Mower blade sharpener

[GeneV]

Don't consider the HF saw chain sharpener to be an accurate tool plus the non standard wheel diameter precludes the use of CBN wheels which is all I use. When grinding chain, consistent grinding between left and right hand cutters is paramount and the plastic HF grinder is incapable of doing that.

It's cheap compared to say an Oregon (Tecomec) chain grinder but like everything in life, you get what you pay for.

I dunno how much more accurate it's could be, but it works just fine, been using it for years.

 

[LD1]

Angle grinder and flapper is hands down the fastest

My buddy's landscaping company has a couple of the $1000+ blade sharpeners. That's basically a bench grinder but mounted so you heep blade angle. They are SLOW. They just don't remove material very fast. No where close to a flap disc on a grinder

That dude on YouTube that is always doing in-depth comparisons of literally everything garage related...(project farm I think is his YouTube name)....did one on blade sharpeners. Worth watching

The fastest ones were the "jigs" that use an angle grinder. But for me.....who is used to metalworking....I don't need a jig to maintain an angle and sharpen a mower blade....lol. It would take more time to set the dang thing up vs just clamping it in the vise and being done in just a few min for all 3 blades.

It actually takes far longer to R&R the blades than to sharpen them.

And I don't get super critical with balance either. Sure the little cone things dona good job.....but hanging them on a nail and making sure they are close (within reason) is good enough for me.

And it's good enough for the mowers I service for my buddy's landscape company. 2500+ hours on spindles is a good testament to that. Heck there is one mower pushing 3500 hrs that still has 2 outta the 3 original spindles.

 

[5030]

I dunno how much more accurate it's could be, but it works just fine, been using it for years.

I do because I had one and gave it away. Plastic flexes, metal don't. With the HF econo grinder, it impossible to maintain a consistent grind on the left side cutters and right side cutters equal. Easy to tell too... Cut a slice of a log and watch the chain not cut straight. If the left and right side cutters are not equal, the chain will never cut straight plus the HF grinder takes an odd sized grinding wheel and I run Diamond Wheels, CBN wheels exclusively.

It works for the occasional use homeowner but not for me. I grind chains for my arborist customers as well as myself. When a customer is paying for a grind, it had better cut straight and true, just like the chipper knives I sharpen.

 

[2manyrocks]

Lawn mowers have enough power that you can get by with a somewhat dull mower blade, but it's exhausting to use anything except a sharp chainsaw chain.

 

[5030]

Lawn mowers have enough power that you can get by with a somewhat dull mower blade, but it's exhausting to use anything except a sharp chainsaw chain.

Dull lawnmower blade is relative. A sharp lawnmower blade will always have a slightly blunt edge where as a saw chain must have a razor sharp cutting edge and the rakers set as well. rule of thumb for rakers are 0.20-0.30 below the leading edge of the tooth but it all depends on if the saw will pull a deep ground raker or not. Lowering the rakers requires mor power as they are lowered, which is why 0.020 is the accepted norm for a non ported off the shelf saw.

 

[tradosaurus]

I use to take my blades into be sharpen ($5 per blade) but now just buy two new sets of blades (6 total) and just change out every 6th mow. My blades get beat up hitting roots and small sticks. Not worth the hassle.

 

[GeneV]

I do because I had one and gave it away. Plastic flexes, metal don't. With the HF econo grinder, it impossible to maintain a consistent grind on the left side cutters and right side cutters equal. Easy to tell too... Cut a slice of a log and watch the chain not cut straight. If the left and right side cutters are not equal, the chain will never cut straight plus the HF grinder takes an odd sized grinding wheel and I run Diamond Wheels, CBN wheels exclusively.

It works for the occasional use homeowner but not for me. I grind chains for my arborist customers as well as myself. When a customer is paying for a grind, it had better cut straight and true, just like the chipper knives I sharpen.

Ok, we are talking Harbor freight here..."HF tool" and "commercial use" should generally never be used in the same sentence. With that said, this tool will sharpen a chainsaw chain just fine for the purposes a typical property owner would need a chainsaw for. That's why it's got >4k positive reviews. As for whether the chain strays somewhat from a precise cut, like I don't worry about that...I'm there to cut up a felled tree, not build a table.

I did find some tricks with using it though, like after advancing the chain to the next cutting tooth, I slightly pull back on the chain as it rests against backstop, before clamping it down and lowing the wheel. Flex shouldn't be an issue, the cutting wheel should just be kissing the tooth. If you're really having to crank down on it too the point that it's flexing, you're taking off too much metal.

And if taking off that much metal is what's needed to sharpen the chain, that chain should have been swapped before it got that dull. I got 2 chains, as soon as one starts cutting funky, it comes off and the fresh one goes on. It's bad practice to use a chain to the point that it's absolute toast.

Also, this tool obviously won't take down the rakers, so still got to file those down as a seperate step.