hope you ain't got bystanders when cutting grass, etc. ... them superhard blades lose an argument with a stubborn rock or steel rod and they is apt to be pieces of mower blades flying about like shrapnel... JMHO.
How Often do you shrapen your blades?
- Thread starter duckhunter27
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hope you ain't got bystanders when cutting grass, etc. ... them superhard blades lose an argument with a stubborn rock or steel rod and they is apt to be pieces of mower blades flying about like shrapnel... JMHO.
cqaigy2
Super Member
Seems he's just putting "hard surface" on them. The blade should still be as brittle or not as the original blade. 7018 isn't exactly a hard surfacing rod so it appears he's just putting metal on the cutting edge, then grinding that instead of the blade. Though i wonder about the heating effects on the blade body.
I'm no metallurgist, but have done enuff lab testing on mower blades to appreciate the strict engrg/safety specs involved relative to grain structure, hardness, ductilility, ad nauseum. The 90 degree bend test around a one inch dia rod w/o any cracks is tuff to meet all by itself.....
ShearHeadMS
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Main thing is, I make sure my yard doesn't have any steel rods or rocks in it, it works well for what I do, plus I don't run a small mower, 72" turf tiger
The kid
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Here's a picture of mine. Big difference in weight and thickness I'm sure.
Bob_Bainbridge
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What size deck are those from? I don't think they have quite as much lift as mine but definitely look more durable.
Bob B.
The kid
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They go on a mmz2554 54" cut. They are high lift. Very thick and heavy. They fit the 54 Tank and the 54" MTD Pro which are one of the same.
micman32
Gold Member
I have 2 sets so I usually sharpen both at least once a season. I still use the original set when I bought my Cub in 2003. I have a set of Hi-Lift blades and they work great with the triple bagger. Both set show no signs of cracks or broken off wings
LD1
Epic Contributor
I usually sharpen mine once at the beginning of the season.
But I am also using the gator G6 blades that have bits of sintered tungsten along the bottom of the cutting edge. So they dont dull very quickly. An I run over lots of dirt clods, mole hills, and sticks that I am too lazy to pick up. I also keep the trails in the woods mowed, so lots of twigs and sticks there too. All in all about 2 acres of mowing once a week.
But I am also using the gator G6 blades that have bits of sintered tungsten along the bottom of the cutting edge. So they dont dull very quickly. An I run over lots of dirt clods, mole hills, and sticks that I am too lazy to pick up. I also keep the trails in the woods mowed, so lots of twigs and sticks there too. All in all about 2 acres of mowing once a week.
OverKnight
New member
I probably have about four mulching blades for my 33" Snapper Yard Cruiser, so it's easy to keep at least one sharp and ready to be installed. I change the blade maybe three times a year. I put a non-mulching blade on in the fall (I have a few of them, too), which is better for picking up the leaves (which if mulched get carried in by the dogs...).
A sharp blade cuts better and puts less of a load on the mower itself. I thinks it's hard to not change them too often.
A sharp blade cuts better and puts less of a load on the mower itself. I thinks it's hard to not change them too often.
DeereMann
Platinum Member
I use a 60" MMM for finish mowing, so when I notice some strands remaining after mowing, it is time to sharpen. This is usually about once a month with app. 5 hours mowing per week. My turf is pretty thick, need to mow app. every 4 days or so.
Gary Fowler
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I run the same style blades and where the bend on the end starts (you can see the slight crease in the photo) is where they will wear down to nothing and then leave a V shape in the blade where the metal it missing. Eventually the whole lifting lip will wear away if you don't check them often. I have used some 6010 and 7018 to build up that wear area (where the crease is from the bending) if caught in time before it wears thru and no metal is left.
Gary Fowler
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First off, a lawnmower blade isn't super hard and I don't even think they are tempered much if any, they are too soft to have much temper in them. I took on off my BIL's mower that was bent like a pretzel after he hit a tree root. I took a hammer to it on my anvil and straightened it out good as new. The tip was worn off so he still had to get some new blades. For the quality of steel in todays mower blades, I cant see the price they charge for them being a fair price.
Fowler - if you would stop and think for a minnit, those blades you took off yer BIL's rig weren't "treated" with the E7018 welding rod embellishment, eh? No, they are normally supposed to bend/twist like that BEFORE fracturing to AVOID potential injury. sheesh...
LD1
Epic Contributor
I personally dont see any issues with laying down a bead of 7018 on a blade. a 7018 weld is pretty ductile. Not what I would call brittle and be worried about it flying off.
Besides, the only way a blade is going to get out from under a deck is the discharge chute. And I for one dont mow with the discharge blowing in any direction where someone can be hit. I'd be more worried about throwing a stone and injuring someone than breaking a blade on said stone.
Besides, the only way a blade is going to get out from under a deck is the discharge chute. And I for one dont mow with the discharge blowing in any direction where someone can be hit. I'd be more worried about throwing a stone and injuring someone than breaking a blade on said stone.
Gary Fowler
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SO RIGHT YOUR ARE LD1. Some folks have no idea what welding on mild steel does and make erroneous statements to the note of hardening, embrittlement etc. One rarely finds steel used in machinery that is anything other than A 36 grade low carbon mild steel those are easily welded on without damaging them or changing the properties either with stick, TIG, MIG or oxy-acetylene. Hard surfacing rods are very hard therefore brittle but they don't make the piece welded on brittle other that right on the weld area, 7018 is not a hard surface rod and as LD1 said it is very soft and ductile. I use it sometimes for base metal build up to add metal when something has worn down.
