How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade

To get that perfectly manicured lawn, your mower's blade needs to be sharp. Each time you cut your yard, your blade becomes slightly more dull. Eventually, you'll need to sharpen it. Fortunately, the process is fairly straightforward and only takes about an hour. Below we cover the various steps involved. If you have any questions or want to look at models for sale, visit Magnum Power. We proudly serve those in Clay County, Missouri near Kearney, Liberty, Gladstone, and Kansas City.

Take the Blade Off

Start by clearing yourself a safe area to work. Make sure you have enough space to move your arms enough to effectively sharpen the blade when you reach that step.

Once you position yourself in a good work area, your first step is to safely remove the blade from the lawn mower. This goes without saying, but turn the engine off first. You can even take the spark plug out to prevent any accidental start up. When you take the blade off, be sure to mark which side is the bottom with either a piece of tape or paint.

Your next step is to place the mower on its side with the carburetor facing up. Insert a 2X4 between the blade and the lawn mower deck's skirt. This helps the blade resist against the board when you remove the bolt. Now that everything is situated, unscrew the bolt with either a breaker bar or long handle wrench.

Inspect the Blade

As you use your lawn mower, the blade will endure some wear and tear. You will need to replace it eventually and now is a good time to see its status. If you have a new blade on hand, you can use it for easy comparison. Look over the blade and see whether the cutting edge is straight, the trailing edge thick, and if it’s free of dents. It's due for a replacement if you answered "no" to these questions.

Sharpen It

This process will work best with a blade that is at least ten inches. Start at the top side of the cutting edge and push down. It'll likely take twenty to thirty strokes to get it where you need it to be. Keep in mind that you don't want to do too many strokes. If you over sharpen it, it'll make your blade unbalanced and ineffective. Again, it helps to compare to a new blade so you know what level of sharpness to shoot for.

Balance It

You'll notice a decline in performance with an unbalanced blade. It'll vibrate and the shaft will get strained. To avoid these, you'll want to balance it out before you put it back in your lawn mower.

Place a nail in a board. Then put the blade on the nail by using the bolt hole. See if the blade slants to one side. If it does, file it down to get things even. Always file in small amounts because it's easy to over-correct. Sure, this process takes some time. But it's a crucial part of mower blade maintenance.

We hope you found this guide helpful! If you have any questions or want to look at lawn mowers for sale, visit Magnum Power. Our friendly staff is happy to answer any questions you have about this process or anything else related to lawn mowers. We also offer a parts replacement and service department if your equipment experiences issues. Whatever you need, we can help. We are located in Clay County, Missouri near Kearney, Liberty, Gladstone, and Kansas City. Stop by today!