What are your thoughts on sharpening your brush hog blades. My property grows almost as many rocks as it does brush and grass. My blades over the past few years have taken a beating and I have to grind out some of the larger "nicks". In the past I took the blades off to do that and I have also left them on. Both ways have advantages and disadvantages. How do you sharpen yours?
Sharpening brush hog blades
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Tinhack
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I leave the nicks in and sharpen them too. 
No sense grinding off metal to remove the nicks. Too hard to get the blades the same weight for balance. My JD 420C has a boom. I just lift the cutter by the tail wheel and let it rest on the 3ph end. (Yes, I do keep the cable connected.) The blades are easy to get to then but the grinding has to be done on the deck side of the blades. That's usually not the problem with a 4 1/2" grinder. The problem is keeping the blades where I want them while sharpening. A couple of notched 2x4s works for me.
Oh, and whatever you do, don't sharpen them to a knife edge. A blunt edge is stronger and lasts longer.
No sense grinding off metal to remove the nicks. Too hard to get the blades the same weight for balance. My JD 420C has a boom. I just lift the cutter by the tail wheel and let it rest on the 3ph end. (Yes, I do keep the cable connected.) The blades are easy to get to then but the grinding has to be done on the deck side of the blades. That's usually not the problem with a 4 1/2" grinder. The problem is keeping the blades where I want them while sharpening. A couple of notched 2x4s works for me.Oh, and whatever you do, don't sharpen them to a knife edge. A blunt edge is stronger and lasts longer.
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Alan46
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I sharpen on the implement, raised up with support under the hog, other then that same as Tinhack ( previous post )
SARG
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Ditto on the technique on our Woods 6 footer.
It's amazing how fast a 40 or 60 grit flap disc on the 4 1/2" grinder removes material.
It's amazing how fast a 40 or 60 grit flap disc on the 4 1/2" grinder removes material.
By nicks I mean gouges from the rocks. I have the same issue of the blades moving when I leave them on. (6' brush hog). I just can never keep them in the right place to grind them.I leave the nicks in and sharpen them too.
Oh, and whatever you do, don't sharpen them to a knife edge. A blunt edge is stronger and lasts longer.
Alan46
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I cut a 2x4 long enough to use as a blade stop at the back of the hog with a slot, slip it on the back of the blade also I clamped the blade to the center piece. Hope that helps!
Slowpoke Slim
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I'm one that doesn't sharpen them on a brush hog. Nicks or no. I'm not after a "groomed" cut, just knocking down bulk grass, weeds and brush in a field. So "sharp" doesn't matter to me.
That is a good idea. I will try that
imho sharpening the knives attached is asking for trouble. don't care for a face full of grinder. block & impact wrench are my best friends. do it once or twice season w/ spare set on hand as well. grind away as you wish, regards
AndyMA
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I never sharpen my blades. 20 years on one unsharpened set. New Land Pride 3 years no sharpening.
The rocks do the sharpening
scootr
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Really? The rocks do the sharpening.
All cutting edges all need maintenance.
When I say sharpen, I mean grind the huge nicks out of the blades from the rocks. I leave a blunt edge.
John0829
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Years ago I worked with a guy who sharpened his blades using a cutting torch. He would skim the edge just enough to shave off the rounded part. Needless to say he had to replace the blades from time to time depending on how many times he "sharpened" the blades.
Never balanced them either, he didn't care, said it was a bush hog and they were suppose to run rough. I figured it was his money he could spend it how he wanted.
I on the other hand have always taken mine off to use an 8" angle grinder and balanced as best I could.
Never balanced them either, he didn't care, said it was a bush hog and they were suppose to run rough. I figured it was his money he could spend it how he wanted.
I on the other hand have always taken mine off to use an 8" angle grinder and balanced as best I could.
scott_vt
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Good Morning MGP4506,
I have an old Bush Hog Squealer SQ-60 that I pull behind my Massey MF1040. Once a season I touch up the blades with my Dewalt angle grinder in the raised position, safety glasses of course ! The blades are never what I would call sharp, just taking some of the nicks out ! Been doing this for 20 years, and it seems to work well. Those blades revolve so fast that it probably is ripping the grass and weeds out, and I get a pretty consistent cut that looks good to me!
I have an old Bush Hog Squealer SQ-60 that I pull behind my Massey MF1040. Once a season I touch up the blades with my Dewalt angle grinder in the raised position, safety glasses of course ! The blades are never what I would call sharp, just taking some of the nicks out ! Been doing this for 20 years, and it seems to work well. Those blades revolve so fast that it probably is ripping the grass and weeds out, and I get a pretty consistent cut that looks good to me!
