Do You Balance Your Mower Blades

[90cummins]

Every time I sharpen I check balance.
First I clean (wire brush) One side of blade around Center hole then set the blade on the Phillips screw driver which is lying on a flat surface then slowly turn the screw driver back & forth rolling the blade past the center hole of the blade to find the heavy side and grind accordingly.
Takes only minutes.
I would like to add that it is especially important to check your blades for cracks if they are mulching blades.
These blades are prone to cracking in the root of the cutouts.
My property has obstacles that I hit on a regular basis and had one break on my Scag STHM.
I have about 4 sets and rotate them. After the blade broke I checked all of my mulching blades and found cracks in every one which were scrapped.
My advice is sharpen your blades and check them for cracks every time.
You may need to clean with a wire brush expose the crack but you may avoid a terrible accident.

90cummins

 

[DKCDKC]

I have done it with the cone and a nail. It isn't perfect but, if I don't feel the spindle vibrate, it's close enough. I replace blades on one old mower annually and the newer one every two years unless I hit something. By the way, rock gouges can also throw off balance so it pays to visually check them during the season.

 

[radios1]

one of the most important things to do is make a flat on the cutting edge about the thickness of 2 matchbook covers, this will make the blades last much longer!.. needing to grind much more from one side than the other is what makes balancing necessary!..

 

[Richard001]

one of the most important things to do is make a flat on the cutting edge about the thickness of 2 matchbook covers, this will make the blades last much longer!.. needing to grind much more from one side than the other is what makes balancing necessary!..

So if I understand you correctly, yous saying, don't sharpen the blades so they cut the grass, just make a blunt blade to beat the grass into submission.

Dull blades beat up the grass and will leave dead grass at the tip.

 

[radios1]

So if I understand you correctly, yous saying, don't sharpen the blades so they cut the grass, just make a blunt blade to beat the grass into submission.

Dull blades beat up the grass and will leave dead grass at the tip.

wrong!. look at a brand new blade, they have the small flat on them, and cut really well, and don't dull as fast as a sharpened blade with a sharp edge!.. seriously!.. they are NOT dull blades, which have a rounded edge!..

 

[pmsmechanic]

I never sharpen my blades to a sharp edge. If you leave a slight straight edge the edge lasts a lot longer. I don't need a perfect lawn. I just need something that will get the job done.

 

[BigBlue1]

I typically use a nail in the side of my workbench. I have the cone style balancer but also have the hole size issue. Reading this thread made me think of a possible solution for that... Find the ring that is almost right but too small and wrap tape around it until it is the right size for the blade hole. I don't think it is extremely critical to get them perfect. The nail method has worked for me for 30+ years on many different mowers.

Rob

 

[BigBlue1]

So if I understand you correctly, yous saying, don't sharpen the blades so they cut the grass, just make a blunt blade to beat the grass into submission.

Dull blades beat up the grass and will leave dead grass at the tip.

Blade manufacturers (like Oregon for the Gator blades) recommends a blade edge width that isn't knife sharp. I think it is 1/32" of a 'flat' for Gators. Not sure of the exact science behind it, but it is what it is. Obviously you can do things however works best for you. Not telling you you're doing it wrong.

Rob

 

[KennyG]

The guideline I have always seen is "butter knife" sharp. If you sharpen the blades razor sharp and cut for 15 minutes, they will be back to butter knife sharp, so you are wasting your time and metal getting them really sharp.

 

[Richard001]

Too bad the guys at This Old House don't know enough not to put a sharp edge on the blade.


YouTube

 

[3Ts]

I think you guys are mixing apples and oranges. The YouTube video addresses residential lots and their lawns. In the case of finish mowers for up around the house you'll have nice smooth ground with no hidden surprises in it and you'll want a nice clean cut so a sharp blade will be needed. However, for field work and cutting brush, pastures, etc where you'll encounter things other than grass blades, the butter knife sharp (although I've never heard the term before) is what you'll want.

Besides, you'll be very frustrated trying to keep a bush hog blade sharp.

 

[radios1]

Too bad the guys at This Old House don't know enough not to put a sharp edge on the blade.


YouTube

maybe they don't have expert proofreaders.. also, he's showing people how to get your fingers sucked into a grinder by wearing gloves!.:shocked: people, ignore this video, and use one from a blade manufacturer!. you don't wear gloves, and you put a flat edge on the cutting edge of the blade, just like as they come new!..

 

[Richard001]

I think you guys are mixing apples and oranges. The YouTube video addresses residential lots and their lawns. In the case of finish mowers for up around the house you'll have nice smooth ground with no hidden surprises in it and you'll want a nice clean cut so a sharp blade will be needed. However, for field work and cutting brush, pastures, etc where you'll encounter things other than grass blades, the butter knife sharp (although I've never heard the term before) is what you'll want.

Besides, you'll be very frustrated trying to keep a bush hog blade sharp.

I like this explanation.

Richard

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Yessir. I put one blade in the middle and one on either side!

No, seriously, I don't balance because I don't grind. I buy new factory blades and run them until they're worn, then replace.
But, if you sharpen blades, then I would recommend balancing. Unbalanced blades are hard on spindles.[/URL]

I need to sharpen my blades with every use. Anyway, a large screwdriver is a good static balancer. Blade straight up, end for end straight up, and the blade on the horizontal, and flipped horizontally. If that is good enough for wooden aircraft props, its good enough for my three-bladed mower.

This $12 balancer should work for the weird-sized hole for the OP (as well as everybody else, for that matter).

Anyway, here is how I do it.

 

[radios1]

I like this explanation.

Richard

but it's wrong though!. a sharp edge will go round in a few minutes, which is the worst thing you want, the small flat edge, like on a brand new blade, cuts perfectly, and lasts much longer than grinding to sharp, a lot of experience has proven this to me..

 

[90cummins]

It is much easier to sharpen a used blade sharp than square edge or what ever it is called. Blades do not wear evenly along the cutting edge.
The tip of the blade does the bulk of the cutting thus wears faster than the inside edge.
Thru use the blade edge is lost and it will become blunt.
I run double blades on my 22hp 61 Scag and it cuts much easier and mulches the grass better when (sharp).
As was mentioned earlier this is not a brush cutter which beats grass, shrubs, small trees and rocks into submission.
Has anyone done a side by side test comparing a knife sharp blade to the blunt edge or square face blade?
I could also see major liability if blades were knife sharp when delivered into the hands of the average consumer.
I will continue to rotate Sharp sets of blades 2 or 3 times during Summer To minimize the load on my engine and get s better cut with fine mulching.
90cummins

 

[radios1]

Has anyone done a side by side test comparing a knife sharp blade to the blunt edge or square face blade?

I have, the brand new blades that have the tiny square edge last longer than a blade made knife sharp!..

 

[Maxify55]

I have, the brand new blades that have the tiny square edge last longer than a blade made knife sharp!..

^^^^^^^^for grass up there maybe but not southern grasses.

It's just been my experience but you can cut your grass any way you'd like.

 

[Richard001]

I have, the brand new blades that have the tiny square edge last longer than a blade made knife sharp!..

I believe that the manufactures don't sharpen the blades because people will hurt themselves while picking thru the blades at the store or while installing them. Big liability issue for them and the distributors.

"OH I didn't know that this is sharp, you will be hearing from my attorney"

 

[BigBlue1]

I believe that the manufactures don't sharpen the blades because people will hurt themselves while picking thru the blades at the store or while installing them. Big liability issue for them and the distributors.

"OH I didn't know that this is sharp, you will be hearing from my attorney"

Doesn't make a lot of sense. Do they do that with kitchen knives or pocket knives? There are reasons for an edge that is not knife-sharp on a mower blade and liability is not it.