With time, the blades of lawn reel mowers begin to dull due to frequent contact with debris such as stones, rocks, tree trunks, etc. That is why it is essential to sharpen the blades periodically so that your machine can function appropriately.
The good news is you can do this chore by yourself! There is no need to call in any professionals to get the job done. So let us learn how to sharpen the blades of reel mowers. This process will be safe and straightforward, provided you follow the procedure in this article with care.
Take Some Precautions
- Make sure your reel is fastened.
- Avoid keeping your hands on the cutting edge.
- Take care not to slice your hands with the machine’s blades.
- To prevent accidents, minimize any possible distractions around you.
- If you are tired or under the influence of drugs, don’t use your reel mower or try sharpening the blades.
- Before you start sharpening, take off any jewelry and wear clothes with a tight fit. This is to avoid your jewelry or loose-fitted clothes getting stuck into the parts of your reel mower.
- It would help if you also put on tough boots and have an excellent grip so that you can shield your feet from any debris. Generally, avoid putting on open-toe shoes like slippers or sandals to minimize danger.
- As you sharpen your blades, there will be many particles of metal, sand, and stone flying around. This is why wearing a face shield, and safety goggles are necessary to save your face and eyes.
Following these precautions is critical to making sure you do not cause unnecessary injuries to yourself.
Sharpening Tools
- Files.
- Regular sharpening kits.
- Back lapping sharpening kits.
Using a File to Sharpen
Before you begin:
- Remove any dirt, mud, stones, etc., from the blades for efficient work.
- Put the blade down on any evenly leveled area and have the cutting edge part of your blade sticking out in the air.
- Reduce any possible movement by using some stones or wood to secure the wheels.
To stop the blade reel from rotating as you sharpen, stuck something like a broom or anything of that sort into the blade. Now, you can begin sharpening through the blade’s edge. Make sure to cover your blade’s entire length with a complete forward and backward motion.
Carry this process out on each spot on the blade until you reach your blade’s desired sharpness. Later, you can remove the wedge in your blade to sharpen the backside of it. Repeat this procedure till the edges become very sharp.
Mowers come in different kinds and different numbers of blades. So, make sure you get each blade of your mower and can access each one entirely and sharpen them as needed by you. This is one of the most economical ways.
Using a Sharpening Compound
These back-lapping sharpening kits are straightforward to use and effective in sharpening dull blades. These kits include the sharpening compound and a handle. This compound’s substance has a grainy texture to it. The way it works is that it spreads onto the lawn mower’s blunt edges of the blades. Then the blades, after rubbing against each other, sharpen themselves automatically.
The method of application of the compound is very simple. First, fix the handle from your kit to your machine’s reel. After that, grab a brush and apply the mixture on all of the blades. Then, to make the blades come into contact with each other, move your mower backward.
There is also an alternate way. You can manually drive the reel back with your hands, but this can require a fair amount of work unless you can make it less stressful and quicker by using a drill machine to get the job done.
Adjusting the Blades of Your Mower
There are times when your blades’ alignment can be off. That can make you mistakenly assume that your mower’s blades have gone dull and that it is now time to sharpen them. Due to the misalignment, your blades operate inefficiently because of cranking against each other. Luckily, you realign your blades correctly and make your lawnmower run accurately like before.
- Before you start working, keep your machine on either a table, workbench, or flat surface with sufficient space. Then, halt your wheels by wedging something in front of them.
- The kind of adjustment may vary, so rotate the blades manually, using your hands to identify the correct adjustment to be made. A shrieking sound means your blades need to be moved away from the cutting edge. However, if your blades are moving loosely, consider moving your blades nearer to the cutting edge.
- By now, you have determined what kind of alteration has to be made. Now, grab any flathead screwdriver and get to work on those screws. For blades that need to be moved away, loosen the screws a little until you feel the appropriate distance has been reached. And vice versa.
- If you tighten or loosen the bolts too much, there may be an issue of over-adjusting the blades. So, do that process slowly.
- The bolts of your cutting edge should be screwed in the direction opposite to the screws of the machine’s reel. This process will also be carried out at a slow pace.
- Look out for some other possible adjustments.
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Conclusion
I believe doing stuff like this on your own is very rewarding and cost-effective instead of paying someone for professional help. Unfortunately, your precious lawn mower blades will get blunt more often if you use the machine a lot. Fortunately, you have this fantastic article and guide at your disposal. So, the next time you ever encounter a blunt set of blades, you can easily sharpen and fix them without ever breaking a sweat.
