about just contracting with a lawn service and have them do the mowing. Problem is, I have 3 rental properties plus the farm to mow. Bad enough I contract out the snow removal in the winter time. At my age, it's very tedious to remove snow from the driveway and cold as well. Much better to hire it out and let the contractor deal with it. Easier too.

 

[careyo63]

I was that guy. Paid good money to operate the JD. 5103. 35 Acres a widow owned. She paid me More than I would that's for sure, The Yanmar is my personal mower . Had it setup like this for 15+ yrs..

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[Davenj4f]

Yeah, I know, mower blades have been a frequent topic here but it's been awhile and I'm always interested in new opinions, products or ideas.

For many years, I resharpened my blades with varying degrees of success. Usually, I get two seasons out of a set of new blades before they need attention. After resharpening, I'm lucky to get a single season before the cut begins to look ragged. I use an angle grinder with a coarse wheel or flap disk, depending on how much material needs to be removed. I quench frequently to avoid overheating but the temper never seems to be as good as the original.

The biggest problem I have with resharpening is re blunting the blade ends after they round off. It usually means removing 1/4 to 1/2" to square it up. This can cause a balance issue and the vibration is quite noticeable on my 3 spindle, 3pt finish mower. For some reason, it wasn't a problem on my old 2 spindle mower. I try to balance the blades after sharpening but have limited success.

I've also found that high lift blades don't seem to last as long as low or medium lift. The high lift do a better job on wet or damp grass and are more resistant to bending when scalping. I usually mow the first time out with an old set of high lift to clear any obstacles before switching to low lift.

I've come to the conclusion that it's no longer worth my time to sharpen and balance 3 blades every year. I now just replace them every other season. Cost's just under $100 and well worth every penny.

Of course this is just my opinion, YMMV.

I'm just slowing down a 7 year mowing business. I usually keep 8-12 sets of blades on hand. I went to one of those gizmos that holds the 4.5" angle grinder at the angle I set it at. Use a 40 grit flapper disk. Love it. I change my blades every day, usually after 3-4 large yards. Sharp blades cut better and faster. And after one day doesn't take much to tweak them back into shape. Which includes balancing. You gotta balance, cuts down on vibration and wearing spindle bearing out. About the tip. It's gotta be as close to a right angle as you can make it, must be a point. I calculated (ex traffic accident investigator) that the mower moves about a hundredth of a foot from the time one end of the blade is at a point till the other end is at the same point. Meaning the tip of the blade cuts 99.9 percent of the grass initially. That's why the tips round off so fast.
That's my take and experience.

 

[5030]

Mine are a bit bigger than yours are but anymore, other than making hay, I don't relish mowing or snow removal. Have 2 mowers, a Kubota F series diesel front mount as well as a Cub ZTR and I'd just as soon leave them parked in the barn or sell them both and be done with it. I'm 74 and winding down anyway. Get no joy or satisfaction in mowing grass whatsoever. Actually, If I had a brain, I'd liquidate everything and take a long vacation in the Bahamas.

 

[5030]

I probably have at least 200 grand in paid for equipment all in. That is a heck of a vacation in my book and my tractors are both pre 4 large units and I bet I can get almost as much selling them as I paod new for them. Things to ponder, let alone 3 paid for rental properties as well.

If I sold out, I could very well become a fat cat and travel the world and see stuff I have dreamed about as well. Wife is already financially set so she has no worries either. I also own and operate a machine and fabrication shop with employees and everything in the shop is also free and clear. In fact, neither of us owe on anything. I don't believe in buying on time, never have. I'm a cash person, always have been.

We each have ONE credit card and that gets paid in full every month. No romance to the finance in my opinion.

Been seriously comtemplating that actually. Probably don't have a lot of time left so might as well enjoy it...

 

[Rhorn4400]

I mulch leaves at the end of season and put a new set on for next year. I prefer the gator type blades for heavy wet grass

 

[5030]

Personal preference. In my situation, normal high lift blades work fine and I don't mulch leaves in the fall, I let the wind blow them away and forget about them...lol

 

[careyo63]

Use a blower in the Front Yrd.. Rear discharge is the Key. Couldn't give me a mower that wasn't RD. Mid mount lawn mower I can understand the side discharge. No choice!! FM on the JD. even RD.
Front yard and Field is my Profile Pic.. 8 wooded and what the 63 ford FEl. is used for. The old International BH. is plain Brutal.