How To EASILY Sharpen Your Own Mower Blades

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

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[@akmn8859]

I'm not sure what I enjoy more, the knowledge you share or the way you share it. Your cinematography is seriously impressive.

[@davidkassies]

^^^

[@madebeen]

There is no comparison indeed

[@jamespasquarelli7203]

Tip from my local repair shop. The Timemaster blades have a slight tapered angle & do not sit parallel to the bottom of the deck like most other mower blades. So, the most important portion of the blade to get sharp is the first few inches of the ends since that part of the blade is closest to the lawn. However,I do sharpen the entire thing with the All American Sharpener jig. Almost time to begin the season in PA!

[@bigbearbear5458]

Before removing the blade, it can be helpful if you mark which side of the blade is supposed to face the lawn. That way you will not end up installing the blade upside down. Some lawn mower now comes with blades that are factory marked which side should face the lawn and which side to should face the deck. Also, while you have the mower on its side, spray some dry lube on the deck after removing any excess grass. I've found that it helps in keeping the deck clean.

[@beardedgarage]

I'm not a professional at lawns, but we have 3 mowers (between my son and I) and honestly I picked up an All American Sharpener and it is a godsend. My 16 y/o uses it to sharpen his blades for his local gig and it only takes minutes.

[@triggz04]

Thank you for showing me how to do this. You showed me that I don't have to be very mechanically inclined to do this. I added 3 additional steps in doing the sharpening I disconnected the spark plug and shut off the gas. I also used a piece of wood to stop the blade from spinning while trying to unscrew it. Again thank you for your videos. Thanks to you and others on YT my yard looks great!

[@papiopapa356]

I second the disconnection of the spark plug. Also, you can buy a blade removal tool (metal) for about $15 that will hold the blade securely in place, which is sometimes better than a piece of wood, especially with hard to remove blades.

[@spadetrotter7400]

SAFETY: before you start spraying sparks in your shed/garage, make sure there are no gas cans or other flammables nearby.

[@Ana84262]

Thanks to you I did my yard, and love every inch of it.

[@tpohlen]

Nice...Every Spring Cleaning and blade sharpening of the mower, I let the blades soak over night then take a wire wheel to the entire blade. Once cleaned I throw some Maguires car wax on them. It doesn't let the grass clipping residue stick so it comes right off with a post mow spay and further prevents disease from getting back on the turf.

[@orangeduc3129]

Awesome please thanks soo much I didn’t have a vice soo your video did help me a lot. Please thanks

[@cooper24]

Right on time as always! I was shopping around for blade sharpening services nearby and this video pops up. I'm a new homeowner and your videos have been a major help, I can't thank you enough.

[@barbarazylema3584]

The Ace Hardware in my area sharpens lawn mower blades. Cost is $7.00 if you bring in the blade or $15.00 if you bring in the lawnmower and they have to remove the blade. To me it is worth the $7.00 because that way I know my blade is sharp and I don't have to buy all kinds of tools to do it myself.

[@-What-are-your-thoughts]

This just reminded me to send my Swardman Reel in.

[@GGG-yy1wj]

Great tip using the clamps when a vice is not available. Thankyou 👍

[@jakewyler1945]

I started doing this a couple years ago at your recommendation. Never looked back! Thanks!

[@SwollTone]

I started this for the first time last spring. The amount you of sparks took me by surprise. I feel like you gotta aim those the right way.

[@chadcochran4654]

I love your videos Ryan, I will share one thing. The impact driver makes the job so much easier; however, I would recommend a socket rated for impact use. The regular sockets are not beefy enough and could crack.

[@benharrison5816]

I have a lawn tool sharpening kit for my Dremel. I used it on an old chainsaw last year and it worked great. I have an angle grinder, but I'm thinking the Dremel might be easier and more precise. I'm also going to use a torque wrench to torque down the blade to spec. I thought I tightened it down hard enough last year with just a socket wrench, and the blade fell off shortly after starting the mower, luckily not hurting myself. Only takes a few extra seconds to torque to spec.

[@rwa96]

I've used a dremel to sharpen my mower blades, even have the blade guide. I think the grinder is easier than the dremel. The flapper wheel will follow the contour of the blade better. I struggle with the dremel. My 2 cents.

[@ngreed]

Nice video, I don't have a vice either, I use your method for sharpening, except I use a grinding wheel and then file after for the final touch. For those wondering the torque spec for the blades on the Time Master is 60 FT-LBS.

[@craighellberg4366]

Important to note for us novices: the blade turns counterclockwise so when reattaching the blade the sharp part goes first. The sharp part should be the lowest to the grass. I like that you showed how to secure the blade using vice grips if you don’t have a grinder. I do things by hand, and even though the flap disc is a great way to go, I like using a file. I take off less metal and still get the blade sharp. There is something very satisfying, sharpening knives, axes, mower blades, etc. by hand. But if I am in a hurry, the flap disc is definitely the way to go. Thank you so much for another great video.

[@kikiyah]

One of the videos I've been waiting for!!! Thank you Ryan!

[@j.a.1265]

Good timely info. Just did mine myself. Always sharpen them after every few cuts. I prefer to use a Dremel tool with lawnmower blade attachment and grinding stone. Also a simple nail in the wall to hang the blade from does the balancing just fine.

[@mercurymangarage6186]

Great info Ryan. I’ve used grinding wheels in the past. I like your idea better. Question though? Is it a good idea to touch up those 3 mulching blades that angle up on the back side? I’ve always wondered about that? Thanks. Len from Michigan.

[@on4acres]

Great video, not to be that guy, but definitely want to be wearing eye protection when grinding.

[@sluysmeister5957]

Another really simple balancing tool is a nail in the side of your work bench then draw a level line on the bench that meets the top of the blade. Hang the blade on the nail and look at the line. You can get it perfectly balanced and don't have to go by sight alone.

[@sluysmeister5957]

@@MajorImpact I've been using a nail for 3 years and never get any wobble or shaking. Its working for me, not knocking the other tool though

[@sluysmeister5957]

@@MajorImpact timemaster. 2 blades

[@DigitalPaintCan]

I need the snow to go... ...before I get to watch my lawn grow. I'm "sharpening" my lawn care skills with your videos while I wait.

[@danjohnson4240]

The All American sharpener is the way to go !

[@michaelvanbuskirk8845]

I bought a $60 copycat on Amazon and it works fantastic.

[@mr.lochness8511]

Seriously this channel is awesome

[@grass-patch]

A quick look up on the TimeMaster specs show blade bolts torqued @ 60 ft-lb or 82 N-m. It's a lot tighter than you think. Just an fyi in case you have a torque wrench handy.

[@mteske1]

I just got some Ballard blades for my time master. Amazing. The sharp edge is probably 2-3x as long and goes almost to the center hole. I really like them.

[@patg2544]

Such a bad ass. Uses chrome sockets on an impact. 😂 great info

[@michaelvanbuskirk8845]

So what? That Milwaukee impact driver doesn't put out enough torque to need impact sockets. They are rated in inch lbs. 🙄

[@patg2544]

@@michaelvanbuskirk8845yeah so?

[@BenNawrath]

I’ve been doing this too. I’ll add what I do… I got a cordless angle grinder (already had a bunch of ridgid tools and batteries), more expensive but so easy. I also like the magnetic nut drivers for taking the bolt out. So nice. For my Ego mower friends, you need a 9/16” one 😇

[@armyvet8090]

I lov the smart stow feature of my TORO. Just received my 'bagging' blade.

[@xordoom8467]

WOW... You just saved me $20 from taking my blade to Ace Hardware for them to sharpen my blade... Great idea, thank you for sharing with us!!

[@allenjohnson389]

For saftey should remove spark.plug cap from spark plug

[@emungai]

Ryan left a few nuggets for those Safety Sallys. I'd like to think it was on purpose.

[@ianeverett10]

Thé balancer is a key tool for those of us who don’t have as pristine of a lawn as you do. A rock chip can really throw the balance of the blade off and it can noticeably impact the quality of the cut. I have I mow 7 of my 17 acres so I am using a Kubota Z726x where the blade tip speed it 18,000+ rpm - balance is noticeable.

[@dad9296]

I have one of those little blade balancers as well. They work OK but I also wasn't sure how accurate it was after using it. Later I saw a guy drive a nail in the side of his workbench and balance the blade on it by the middle hole. That seemed like a good cheap and accurate solution.

[@Troy-Echo]

Plastic scrapers are less likely to scratch the paint under your mower deck and promote rust. One bonus of having Zoysia - there's so much less moisture in the blades of grass that I don't get that grass build up under my deck. Tip - my Honda HRN 216 says in the manual which way to turn the mower. If you turn a small engine such as a mower or pressure washer on the side too long, fuel or oil can get into the piston cylinder and lock it up. Instead of a trip to the mechanic, just remove the spark plug and give the cord a few cranks to pump out the fluid and you should be good. When you're sharpening, you know you have a consistently good edge all the way along if there is a burr on the back side. When you've got the burr along the back side, take a 1 second pass on the back side to remove the burr, and you'd probably be able to cut a steak, but it's easier to tell if you have a fully sharpened edge. Also don't hang in one spot more than a second. The blade has a lot of beefiness behind it, but the fine cutting edge is small and can easily overheat and ruin the temper of the cutting edge, which means the edge will become dull much quicker. Really glad your channel has taken off so much that you can provide your family a better life and annoy the neighbors that have weedy lawns.

[@FreedomRock44]

I think I have the same grinder........I will get some flap discs.....I have heard a lot of people say Flap discs are the way to go....so I will get more.

[@jason00794]

Unless the blade has major damage, I just use a file. Doesn't remove a lot of material, is easy to keep the angle and the blade is sharp enough to use as a knife.

[@donaldfrederick6814]

I'm with you, unless there's a big chip that needs ground out, a file is just as fast as getting out the grinder, and spanner and changing out the disk (by this time I've already finished 1 side of the blade with the file) and it leaves a little pile of fillings instead of scattering them

[@HollyBoni]

Same here. I also find that with the file I have a lot more "feel" of what i'm doing, and I usually get a more even edge. I also simply just enjoy using the file more. Less mess, less noise.

[@ourpresidentswallows6017]

Did I just read manual labor is faster then power tools. You should stop smoking pot. I’ve done it both ways many times. A file is not fast lol

[@geraldfer]

Thanks for this tutorial. I was wondering how I could do my own blades...great vid!! greetings from Alabama

[@douglasauruss]

Would love a video on sharpening/maintaining the unpowered reel mowers if you ever do that

[@trentcardwell8620]

Great video from the flap discs to the clamp I've use the whole situation I have a Wright Stander I bought a Jungle Jack but no workbench wouldn't been able to do it and probably would have taken off too much metal without the flap disc thanks for the advice great video

[@TheRealJohnJ10]

I do the same exact process for sharpening my blade except I have a vice. Two tips that help me a lot are when taking the blades off the mower pay attention to the direction of the blades. I’ve put my blades on backwards more than once… While sharpening count the amount of strokes you take and do the exact amount on both sides… When I do this it’s usually perfectly balanced or close to…Great tips as always Ryan. Cheers from New Jersey.

[@DMUSA536]

I always clean the mower after the last mow of the season. No mold can grow. I also clean it through out the season.

[@BenNawrath]

Not that this makes a difference in the sharpening, but I like to use the clamp with the bar facing down. Keeps the handle out of the way, and makes it far less likely that you’ll rap the bar with your face when you’re working on the blade 😁😇

[@desaint4952]

6:25 a more reliable method then that tool to check if the blade is balanced is just put a nail horizontally into a stud or work bench and put the nail through the center hole of the blade . works perfect every time

[@Craig-ib7gk]

AllAmerican Sharpener. Just get one, Ryan. They're like most of the things in your arsenal of equipment; not necessarily inexpensive, but very good at what they do. You will get perfect, near-foolproof 30-deg grinds on your blades in a few seconds per side. It was invented by an engineer that wanted a bench-mountable solution that made it incredibly easy, and consistent, in sharpening your rotary blades. He hit a home run.

[@trevormuggeridge4560]

Last Aussie 😁. Ryan, great advice. 😎

[@boots7859]

$14 grinder from Harbor Freight is a decent low cost tool if you need one for odd jobs.

[@AutoDudes]

I’m glad I watched this. I just realized I put my blades on backwards. 🤦🏻‍♂️ thanks Ryan!

[@erich6879]

i'm going to sharpen mine TODAY!

[@Thesgtmonkeyz]

Currently you can get an angle grinder at Harbor Freight for $15 so it’s not an expensive investment

[@jfarm_1311]

Best thing I did was buy an extra set of blades so I always have a sharp one ready to go

[@garyhogarth590]

Hi Ryan. Love your videos. Very informative. I have a question about the direction of grinder disc. In previous videos you have shown about sharpening, the direction of the disc is going away from the sharp edge of the blade. In this video, it appears as though the disc direction is going into the sharp edge of the blade. Is there a preferred direction or does it matter. Thanks.

[@terrywatts1060]

Spring let's go

[@WichhartAcres]

Nice video man! I learned a lot!

[@Sig_P229]

So for use warm season people. Rotary mowers are fantastic because the grass is always dry. In my opinion, the reel mower shines in the winter with rye grass overseed. That is one of the main reason I bought a reel mower. Wet grass and rotary do not mix

[@jeffreybryson]

I use a Dremel with the grinding stone bit. It's easier to keep the angle you want to get the blades sharp. Taking a picture of the blade(s) orientation will help you get them back on correctly. My Honda dual blades always confuses me, if I don't.

[@jfrenchws6]

I accidentally swapped the position of my dual blades one year. Took me 3 or 4 mows to figure out why my cut was awful 🤣🤦🏻‍♂️

[@osgeld]

I use a dremel as well, with a vice its pretty easy to lock an angle in with your hands and just follow the blade face with your hand knuckles etc

[@DanSheldon48]

Ryan you should use impact sockets if you are using an impact driver. Also a file does a good job sharpening and doesn't take much time either.

[@ourpresidentswallows6017]

Who cares if it cracks buy another one. Its a lawn mower not a 25 mm with a half inch drive and 1200 ft lbs lol

[@edh7492]

Mount the blade balancer vertically and the torque we use in the workshop is 45nm

[@dang3402]

So I just bought a new lawn mower push self Propelled. Should I shard the blade?

[@FreedomRock44]

Good one Ryan!!!!!

[@PleasantRanch]

I’m just here for the sparks ⚡️

[@shane6002]

Could you the same flap disc for cleaning the blade as for sharpening?

[@DCgamer723]

When reinstalling blades, most blades will have "grass side" etched into them so you know which way to install them, so you don't put them on backwards

[@Rick_Schott]

Man, I just use a hardware store file like a savage. Going on my 4th season mowing 20,000 square feet of salad bar with the original blades on my TM for what it’s worth. It’s definitely harder work tho. Pro tip: try to work out your mowing route to go past your garden hose when you’re done. Flip the mower up on its side and rinse the clippings out from the deck, *every cut*. It comes out so much easier when it hasn’t had time to set up. Once in a while if it’s late I skip this step and I always, *always* regret it.

[@heavymechanic2]

Do you like the Gator style blade or the wavy type? On a small POS MTD mower the wavy blade seems to cut better for me.

[@thincut309]

I just got done switching my blades. Each mower....rider or push have an extra set of blades. I take off the dull ones and switch them with the sharp ones.

[@providedjoker2649]

Just curious…will a 40 grit flap disc work as well??

[@rioxbox360]

How are you able to fix bare/ 0 grass spots next to your drive way?

[@dwoodog]

My 2 cents in this is.... I've stripped a couple shafts putting the bolt on with a impact wrench, so I just go right to the hand ratchet wrench to put the blade on. Second is have a couple filters, since it's likely when you flip the machine on it's side the air filter may become gas soaked. Stick a new one on and let the soaked one dry. No need to throw it away.

[@bobhammond-e8r]

So at what degree should we sharping the blades? I here 30 degrees for cutting blade and 15 degree for mulching blade....goes on a Honda mower

[@johnpecorari2694]

Does this approach work well with mulching blades that have a curve?

[@d_dizzie_druck5753]

I just bought a used angle grinder for this job🙂 I am now wondering if purchaseing an All Americian blade sharpener is worth it? How do you free hand that perfect angle?

[@RfdAviator85]

Gotta throw some Gator G6 blades on that toro timemaster! That and get an All American Sharpener - they are SUPER nice!

[@petrovichluzhin]

Great tips. What specific flap disk do you use? Also is that an impact driver you are using?

[@SouthFLTools]

Nice video! I have the 2656-20 as well. It’s a great impact driver 👍

[@IntegrityDistribution]

There is a better way Ryan… All American Sharpener. Perfect angle… about 30 seconds per side and about 10 seconds to flip the blade. 100% repeatable and perfect angle every time.

[@robsolo4024]

What grit are you using 50?

[@chriskennedy2827]

Hi Ryan, I love your channel and bought this angle grinder (6A version) but it says both on the grinder and in the manual to only use type 27 attachments and not to use T29. Are you sure that a type 29 is safe / do you know why it says type 27 only?

[@acp3711]

How sharp do you sharpen the blade? I've heard some say butter knife sharp, others say as sharp as possible. Thoughts?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

I get them pretty sharp to the touch but they will tend to dull a little faster

[@cleanandsereneoutdoors8593]

very informing

[@jeremynguyen2346]

Hello Ryan Knorr

[@ThatTexan2002]

That’s funny I just did mine on Friday

[@Unctahdew]

I just hit them with a hand file real quick and finish with my honing rod from the kitchen. Slices paper and hardly removes any material.

[@griffturfcare5061]

good stuff!

[@oscarsantos2608]

Thanks for sharing, although I must say that I don't agree on how you sharpen those blades with the grinder, for a sharper blade you should always grind with the disk spinning away from the blade edge and not towards the blade edge. Try it and you'll see! 👍🙂

[@oscarsantos2608]

@@MajorImpact I found out on videos on youtube that teach how to sharpen various tools and some even took the results under a microscope, and the best results are in the fashion that I explain . And it is the way I Sharpen my blades, but if you find it otherwise the opposite, well go ahead.

[@georgemarcus6025]

Off topic of this video. But looking for a grass seed that is good in my small dog area. That will do ok with low to no firt. Don't want my dogs to get sick. Any suggestions

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Artificial Turf

[@zachblair463]

I like to mark the bottom of the blade to make reinstalling easier. Especially if I'm going to have them off for a while.

[@rss8363]

It's not that difficult just be sure the sharp side of the blade is the side closest to the grass

[@CaseyHoorelbeke]

Do you recommend 60 grit, or is 80 safer for beginners?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

60 should be fine

[@69mustang07]

I like to use German tightening spec... gutentight

[@djmegahurtz]

I got the drill adapter & balancer kit from Lowes, then got under my mower & discovered that sucker was bent to HELL lol. Had to order a new blade

[@theCastleberry]

Good ole simple and easy to follow DIY video. Good stuff as always sir.

[@markmirabella4066]

ALWAYS DISCONNECT YOUR SPARK PLUG WHEN TIPPING YOUR MOWER, if the blades turn enough, they will also turn the flywheel which is designed to generate spark and START the engine! Great way to get maimed. And wear safety goggles while sharpening, those sparks contain tons of little metal shards that can get into your eyes.

[@ArmpitStudios]

How can that possibly happen when the deadman is engaged? I approve of being safe, but overkill is just overkill.

[@RyanBroseph]

How sharp is good enough? Is it a bad idea to have the blades too sharp?

[@oscarsantos2608]

I try to get them as sharp as possible, afterwards when the blades are nice and Sharp 🪒 I rev down the mower and start cutting the lawn if I see that they are not cutting well I rev up the mower just a tad.

[@pmartin4]

Ryan, what model mower is that? Toro time master? Where did you get the black deck? Thanks man

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZS6XoJ9eLWmoKs

[@battphone]

don't forget to take the burr off the backside of the blade once you are done sharpening it. I use a file to do this, but a pass of the angle grinder can do the trick.

[@hillshepardson9537]

No one does it Better!

[@xanthanx]

Great tips. But please disconnect the spark plug or if you have a battery powered, please remove the battery before removing the blade. My neighbor now only has nine fingers if he had learned that safety comes first.