Can you sharpen blades while still on mower? The short answer is YES. Though I must warn you – it’s not the most convenient and effective way to sharpen a lawn mower blade.
But you can get the job done if you know how to sharpen lawn mower blades without removing. And you are in the right to learn all about lawn mower blade sharpening.
How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades?
Many people don’t know how to remove the mower blade from the machine. That’s why they can’t sharpen the blade frequently and then they take help from experts. It costs them a lot!
But if you know the right method of lawn mower blade sharpening, then it will be very much helpful for you to do it like a pro. It can save you time and money as well.
When you need to make your garden or lawn more beautiful, your loan mower machine needs well-sharpened blades. Not all shapes of the blades are good for mower machines, but 21 Inch Mulching Blade can fit most of the brand’s mower machine. It is a standard size of the blade that can easily fit on your mowers.
We have the guide below about it. If you follow the methods clearly then you will get the sharpened blade as well as a beautiful lawn or garden.
What Do You Need To Sharpen Blade On Lawn Mower?
Before sharpening the mower blade you need some tools below:
- At first, you need a grinder
- Safety gloves
- Safety goggles
- Steel or wire brush
- Two woodblocks that minimum of 13” to 20.”
There are mainly two steps you need to follow to sharpen lawn mower blades without removing. These are below:
Step 1: Prepare Yourself To Sharpen The Blade
Taking preparation to sharpen the blades without removing is the same as when you prepare to sharpen the blade by removing them. Those are common ways to maintain the mower and mower blade.
If you don’t follow the steps carefully and don’t take any self-protection gear such as gloves and goggles then you may face potential danger. To make sure the blade is sharpened correctly you should follow the steps carefully.
These types of equipment are essential to ensure your safety. So, assemble all of those safety tools first before your start sharpening the lawnmower blades:
- Disconnect the power from your lawn mower: If you want to sharpen lawn mower blades without removing then at first ensure that all power sources are disconnect from the mower. It will protect you from any type of accident. Unplug the power cable and confirm it.
- Place the lawn mower upside down: After disconnect, the power source place it upside down. Now you can see the mower carburetor. Now place something below the engine or motor, it will increase the stability and eliminate the movement of the mower when you start to sharpen the blade. It is very much important when you are trying to sharpen the blade without removing it from the mower.
Step 2: Start To Sharpen The Blade
The above steps on how to sharpen lawn mower blades without removing are the same when you normally try to sharpen the blades by removing it. But you have to make sure that you are following the below mentioned steps accordingly. Because those steps are slightly different.
- Block the blade and secure it: A lawn mower blade is very sharp, it can cut your finger. So, make sure that the blade is secure. You can use something to block or stable it. It will prevent the movement of the blade while you sharpen it by grinding. You can use a small wedge below the blade that is not more than 2X4.
- Wash the blade completely: Clean the mower blade clearly and remove the grass, rust, and other debris. Then you will get the proper access of your blade cutting edge.
- Finally, sharpen the blade by grinder: After complete the all steps now you can start to sharpen the blade but it will be a very challenging task to sharpen the blade by hand grinder without removing it. You should be careful while you doing it.
Otherwise, the grinder may damage your blades or surface of the mower. Whatever, if you follow all of those steps carefully and accordingly then you will be able to sharpen the mower blade without removing it.
Tips To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blade Without Removing It
However, if you follow those steps you can do sharpen your mower blade even for your riding lawnmowers too. But, this is not enough, you have to take more safety before you do it.
Here have some quick tips that will be very beneficial for you when you are trying to sharpen the mower blade without removing it.
- Empty The Gas Tank
You know that a mower contains a gas tank. So, when you start to sharpen the blade by grinder then it may create small pills of fire. Those pills of fire will be very dangerous if it contacts with the gas.
If accidentally the gas tank will leek then you may face a serious accidents. So, empty the gas tank before starting to sharpen the blade or sharpen the blade when the gas tank is empty.
- Check the blade before sharpen
You do not need to sharpen the blade frequently because the lawn mower blades are enough durable.
So, before start to sharpen it, you need to take a look and understand that, is the mower blade needs to sharpen.
If the blades are blunt then you can do sharpen but if the blade is not blunt, and look sharp then you do not need to sharpen them at that time. So, inspect the blade before you sharpen it.
- Replace the blade if need
When you using a blade for a long time then it may damage and may lose sharpness. Sometimes only sharpen the blade will not enough to recover the blades sharpness.
If you understand that then you should replace the blade. The 21 Inch Mulching Blade will be fitted perfectly to the most brand mower machine. It is durable and long-lasting.
- Use nicked blades
A nicked blades such as Maxpower or Oregon 21 Inch Mulching Blade are great to use in your mower machine.
Those blades are designed with nicked and that is very easy to sharpen with the grinder. We suggest using it if you want to get the best and effective result.
- Balance the blade correctly
After sharpening the blade, tighten the mower blade by the tool. Because the blade can face any hard surface when you cutting the grass. That may blunt the blade or damage.
As well as when you sharpen it with the grinder, it may lose the screw. So, make sure the blade is balanced correctly. After making sure it, you can now use it to cut the grass. This video will help you to understand as well:
How Many Hours Do Mower Blades Last?
A lawn can increase your home outside decoration. It can also express your personality. Without a lawn or garden, your home will look incomplete.
Having a beautiful lawn or garden is not enough, you need to maintain your garden. Otherwise, it will look like a shrub. To maintain your lawn or garden, the first thing you should be own is a quality lawnmower machine.
The lawn mower is a very important item for gardening. It is a grass cutting machine. It uses the mower blade to cut the grass. A mower blade comes with a different shape from other blades. Those blades cut the grass and store it inside the machine.
Sometimes, those blades may face many hard materials that hide inside the grass. It may damage the blade.
As well as after a long time use those blades may reduce the sharpness. That’s why it is very important to take care of the mower blade a minimum of one time each year.
Everything has a lifetime. A lawn mower blade can last more than 25 – 30 hours after sharpening if you use it carefully. However, if you want to know the overall lifetime then you should remember it, a normal quality mulching blade can last at least 100-200 hours.
But there also some durable and high-quality options are available on the market that can be last at least more than 400 hours.
Those lifetimes will depend on its uses. If you use it without taking proper care then you may not get the limit of effective use. Avoid the stones and sticks, it can reduce the lifetime of the blade or instantly damage the blade. A nicked blade such as Maxpower 21 Inch Mulching Blade can do a great job in that situation.
Final Words
You may ask the question, can I sharpen the blades without removing? How can I do it? While it is not a very effective and popular way to sharpen the blade but you can do it and it is useful.
You may not get the proper sharpness but you can carry on your cutting job. While it is not so effective but it is very easy to do.
After reading all of that information, you already understood how to sharpen lawn mower blades without removing. It is a very easy process but you should be careful always and do not forget to take the safety before doing it.
Our article will help you and make you able to sharpen the mower blade without removing it. But before purchase a mower blade you must need to choose the durable one. Now, watch the video to get rid of some of your confusion.
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