Don't sharpen your lawn mower blades! Do this instead! 

My dad always taught me to have two blades. Swap out the dull with the sharp one, then you can sharpen the other at your leisure. No mower down time.

I use a 12" mill file to sharpen my blade. It takes about 10 strokes to sharpen each side of the blade. A decent file is under $10, and mine came with a lifetime exchange warranty. If you end up having a few rock chips in the blade a grinder might be a bit better, but using a flap disk is recommended over a hard grinding wheel. You can damage a blade VERY quickly with a standard wheel. I can have the blade off, sharpened, and back on before I could make it to a hardware store to buy a blade. My current blade is about 5 years old, and I sharpen it about twice per year. No matter how you end up with a sharp blade on your mower, your lawn, and your lawnmower will love you for it.

In all my years of mowing grass I've never replaced my blades always sharpened them. belt sander works great.

Cleaning the bottom of your mower is always a good thing to do!

I must be really old school. I use a large flat file to sharpen my blade. I've found over the years, that using a grinder seems to weaken the blade's edge causing it to chip faster and easier.

Don’t Chuck your old blade away, If you lack sharpening skills you can use your old blade to practice on, It will save you from fluking up your new one, Don’t forget to learn how to balance the blade after sharpening.

Please clean the bottom of your mower it helps keep a good vacuum. Once you clean it ceramic coat it and it will pretty much stay clean for you it won't allow the grass to stick to it so grass won't even bunch or clump as much

Raise the mower deck 2 clicks and avoid the rocks. Your lawn will be healthier too

Okay, in my entire 45 plus years, starting when I was a kid, mowing the lawn, not once, and I mean not once when I pulled the blade off to get it sharpened or sharpen it myself, did I ever torque the bolt back down. Never any problems. Mowers lasted years.

Great video. $40 corded angle grinder is probably one of the most versatile tools out there.

New blades are usually not very sharp out of the box, if you sharpen it with a grinder and a 120 grit flap disc you can grind out the chips unless they are really bad. Put a nail in the wall to use as a rudimentary balancer so you can check how much material you have removed from each side and you should be fine. Or take it to your local garden machinery shop, we charge £13 to sharpen and balance a blade. We torque them up to 45nm when refitting them to the machine ✌️

Thanks for the content YB. I trashed my og blade b4 taking the plunge into lawncare... Bought new- and did the Harbor Freight route for sharpening. $19.99 for the angle grinder- and $4.99 for the flap disks. My lawn looks TIGHT AF!!! ❤

100% agree. Maybe keep one old blade and sharpen it with a hand file. I did that for years. If it needs more metal removed than you want to do with a hand file…it probably needs to be replaced anyway.

It's always great to have a few blades laying around. I like to mulch up my leaves in the fall with a beat up blade... Then use my good blade for normal mowings.

You can always just buy the lawnmower blade sharpening stone that you just pop in your drill and you can sharpen the blades while they’re still on the mower

Key thing to remember when grinding your blade to sharpen it, is do both sides evenly and balance the blade. This is easy to detect too. Put the blade down with a round pencil or something (a round dowel or pipe will do too) dead center of the blade and make sure it doesn't fall to one side and kind of floats on the pencil, while resting on a flat surface, like a table, the floor etc. If it falls on one side, grind a little more on that heavy side. Only do a few strokes at a time if unbalanced and recheck, because sometimes you only need to remove a little material to get it back balanced . And you don't want to overdo it and send the blade unbalanced the opposite way. This will help your motor bearings in the long run, because an unbalanced blade spinning at high speed like that will vibrate the mower and ruin the bearings.

$10 file...... $5.99 blade balancer......

Yeah, I bought the $15 HF Angle Grinder, which crapped out after a few sharpings. I then purchased a corded PORTER-CABLE Angle Grinder at Lowes for $40. I use this mainly for a 52" zero turn and sharpen my it's 3 blades a few times a year. This is also used infrequently for shovels, etc. BTW I'm using a flap disk on the angle grinder.

Yardbrah, WD40 is not a lubricant. Consider lithium grease instead.

The first angle grinder I bought was a cheap HF grinder. It got a lot of use over a couple of years. We run Dewalt angle grinders now that we do a lot of metal work. I only replace blades when they get bent and hardly ever sharpen them.. When ever I install a sharp blade, I wrap one end of the blade with a heavy shop rag and hold on to it and stay away from the other sharp end of the blade. That way you have positive control of the blade and don't have to worry about the block falling out and the blade flipping around due to the compression of the engine.

I use an impact. But I’ve been using one since 16. If you are new at it, use a torque bar. Or use the drill impact. It has less force than an air or big battery impact.

I have 2 angle plug in 10,000 rpm grinders...first one i bought from hdepot a makita for $85 40 years ago...still works amazing, the second one i bought 8 years ago from hf for $15 or 20...amazing also...i have grinding and metal and concrete cut cutting blades...i can't tell you all the jobs and projects i have used these tools on...

Agreed, replacing is a good solution versus sending out to be sharpened. Got an Ego mower from someone used and the blade was totally rock chipped. Bought a $20 grinder at Walmart and the thing now cuts through light brush like butter. I will buy a new blade soon but they were special order and $35 - $45 so this was a good option. Wear gloves when you remove the blade!

Yup, I just bought a replacement blade last week cos getting the thing sharpened was more expensive. Another tip - keep the underside of the mower deck clean

I use the drill stone to grind out chips but sharpen with file($8). Be sure to balance but I get good service with sharpening(I also mow 3.5-4 inches tall.) But your right. For most homeowners new will save time(and bearings) and expensive tools. Good common sense video. Thanks.

Im glad you pointed out once you replace it you could then maintain the edge, a regular hand file works just as well as a grinder, actually more accurate... And like you said... Harbor Freight...

As soon as I opened the vid and saw your outfit I got strong Alan from The Hangover vibes. All that was missing was a baby. Always enjoy the content!

Would have liked to see how "sharp" that new blade was. Because they're NEVER as sharp as they should be.

Thanks for taking the time to post your info. I used to sharpen my own blades, but this spring, another lawn care specialist like your self, GCI Turf, started an online blade sharpening service. I bought 2 sets of blades for my toro timemaster off of Amazon, shipped them to him, he sharpened them, and shipped them back. My plan is to use one set for a few months and then switch them out for the other sharpened blades. I then will send the used set in to him to be sharpened. These blades come back razor sharp. Just a thought. Good job!

I have a riding mower with a 46” cut. Uses 2 blades and I keep it razor sharp with a dremel tool. It only takes about 10 minutes per blade. While I have the blades off, I clean the mower deck under side and put a couple coats of paint on it to keep it free from rust because wet grass on a bare metal surface can rust through in just a few cutting seasons. Also when sharpening the blades, make sure the blade is balanced so that it doesn’t cause excessive vibrations which will result in damage and possibly having the blades vibrating loose and causing damage or injury.

I have nine blades for my mower; and I’ve been sharpening them since 2020. There in very rough shape now. I just bought six more blades for thirteen dollars each at Outdoor Power Equipment. So these three blades on the sixty-one inch deck will need sharpening in three weeks. Sharpen them with Mill Bastard files until they’re too far gone. And yes; then just replace them.

My new blade cost $21 + free shipping and got it 2 days later. BRILLIANT!

Sounds reasonable. I bought a used self propelled Honda Commercial Micro-Cut Mulching Mower with two blades on it. Called around town to see who sharpens them. None can as they cannot balance these blades. They do not have a central hub, but have two bolt holes that attach to the clutch assembly. And no place here carries these mulching blades. As for mower maintenance, none will touch an older mower. Oh, and none here will work on any Sears equipment either. It still runs great.

I’m a tool maker by trade , I sharpen and check the balance on mine a few times a season and it have a the exact angle with a nice finish, I always keep a spare so I can swap it out, then I’m not in a hurry

I have 4 mowers I rotate, I sharpen each of them every 7 or 8 cuts. I use a bench grinder ,works great

I stick with regular maintenance with my blade. If you mow a lot, is best to invest in tools to sharpen. I do mine every 5 mows. And by the way, slot of this blade don't come sharpen already. Only some of them

Brand new (unless boxed or wrapped) blades are DULL hanging there on the hook at the store for liability reasons. Beginners just buy the $15 HF angle grinder, then ditch the wheel it comes with for a $7.75 (my city) Rapidgrind* ceramic hybrid grinding disc. In almost 40 years, the best disc I'd ever ran across for doing mower blades. Literally cuts grinding time probably 60+% quicker and runs cool. Then buy an inexpensive $8 'cone' type balancer, and for slightly more then the price of one brand new 'dull' blade from the store, your set up to sharpen. Skip the torque wrench cost for doing the blade bolt, unless your doing an engine overhaul too, and just muscle the blade tight like you would lug nuts on steel wheels. Or spend your torque wrench money on a corded 1/2" impact at HF when they're sale for $39.99. Now you just spent your torque wrench money for a tool with much usability. But merely giving newbie advice for the upstart wanting to do some DYI. Cheers.....

$30 4 inch angle grinder works very well for sharpening lawn mower blades, takes like 5 to 10 minutes

There are several advantages to what you are saying about just replace and do not sharpen. No need for a tool or storage. No worries about sharpening or balancing. If you have bring the blade to a shop to sharpen you will have to make 2 trips, 1 to drop off anthoer to pick up. If you do not have a dual blade lawnmower or angle grinder, and have a lawn 1/4 of an acre or less buy a blade once a year. I have a dual blade tractor, angle grinder, hoist. I sharpen my blades every 4th mow. It just makes more sense for me. To others, depending on their situation, blade replacement may prove to be a more viable option.

lmao...I appreciate the smile this vid gave me. I was waiting for some new revolutionary method and my man says...buy a new one lol. I happen to have a bench grinder in the shop so it's what I use but for those who don't have a grinder of any kind, it's great advice to keep from spending the same money on someone sharpening a used blade.

Living in NW Arkansas I have been plagued with an armadillo problem. They sneak onto the property and in a search for food dig up fist size rocks, I guess in a effort to help the lawnmower service companies and box stores sales. I can't mow my lawn without dinging up my blade every mowing. After the initial cost of a grinder and disk for it the resharpening of the blade is quick and easy. A blade balance checker is a cheap investment also, however a nail or screw driven into the edge of your workbench can also be used to balance your blade for round holed blades. Of the dozens of times I have awakened to pop an armadillo after dark, I have only been sucessful one time even seeing one. Fortunately I was able to get back to sleep after the adrenalin rush after a few hours. Happy mowing.

Nicely put. That blade was spent. As far as your grinder review, I'll add this lesson (from Dad, of course). Buy a 2nd blade to swap them out and swap them out regularly. Just sharpen the dull blade using a metal file (Yup, a file. 40+ years later, I still have the file he gave me that day). Check the balance of the blade (mower will shake if blade is unbalanced. Been there. Done that.) using either a nail in the wall with a level line marked on the wall OR just use the $1 level tool. Lawnmower blades are not rocket science! Also, I replaced the block of wood with an Arnold blade tool. Very easy, inexpensive and works great!

This is the first time that I have visited you on RU-vid. Your lawn is beautiful. Your suggestion of getting a new blade when the old blade is chipped and dull is excellent and helpful for those who do not have the tools to properly resharpen the blade. I am thankful that I will be able to visit your web site often, Thanks for the suggestion.

When I got my Zero Turn mower I purchased an extra blade. I already had the HF grinder and when the original blade gets dull I replace it with the new one I bought. I then am ready to mow as soon as the blade is replaced. When I get done mowing I sharpen the dull blade and it's ready for the next switch. Been doing it for a few years. After a few seasons of sharpening I replace the original blade with a new one. Throw the original away and I'm good to go.

2nd video into your channel. Love it. I'm a new homeowner and have been fixing up the terrible yard that was here. Been planting grass trying to make it look good. I planted some in late May, wish me luck.

Wow, amazing timing. I literally just sat down after using the Arnold blade sharpening tool from HD, unbelievable. My blade is serviceable so, I just sharpen once a year. 😂😵‍💫🤪

Sharp blades = Happy Grass 😂

I sharpen the blade of my mower entirely differently. First, I peen the edge of the blade on an anvil with a peening hammer to thin the blade and cold work the steel. Then I use two grits of whetstone to hone the blade. The last step is to strop the blade with an aluminum rod. You might be scratching your head, but when I tell you that my mower is a scythe and the blade is honed to be as sharp as a razor it may make some sense. Honestly, my Austrian style scythe from Scythe Supply in Maine made me enjoy cutting the lawn again.

WD40 is a solvent, it has no lubing properties to it. But, it is a great recipe to degrease a part, just saying.

I just bought a Makita corded angle grinder at DEPOT for $ 99.00 .It came with 2 grinding wheels, 1 forgrinding 1 for cut offs . So 2 lawnmowers with 2 blades each .4 blades = $ 80.00 So grinder for grinding or cutting steel was $20.00 more ! No brainer.

Hey the lawn sharpening tool you showed works well for me. I mount it on my Ryobi drill. Sharpens my mower blade, scissors and even my fiskars shrub shears.

I purchased the harbor freight grinder and disk last year it definitely gets the job done. I refuse to pay someone to do it. Most blades dont come really sharp so i like to hit the new blade with the grinder.

Did the same last year. When I realised how cheap new blades were I bought two.

Not to mention, you would have to balance the blade after each sharpening, to protect shaft bearings.

So true. I buy on sale, get a couple and I'm good. Easy and cheap.

I have a riding lawn mower with 3 blades. Definitely need a grinder and a second set of blades for switch off. It might cost more than you would like tp begin with but long run, saves you lots of money

To each their own man. I DO agree, swapping out the old blades for new blades beats the task of taking them to a shop to be sharpened, waiting a week or two (I've never waited more than 20 minutes) and get charged $20 for a $20 blade brand new. So if you fall into that category - yeah... just replace them. For ME... I picked up a $60 grinder and practiced on old blades (like another viewer stated) until I got the feel of it, and could mimic the angle of the factory angles to the best of my ability. Just make sure you have a way to check your blades balance - as putting an unbalanced blade on your mower can cause havoc down the road. $60 grinder and you can extend your $20 blade 8 to 10x ($150 - $200) Or spend the money on new ones. Again, it's up to the owners discretion.. but it seems counter productive to toss out blades or deem them worthless after 20 - 30 hours of cutting.

Metabo corded at Lowes with several discs $40. That said…I sharpen my new blades with the drill attachment/stone. It’s good for fast touch ups.

If I had bought new blades every time they got dull, I’d have spent a fortune. Sure I have at least two sets, but I sharpen and balance my own. It’s not rocket science.

lol , I love it “how we gonna sharpen this, we’re gonna use a debit card…..and BUY ONE !!! absolutely brah, makes perfect sense! Great vid!

Don't by a new blade just sharpin.

Or learn to sharpen the blades and don’t spend money on new blades all the time. Plus new blades don’t come sharp they come dull.

Hey yardbrah, i am a millwright by trade and in terms of torqueing bolts you dont want to "over torque" to be safe. I know its only a couple extra ft-lbs but its still over torqued. also you only want to click the wrench one time, every click after the first has a potential to over torque. This matters more when im torqueing robots down to 1500 ftlbs but just good practice.

HFT is how I have so many tools. Dont get me wrong, my Dewalt tools are over 10 years old and still work but, I really like the Bauer line and will be getting the 8aH battery asap.

If you have a blade that is gouged that bad put the new blade on and take the old one in the work bench and grind it down, sharpen and balance it. Here in Houston, Tx this week on our side of town we got over 4" of rain over a 5 day period. The grass is growing like crazy.

Totally agree. The sharpener should be used every month to ninety days just to get you through the season but you should change your blade every season by the amount of seasons that you mow: Living in Fl I expect my rotary mower to burn through at least three if not four blades per year only using my rotary as my part time mower to vacuum up with before reel mowing at a lower setting.

It’s impossible to buy new blades all the time if you own a decent lawn business. I’d have to pay $350 every two weeks to replace the blades on my 3 mowers. Now if this is just for a home owner it might make more since. Plus if you know how to sharpen blades properly you’ll get most the nicks out. But, as always, to each their own. Good video.

save the old ones, sharpen them later and when next season starts you won't have to run out and grab new ones you can just swap and mow. if it wobbles you could have not seated it right, some have shapes you have to match up with holes in the blade

Been sharpening blades, axes, machetes, fish hooks etc for 50 yrs with a 6 inch bastard file. Also need to balance the blade, Harbor Freight has a balancer for under $10.00 Have been using the same file and balancer for 20 years and would never use a hand grinder for this.

I sharpen my blade because I'm having a heck of a time finding a 21inch blade for an 80v Greenworks mower. Also, not all blades are creates equal. A gas powered mower blade won't perform the same on an electric mower.

Unless you have a landscape company or a need for stationary grinders, angle grinders are $50-$100, way more versatile but stationary mounted grinders are what actual shops use. Also, a huge tip is even though that edge loons like a quarter of an inch in width, you only need to grind and sharpen the very edge. This will make one blade last a lifetime. Remember to straight grind the top too. 😊

It’s good to replace the blade if it’s badly damaged. If the blade is not badly damaged, it’s a good money saver to sharpen it. Good video!

So many things are cheaper to replace these days. I have two blades on my riding mower. I have four total. Freshly sharpened blade installed and resharpen the blades I removed. Repeat this process depending on how much mowing you do and how many branches, rocks and wood chips I hit. During summer I have to now every two weeks or it's too out of hand. In Virginia that is also the time of afternoon rainstorms. My worst enemy is wet grass. It bogs down the mower and creates an inch thick coating of grass that I can hear the blade slapping against. Sharp blades are so satisfying.

8 bucks to sharpen a mower blade near me

It's best to use a bench grinder 55 bucks at Harbor Freight (and if useful for many DIY projects) because you should balance the blade after sharpening a 3/4 inch diameter 4 inch long piece of dowel rod works well for that! However when you do it for a business it's another write off on your taxes to replace them!

You made a whole video to say, "Don't sharpen your blades just buy a new one?" You can buy an angle grinder at Harbor Freight for $30. It's lame compared to my $90 grinder (owned both) but it is well up to the task of sharpening your mower blades many times over.

I opted for replacement rather than trying to sharpen the blade myself. Time and risk reduced….long live TROY!!!

Lol I just sharpened my ride on lawn mower while the blades were on it, honestly not gonna lie, it work pretty good. Saved me $40 However I'm going to need replacements 😅 You have great energy and outlook on life 🙏 I'll be coming back for any lawnmower problems I foresee in my future

I buy a new blade every season. In zone 6 we mow maybe 24 times a season. New blade cuts as well as a sharpened blade. Does your new mower blade seem dull? When buying a new mower blade, the immediate thought is that it needs to be sharp. Yet this isn't the case. Brand new lawn mower blades should actually be used as they are. They aren't dull - instead they cut slower and last longer. The edge is sharp enough to roughly last for 25 hours of mowing and is dull enough so that the blade won't get easily damaged by roots and rocks. If a mower blade has a super sharp edge, it would bend over in the first 5 minutes of mowing! If a rock is hit with a hyper-sharp blade, it will bend the edge which makes it much less effective. Once used for a minimum of 25 hours, then it's advised to check the blade. If it's still mowing well and there are no damages, keep mowing beyond this. If it does have some nicks and damages, sharpen the blade.

7:03 Heyyyyyyy tell me you’ve been to Germany one way or another. You must have been ! Nobody’s says “Gut, gut, gut” like that without having visited Germany ! I’m currently in Germany after leaving the US, but I’ve been here before. I’m a dual citizen of Spain and USA. Much love my friend, you deserve so many more subscribers ♥️ 🇩🇪 🇪🇸 🇺🇸

Using an angle grinder has always seemed intimidating to me, so I got grinding stone attachments for a dremel I already owned. New dremels are comparably priced to the cheaper angle grinders. I sharpen my blade every week replacing it each season, and using the dremel (i have a corded 4000 with the pen wand attachment) makes this really easy, and is pretty affordable (especially if you can afford an angle grinder). Not to mention the additional versatility that the dremel offers in tons of other projects for which an angle grinder would be pretty inaccessible. I strongly recommend. I made a jig that allows me to sharpen the same angle, making this process highly sustainable and repeatable for me. It takes me more than a year to go through a single grinding stone attachment, though when I was still getting the hang of it, I went through them a little faster- approximately 1 per year. Once you know how to sharpen your blade, you can determine if something like an angle grinder (which for me would be an expensive single-purpose tool, only for sharpening the lawnmower blade) would be suitable for your tool collection.

I got grinder for $40. Bauer cheap but does the job lol. I own a lawncare business so have to sharpen blades. You were holding a balancer in the store. It just make sure the blade is balanced. If not your mower will rattle uncontrollable I know lol

I just picked up a free grinder at HF, had to buy a grinding wheel for $1. I'll still just replace my blade but have a grinder on standby incase I need it in a pinch. Like if the stores are closed and I'm in the middle of a mowing session.

Tip: sharpen your blade every 4 weeks= 1 month

You could also just sharpen it with a file. It'll obviously take longer than a grinder but itd cheap and it works.

I have the tools as a former machinist I cringe when people just throw a grinding wheel at things. I have a Riding mower (John Deere) and the trusty 21" push mower I use most often. (I like the look and the stripes.) I have been buying replacement blades for years and now I have a bunch I have sharpened and balanced. I have enough blades to last the rest of my lawn mower's life, though it is old I'll keep it running. Nothing like a fresh blade to make the lawn look great!

Good news, my neighbors mowed their lawn. The dirt looks great. Just rained, and I really want to go seed.

Come on Bruh we’re going to take your man card back. 😂 You know us (Men) we like to show off and do things the hard way.

I make my blue collar buddies sharpen mine with their angle grinders and a flap disc 😂 but when they're chipped bad like that definitely replace!

If you cant sharpen your blade then you shouldnt even be trying to cut your own grass.

The new blade cost $28… New Troy Built push mower $99.99 on Father’s Day 😂

I bought a new blade for my rotary last week. I still sharpened it till it could cut paper.

First of all, a company cannot charge you tax on labor, any job that consists of labor only, with no parts, they cannot charge tax, tax is only for products, not labor. Secondary, I always wondered how much longer the blade would last if you heat up the cutting edge, and dump it in oil, to harden the cutting edge, if it would last much longer, and stay sharper between lawn cuts? 😎👍

Just replaced my blade and came to this exact same conclusion! Throw that old shit away and get a new blade. Plus, you can't just grind the shit out of your old blade, it also has to be BALANCED otherwise you and your mower will be off to the moon! YB your the best!!!

You had me 😂at your expressions. I have four 41/2” angle grinders one is cordless. When I was a kid my Grandpa taught me how to sharpen lawnmower blades with a file, back then angle grinders weren’t invented yet. You use a torque wrench to torque down the blade, I’ve never use one, I do it by feel & no worry about coming off. P.S. I would’ve been embarrassed to show how dirty the underside of the mower like that. Back to the file, I use it to keep the blade touched up. I know that you helped some people

I love a man with common sense.

If your a regular homeowner i agree just replace your blades once a year...easy but, if your a fanatic about your lawn you will want to have sharp blades all the time. I sharpen my blades every month.

Hand drill sharpener for 5 bucks. Works great

Why are they charging tax on labor 🤔. I’d say that’s going in their pocket 😏.

i use a mill bastard and a c clamp. just clamp the blade to a railing and file it until it's sharp. hang it on a level nail to check the balance. easy and cheap.