Don’t Forget About The Blades!
We talked about the importance of oil changes, general tune-ups, etc. Now let’s talk about blades. Blades are the unsung heroes of a beautiful yard. And your engine and components will also thank you for having either sharpened blades or new blades installed. And depends on how much mowing you do, whether that means new blades once a season or, like myself and my neighbor, we put at least three sets of blades on our mowers due to the amount of mowing we do. Don’t get me wrong, blades can be expensive, and putting them on can be somewhat of a challenge if you do not have the proper tools, such as a mower lift, impact drivers, and torque wrenches.
How To Get Sharp Blades
And if you plan to sharpen your blades, you either have to have a benchtop grinder, handheld grinder, or a hand file aggressive enough to use on steel. Then getting the proper angle on the blade takes some practice. Another option is to take your blades to a professional; they have all the tools needed to give your blades new life at a fraction of the cost of buying new blades.
Importance of Sharp Blades
So why are sharp/new blades important? Well, the duller your blades get, they don’t perform at the optimal ability they should have. Like a kitchen knife that you try to use that is dull can be a real pain, unlike a sharp blade that is safer and cuts through things with ease. Your lawnmower blades are very similar. If they are dull, the grass will get torn off, not cut off, which will leave your yard looking brown and dismal. Also, a dull blade puts extra strain on your deck components, your bearings on your spindles will wear out faster, your belt will get heated and start to deteriorate and cause all kinds of havoc. Then the strain on your motor, its bearings, and other moving components can be attributed to dull blades.
So please take a close look at these unsung heroes hiding out underneath your mower deck and give them some TLC!
