Easy & Quick Way To Sharpen Mower Blades (CONTROVERSIAL)

This is how I sharpen mower blades. Apparently, since I use a shortcut to mark the blades, some Boomers think I should not even be trying. I also get lawn pros telling me I'm wrong for sharpening to razor sharp instead of butter knife sharp, which literally makes 0 sense to me as a DIYer who only cuts one lawn, the same lawn, weekly.
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[@Thelawncarenut]

Check out the pinned comment on this video for the reaction that came the last time I did this kzbin.infob0h_70Avzd8

[@bchunter1968]

I could be wrong, but different mowers either do or don't prevent the blade being upside down. My Ryobi electric, at least, prevents improper install by using a crescent-shaped and a round lug on opposing sides of blade hub. Can only go on one way.

[@SouthPawEd]

Nothing controversial about a flap disk and angle grinder. I used to hand file, then got a grinder with a regular wheel, then got a flap disk after one of your videos. Much more control on material removal than a grinding wheel and you get razor sharp every time. I put mine in my vice though.

[@ItsAlive111]

A vise does make you look more professional than a pair of gloves

[@KDlGG]

One problem with angle grinders, specifically with flap wheels is that it rounds over your blade edge, which isn’t ideal but if you have a unsharp blade to begin with that’s better than nothing

[@SouthPawEd]

@@KDlGG It will give you more of a convex grind instead of a flat or hollow grind. Though for the purpose of cutting grass, it does just fine. I do take a flat file to the underside of the blade to shave off the bur when I'm done. That makes a huge difference.

[@joec2442]

Using the nail is the controversial move

[@dmonk2545]

“Some people call it a Kaiser blade, I call it a sling blade…. Mmmhmmm

[@astonsellers]

No toro gear anymore?

[@WilliamFears]

Don't read the comments :)

[@Thelawncarenut]

good advice!

[@daveclark6324]

Great tips Allyn 👍 The EGO mowers have that small hole that was at about one o'clock position on your mower that you can put a rod or screw driver in to stop the blades from spinning when loosening or tightening - so you don't have to hold the blades with your hand.

[@velcroman11]

I think the only people that pick holes in what you are doing a “lounge chair” lawn mowing people. Everything you said and did was spot on👍

[@alexanderjarvis241]

Thanks from a fellow who was afraid to do it himself, these videos help a ton. I sharpen using your method, and it's been working out amazingly. Typically, I wouldn't comment on a video, but I've taken on sharpening mower blades, fixing simple sprinkler issues, and laying down products without fear of killing my yard. Even took a shot at Christmas lights this year. Very grateful and appreciative of your videos, and really hope you continue to make them and ignore the negative comments.

[@Thelawncarenut]

that's awesome Alex! I hope you are enjoying the journey along the way too! enjoy the mow, bro!

[@scottsmith5048]

I been sharpening my mower blades with an angle grinder for years, the only difference is I put my blades in a bench vise while sharpening them. I have a couple of sets for my zero turn and my push mower, swap them out every couple of weeks during the summer. Great video, keep ;them coming.

[@Thelawncarenut]

Thanks bro!

[@gmooney57]

I finally bit the bullet and bought the All American Blade Sharpener and was the best investment I could have made. Quick and easy and the sharpness and angle is spot on.

[@michaelpayne8102]

Great choice, this will ensure you keep the correct angle, while you are it get a proper balancer (they are pretty cheap), lot of variation with the nail. There are videos out there showing how far off the nail method is.

[@johnfeather-o5x]

I don’t have a grinder. What’s about the stone you attach to a drill?

[@michaelpayne8102]

@@johnfeather-o5x You use grinder flap discs.

[@gmooney57]

@@johnfeather-o5x crap. Go buy an angle grinder.

[@jayklarquist7912]

lol: “I’m not too stupid, I’m actually careless sometimes!”

[@clmyrickjr]

To those who criticize about marking the blades I would say this: orthopedic surgeons mark the arm / leg shoulder / etc that they’re going to operate on before they put you to sleep. It’s just the smart thing to do.

[@joshual574]

I love how you presented this in a user friendly, don’t be afraid way. I’ve never thought about it before but you’re right, most homeowners probably never sharpen their blades and buy a new mower or take it to a shop because there’s is cutting like crap after 3 years of running the same blades that have chips or divets.

[@TheRealJohnJ10]

I learned this method from you a few years back in an older video. Great method…Works great and it’s super simple.

[@Ball_drips]

The fact Ryobi uses 2 different size bolts to remove the blades shows the enginerds have never worked on anything in their lives.

[@KDlGG]

I have a ryobi, and yes it’s absolutely dogshit for other reasons but I only have one bolt to remove the blades, what one do you have?

[@Ball_drips]

@@KDlGG scag 48 walk behind

[@KDlGG]

@@Ball_drips I meant the ryobi that had 2 different bolt sizes

[@TrueLies23]

It's an EGO mower, but I wouldn't expect much in the awareness department given your username.

[@snail847]

I appreciate your down to earth explanation and honesty. Even saying that sometimes you get careless. 😊 Who doesn't? Thanks !

[@benh580]

@9:00 youve been watching rainman Ray? "CLICK"

[@Thelawncarenut]

I got it from AVE channel, he does that too

[@stevenyoung3187]

Great video as always! I’ve found the flap discs are excellent at sharpening mower blades. They make the job fast, simple and effective. If I may, I’d like to offer two suggestions for your next blade sharpening video, regarding safety, which may prevent someone from losing fingers. For battery powered mowers, it’s important to remove the battery pack before tilting the mower over. For gas powered (petrol) mowers, it’s important to disconnect the spark plug cable before tilting the mower over, and always tip it over with the carburettor facing upwards. Cheers!

[@MysticRuler-n4j]

Carb up is a must.

[@artieartya]

No criticism from me you’re awesome in my book and we need more people like you

[@Legendary_UA]

The first thing you do is take the battery out.

[@dustinwilson7954]

Agreed. Lost three fingers cause I didn't pull the plug wire on a gas model.

[@Ron_P]

​@@dustinwilson7954How?

[@dustinwilson7954]

@@Ron_P tied off the safety bar. Bottle feeding the carb.

[@allensadicario5196]

Very well explained always a great show brother

[@mikeo8890]

I like that high tech blade balancer, you'll never miss place it,

[@artieartya]

We need you to partner with a mower company and co-develop a robot, lawnmower, specifically made for tall, thick grasses, such as Saint Augustine and Bahia grass. This will be the next best thing for you and the Yard Mastery company.

[@Thelawncarenut]

I've looked into it extensively and right now, I don;t have the funds to bring OPE to the market. It's a long ramp and very expensive. Maybe someday I'll find someone who has perfected it already and I can partner with them. Right now, Kress is the best robot on the market IMO but I have not tested one on St Aug. Coming later this year.

[@trevandezz5959]

lowes has a $6 blade sharpener attachment for regular impacts. it works great for me.

[@FisherNut100]

I use a file on the back side just to have a little more control on the material I remove.

[@darrellwilliams731]

If you want grass to stop clinging to the bottom of the mower treat it with a special oil and the grass will repel off the metal and it won't stick that worked for my mowers its a mixture of different oils and it won't stick to it at all

[@leftylattin]

Actually got a super cheap mower before because it wouldnt cut for the person anymore even though he got them sharpened. Turns out he just put the blade on upside down 😂.

[@JacobAHull-nx6rx]

Bro you might could use a bench vise to hold your work instead of working on the ground. I do some commercial mowing and I like my blades razor-sharp and use the same tools you do. Love the flap wheels. Learned about them in welding school. Good job man!

[@KevinPGA]

Great video as always. People being judgmental... You've always shared options so we could do things our way. I appreciate you and your channel more than you could know. Cheers my friend!

[@Thelawncarenut]

thanks bro!!

[@JakeEllison94]

"You have no business being under there if you have to mark the blade", this is laughable. Professional master mechanics and diesel techs almost always mark things to reassemble correctly. It's when you are over sure of yourself self like you said, "careless" when you make a mistake. Do whatever helps you no matter how redundant.

[@ourv9603]

How many times have you been mowing and noticed your mower is cutting lousey, the blade needs sharpening BUT youre in the middle or mowing and dont want to stop and go thru all that. DO THIS- Have a spare blade set, all sharp and ready to go so all you need to do is slap on the sharp blades and get back to it. THEN sharpen the dull blades at your convenience. !

[@wxfield]

Wait..whuuut? You mow every 3 days in the summer? Wow..quite the difference from up here in New England. We mow about 1x per week up here. I thought grass didn't grow as fast during the summer months in FL?

[@YoMoma777]

It’s not a bad idea to double check the tightness of the bolts after the first use from sharpening. I didn’t do this and further into summer my blade came out from under my mower spinning like a top in front of the path of the mower. Lucky for me it came out the front side.

[@mygt8a4re]

Wow, I guess I've been doing it wrong for years. I've only been sharpening my mower blade at the beginning of the season, once every year. I do a new plug, air filter, oil change & blade sharpening. I've been doing this for about 4 decades now. Is my lawn suffering from this lack of sharpening?

[@Sergio-gm4gv]

Toro* I’ve been holding off as much as I can cause they’re so pricey and I want to make the best choice. I saw your older videos you used Toro, and now Ego, but bc your sponsored I wonder what your choice is. I also live in Florida. I hope to hear from you before I end up going with my gut feeling of Ego.

[@RJLgardens]

I highly recommend getting a proper magnetic blade balancer if you haven't already? You are the Lawn care nut after all 👍

[@Metalbladelawncare]

My blades are razer sharp. If I ding something I’ll swap them out on the spot if I notice the cut quality. Very rarely will that happen or ever be noticeable as they are swapped out daily.

[@JMM7171]

How stupid does someone have to be to think everything we do is perfect. We are human. Human error. It happens. We have a lot to think about. Some people don’t have simple lives where we wait for our welfare check to come in so we can go get a 30 pack of some cheap crap beer, then go back to playing video games till the bus drops off our three kids that the state pays us money to keep. You might notice me on the curb in my pajamas waiting for the school bus. Some of us actually have responsibilities and have to worry about maintaining our standard of living. And, we are the only one that supports us. And, have to budget for the really good beer. So, forgive me if once in a while I put the mower blades on the wrong way; if we are lucky it only happened once. 😂 love to the hard workers with things to worry about. 🎉 this is real life. And it ain’t always easy. Cheers.

[@blinkishmixpix]

Awesome video, as per usual Allyn! I was among those that was intimidated by it at first, love doing it now! I do tighten to torque specifications, but that’s just me to avoid stripping the bolts.

[@SilverCymbal]

Very sharp! Love it. You are dressed better for winter than I am in NH!

[@Thelawncarenut]

haha! I only have 2 sweatshirts and this is one of them. 😃

[@mikeerin5031]

Just buy a Chinese knock off of the blade sharpening jig. Works great and you don’t have to worry about the ting the wrong angle.

[@WowOafus]

I worry about doing this because we have such sandy soil and it eats through the blades. Don’t have to hit rocks and my blade is still dull after a couple months.

[@denyswoodroffe490]

Have you ever thought of balancing your mower blades, to prevent vibration. Kiwi

[@thomasbarnes5703]

Spray some WD-40 on the deck after cleaning. It will help with grass build up.

[@bokneeza]

I just bought an ego 765 blower. Never been impressed by a hand held blower.

[@LS1007]

Using a nail to check the balance is unreliable. Get a blade balancer. They’re cheap and do a better job.

[@Chris-op7yt]

stupid, careless, short of time. we're all human :) thanks for tips

[@CheezySweat]

I use a Dremel tool in place of an angle grinder, but I sharpen mine as well. Good video 💪

[@MrErpman]

I sharpen razor sharp for my zoysia and have to sharpen after 3 mows at the most. I have 3 blades that I sharpen all at the same time on a grinder and then rotate them out as necessary.

[@knuckles-3386]

Get off your knees stand up and put the blade in a vise much safer better control

[@The81titans]

Just to mock the hatters you should mow with a leather vest showing the guns 💪

[@Michel.Alvarado]

Thanks for the detailed video. I had shied away from sharpening my blades and just bought new ones when I needed to, mainly because a lot of other KZbinrs break out their vice on their fancy work bench and I don’t have room for all of that in my garage. Good to know I can use cinder blocks to accomplish the same thing.

[@paulscott6998]

I’m of the opinion that new blades at the store are DULL. They barely look sharp enough to cut butter. They do that for liability issues. Take them home and get them razor sharp. Your grass is healthier without the fray, and its this fray that gives the lawn that brownish tint in mid summer, even if the grass is green.

[@rebeccamulkern2590]

I have a gas mower. Can I sharpen my blades the same way?

[@northerniltree]

Helpful tip: If you install the newly sharpened blades backwards, they will stay sharp for a very long time.

[@Thelawncarenut]

😂

[@rswow]

Disliked for the incessant music.

[@atg4469]

lol what the heck, electric mower? what in tarnation?

[@flch95]

I use a digital torque meter and tighten to the reading in the mower manual to make sure it’s not too loose or too tight. Also gives peace of mind that it won’t go flying off when the engine starts.

[@yakakiyakaki]

You’re using the wrong blades for mulching - you have the bagging blade setup!

[@libbyd1001]

He knows. And he explains why in the video.

[@Mark-lq3sb]

It's 16 degrees above 0 in my yard. I think I'll pass on the lawn cutting. Oh, I forgot about the wind chill... Make that 2 degrees above 0... LOL!

[@kicko61]

NOTICE: new lawn mower blades are NOT sharp it is against the law to sell sharp blades,hoes, or any tool that you can cut yourself with in a store! You need to sharpen them BEFORE fitst use. The stores do not tell you this.

[@calvinbatts4483]

Great Video, "I'm not stupid, I'm Careless!" LOL! There's a difference! Get you a vise bro, you can bolt it down to your work bench.

[@johnthom2078]

Great video. I had one question about your mower. So I have the same model but mine from being out in the weather seems like the bar is stuck and won't let me fold the mower up. My question is do you know how I can fix this? Thanks in advanced.

[@raybr1727]

Impact wrench and grinder, all battery powered….super simple nowadays until we can tell the robot to do it.

[@Thelawncarenut]

that may not be far off

[@Doppler-uk1kl]

Oddly, I now feel a little hesitant about taking mechanical advice from a man without a proper workbench…. Beautiful grass though.

[@limogesfarmer6326]

OMG, the first thing is about marking the bottom of the blade.... You only need to look at the blade to know which side faces the grass..... Marking the bottom? Ha ! :D

[@richardwalther6229]

Clicked on this thumbnail thinking it was Matt from The Smoking Tire, and wondering if he’s getting into lawn care now. Same face / hat combo.

[@Sergio-gm4gv]

Do you prefer Ego over Toto ev?

[@arcadesunday4592]

I've been a fan of your work for quite some time now, and have learnt a LOT. Just a question... what do you think about cutting your lawn (albeit skillfully / carefully, and with many hours of practice) with a petrol brush cutter (using replacable nylon "sticks" - not a metal blade?). This method (where I live) is super popular and I myself use this method. Thanks for the informative video (as usual!)

[@Rick-sh7qr]

Thanks for the Video, I will start to sharpen my blades from now on, keep up the great work,, from your newest subscriber 👍👍💯

[@vmarsfiles]

Do you know if you can put a second blade on the basic model? My ego mower struggles to cut the grass! It's annoying. If I had known it would be this bad I would have gotten the select cut version.

[@Jay-ot2tk]

I’ve been using the yard mastery products and just can’t seem to have green grass always playing catchup from bug damage or disease, just going to have to pay professional to treat it.

[@catw6998]

4” of snow here and possibly more to come this Friday. It’s going to be a while before we get to mowing. LoL. I don’t blame you for marking. It really is hard to read stuff like that. Idont understand the etching for recycle symbol on those clear plastic containers, especially when the symbolis so freaking small!

[@_7_0_7]

Off to by an angle grinder 😊

[@rayhilton1759]

I've said for years when your blades are sharp you can hear them they sound different , ride-on push mower doesn't matter you can hear it.

[@TrueLies23]

As a guy who ran a maintenance division for years, i can say with certainty the worst thing that will happen from a razor sharp blade is that it will reach the point of butter knife sharp. There is no sensible argument against it other than liability in a litigation nation.

[@Kenjiro5775]

That's the cut I get with my scythe. The peening scythe is always kept razor sharp. The edge is hammed thin against an anvil and is then honed with a specially shaped honing stone that leaves a single, upward facing bevel on the thin edge. The slicing of grass with a newly honed blade is extremely satisfying. No plastic parts, no fuel, no batteries, no loud noises.

[@loftbuckleyrc]

True Patriot, for sure.

[@pjtill1]

I would recommend using a vise to hold the blade while you're sharpening. Otherwise, this is exactly how I sharpen. Very fast and effective.

[@MsTonya417]

Yep,I sharpen my blade. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Another Good video,Al👍🏽

[@jharv62301]

Can’t wait for that EGO aluminum deck mower.

[@Thelawncarenut]

me too! hopefully next month it will arrive

[@Striperman]

Blades normally will get dull while hitting rocks tree roots or other debris that might be on the lawn. But like you said as a homeowner who walks my lawn daily none of that is on there. So what I do for both my rotary and my reel mowers is use 80 grit sand paper and go over the blade before each mow while the blades are still on. Takes a few minutes and my blades stay sharp. For my reel mower even with 10 blades takes a few minutes and paper test before mowing. When finished I hose it off and then use blower to dry it. Blades unless damaged or nicked usually hold up well.

[@bethlav3457]

I assume it's harder to access the blades with a ride on mower. No way I can do this.

[@Thelawncarenut]

yes you'd either need to remove the deck or get a lift. I have a lift for my ZT

[@cliff9745]

Al- I have the same mower with older (not green) blades and the writing on them IS hard to read, so I’ve taken a picture each time I sharpen so I don’t screw up the reinstall. I’ll mark from now on. Thanks!

[@Dantastic123]

You go and enjoy the mow, and I'll go and enjoy the snow. Just got 5 inches. I'll enjoy it while i can. 8 more weeks til spring!

[@llamacebu216]

Someone received a walmart payment 👍 Not a fan of tools but for easy DIY theyre okay

[@singingriverwoodwork]

lol who is saying these thing that you reference. Sharpen to butter knife sharp!? Haha

[@MlackHjicks]

Come on man,has this dude said anything new here he is just flapping his lips,❤ look if you need to watch this to sharpen blades,you should just pay a neighborhood kid to mow your lawn, and all these positive comments,what's up with that?

[@Thelawncarenut]

I guess not everyone is a dickhead.

[@ShawnSpencerFanClub]

I think you buy views

[@scoobydoo5447]

I should go down to Florida and hang out with you guys an mow some grass. We have 1.5’ of snow and it’s been -15 here in northern IL.

[@juanmontoya3611]

Good video, only thing it you do it in your driveway you will get rust stains from the metal particles that you are grinding from the blades

[@kiwipinos]

A lot of home owners? What about renters that actually keep a yard tidy to perfection 😂

[@gordonhutchinson529]

I use the 60 grit flapper also. I just hand hold the blade and run the disc on each cutting blade 3 or 4 times and then a fast pass on the back side. Get's em sharp and fast...

[@StayInTheWord]

Always learning from The Lawncare Nut. Stay warm, Allyn!

[@Nick210]

It’s definitely time for a bigger home workspace

[@Kansas-Paul]

Too cold and too much snow on the ground to worry about my mower in the Kansas City area.

[@myronwatkinski]

How do I sharpen my riding lawn mower blades?

[@Thelawncarenut]

same way, you just have to take the deck off or purchase a lift such as MowJack

[@MyGuyKirby]

I found this method earlier this year and now so much easier to keep them sharp. Previously it was a metal file and slow process to get the same result with the sanding disc on the grinder.

[@Wardcreek]

What size grit do you use for the flap disc?

[@Thelawncarenut]

60

[@lowandslow3939]

“Click” love it! I do it the same way.

[@davidcrowson4745]

That's great information thanks Allen 👍