Do you find new blades on tractors need to be sharpened?

[Revelation]

It seems that over 8 people I have talked to with all different brands of mowers have found that they needed to sharpen the blades on the tractors. Is it too much to expect to have sharp blades when you buy a mower?

 

[natem]

As weird as it sounds, i am guilty of this. I always end up sharping brand new blades when I buy them, they seem dull out of the box.

 

[IXLR8]

I check balance and sharpness on all new blades... surprising how many need sharpening and balancing. I would say 90% of the new blades I have bought have benefited from sharpening, 30% needed balancing. I find I get pickier as I get older.

 

[Gravdigr]

The problem I find with new blades is the cutting edge is painted which rounds off the egde making it dull. I always sharpen new blades on the cemetery mowers.

 

[mscheer772]

Tighten after 10 hours of use.

Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[mudcat]

Must be something you do when you retire?

 

[ampsucker]

i always figured it was due to the litigious nature of society. coffee too hot? sue the seller. blades too sharp? sue the mower company. etc....

what? you mean if i run my finger over a cutting edge, it could actually cut me???? are you crazy? you made this thing too sharp for my stupid little brain to handle. where's my lawyer's number???

i find most knives out of the box could use a good honing, too.

amp

 

[bontai_Joe]

Nope, I don't sharpen them beyond the factory edge. I've found that a knife edge doesn't last more than a few minutes and if I hit twigs or the ocassional stone, a knife edge can actually roll over and be damaged more than if it was slightly dull. Yeah, I know there aren't supposed to be stones in the lawn, but in my neck of the woods, a new crop comes up every spring from ground frost pushing them around. Our soil is basically filler for the spaces between the rocks and stones.