Do rotary cutter blades need sharpening?

[Bob77064]

Do the blades on a rotary cutter ( bush hog ) need to be sharpened?

 

[Jerry/MT]

Do the blades on a rotary cutter ( bush hog ) need to be sharpened?

Yes but not like lawn mower blades. Most OEM's recommend a rather blunt 1/8" radius on the leading edge of the blade tip. If they are ground too sharp, the blade tends to tear when it hits a rock the the resulting crack can lead to a blade failure which will be uncontained by the mower housing. If they are really dinged up they should be replaced.

 

[Bob77064]

Thank you for your help. So far after breaking two shear bolts they still look good.