Mower blades.....

Col555 · May 25, 2019

I happened to have a local contractor, an agricultural mechanic and a farming friend in the yard as I was servicing my mower ready for work. But I quickly became the butt of all jokes when I grabbed the mini grinder to put an edge back on the mower knives. They all
thought it was the absolute height to tight arseness. When replacement knives cost £’s

Even as they mocked my money saving practice, I tried justifying it by asking if they get a new penknife, lawnmower, axe, etc every time it goes blunt or do they sharpen them? And I almost had them cornered when I asked them name a knife that isn’t meant to be sharperned....they only came up with butter knives and Stanley knives, so they thought I maybe had a point...

I’ve sharpened mower blades for as long as I can remember if the tip/ edge has gone dull, I’ll maybe do it twice before turning them, so maybe get another 400ac from each side.

Should say that ours aren’t quick release knives so this maybe ushers me towards sharpening rather than replace

In summary......I want to know if i’m the ultimate tight arse and the only person to do this?

wr. · May 25, 2019

Good on you. My father said that more goes out on a tea spoon than on a shovel.

robo · May 25, 2019

Col555 said:
I happened to have a local contractor, an agricultural mechanic and a farming friend in the yard as I was servicing my mower ready for work. But I quickly became the butt of all jokes when I grabbed the mini grinder to put an edge back on the mower knives. They both thought it was the absolute height to tight arseness. When replacement knives cost £’s

Even as they mocked my money saving practice, I tried justifying it by asking if they get a new penknife, lawnmower, axe, etc every time it goes blunt or do they sharpen them? And I almost had them cornered when I asked them name a knife that isn’t meant to be sharperned....they only came up with butter knives and Stanley knives, so they thought I maybe had a point...

I’ve sharpened mower blades for as long as I can remember if the tip/ edge has gone dull, I’ll maybe do it twice before turning them, so maybe get another 400ac from each side.

Should say that ours aren’t quick release knives so this maybe ushers me towards sharpening rather than replace

In summary......I want to know if i’m the ultimate right arse and the only person to do this?

allways sharpen ours have done for years unless badly damaged

Cmoran · May 25, 2019

I hired a guy to mow a customers silage about 17years ago and he done the same as you sharpening them instead of changing them it looked like we pulled it by hand instead of cut it!!! Needless to say I never had that customer or mower guy again!!!

Recoil · May 25, 2019

I usually just swap them around or fit new ones, but might try sharpening them. Times are hard.

peewit · May 25, 2019

Yes of course you can sharpen them but we think that they don't cut quite as well when the corners have rounded and may take a little more power to drive.

mf7480 · May 25, 2019

I don’t understand the need? I don’t replace them when they’re blunt- I replace them when they’re worn out, as in they’re rounded on the end rather than a decent corner. No amount of sharpening will bring that corner back?

Besides that a full set of blades are less than a tenner. And you get two cutting edges for that. So less than £5 per cutting edge. Or about 1p/ acre! I don’t think I could be bothered to even get the grinder out [emoji23]

I should say that’s on quick fit knives- i acknowledge what you’re saying in that it’s a bit of a nuisance changing bolt on- especially in the middle of cutting.

The quick fit are excellent- change the set in 5 minutes in the middle of the field.

multi power · May 25, 2019

The thing that shocks me the most is the idea of not sharpening Stanley knife blades !

Sharpy · May 25, 2019

Mower handbooks say to turn the blades when rounded, but keeping them sharp has to cut better, use less fuel, and cause less stress on the drivetrain. So no, you are sensible, not tight.

john432 · May 25, 2019

Sharpy said:
Mower handbooks say to turn the blades when rounded, but keeping them sharp has to cut better, use less fuel, and cause less stress on the drivetrain. So no, you are sensible, not tight.

Plus you could add ,the faster regrowth that occurs due to being cut clean and sharp.

dowcow · May 25, 2019

Anyone who doesn't give their blades a whizz over with the flap disc must be using someone elses diesel. It's just a daily maintenance task and I know most people round here do it. Certain types of grass it can be worthwhile sharpening half way through the day too. Needs to be gone gently though as if you heat the blade up it will ruin the temper of the metal and won't keep its edge.

FarmerFrank88 · May 26, 2019

You have to be careful when sharpening them as if you get them too hot they go soft and will go blunt after about 10 acres and then cut worse than ever

Hesstondriver · May 26, 2019

multi power said:
The thing that shocks me the most is the idea of not sharpening Stanley knife blades !

I’m glad I’m not the only one (who sharpens them)

Hesstondriver · May 26, 2019

dowcow said:
Anyone who doesn't give their blades a whizz over with the flap disc must be using someone elses diesel. It's just a daily maintenance task and I know most people round here do it. Certain types of grass it can be worthwhile sharpening half way through the day too. Needs to be gone gently though as if you heat the blade up it will ruin the temper of the metal and won't keep its edge.

I might use this as justification for a cordless angle grinder

sawdust · May 26, 2019

Mind your thumbs...

I remember doing the opposite side once , (IE holding the blade out with right hand and grinding with the left hand) and with the sparks bouncing off my hand, thinking the sparks on this one seem hellish hotter than the others, only to realise when done I had a 3mm deep grove up the whole back of my right hand thumb.

benferg · May 26, 2019

A pair of lockable vice grips to hold the knife when sharpening.

Sadly ours often get broken before they need sharpening....

Over in nz a decent mower blade will be $2 each. Nothing wrong with sharpening.

Andrew · May 26, 2019

Last lot of blades I brought were something like £1.05 per blade. I carry a cordless grinder when mowing, quick whizz over a couple of times a day or when you hit a stone and they last a lot longer. So yes, you’re sensible. Or I’m tight too.

puppet · May 26, 2019

I put an edge on them as likely to blunt or bend one on a rock long before they were out. Before we got a digger in we used to go through a blade an acre, with my flat dairy neighbour using a set per season. Our fields had a small forest of stakes marking all the rocks. Of course wind and long grass knocked some over after rolling

Dman2 · May 26, 2019

I put them all on backwards once
Believe me I also ended up the butt of all jokes

Not do that again

robo · May 26, 2019

Hesstondriver said:
I might use this as justification for a cordless angle grinder

bought one the other day.... now you will think i am really tight .........came from ALDI

Mower blades.....

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