Gator Blade Question

[Brucebotti]

Wow! I posted this yesterday....dropped out of circulation for 24 hours......and now 29 responses!

As ever, thanks for the timely, informative, and lively discussion!

Bruce

 

[djdicetn]

What works for clean them up is a hand held grinder and a light sanding disk, takes the little burrs off and keeps it sharp, clean and doesn't take off a lot of the blade.

When I sharpened/cleaned/balanced the blades on my lawn tractors I used my bench grinder that has a wire brush wheel on one side to remove all "buildup" on the complete blade before I balanced them. The wire brush always left them clean & polished. I felt like this gave a better result balancing them, but of course the grass doesn't really care how purty the blades are.....right???

 

[Brucebotti]

Well, I mounted the gator blades this morning and gave them a try. They were noisier, but gave a great cut. I mowed with the shoot open, and noticed that there was a lot of buildup under the deck compared to the OEM blades. It may have been due to the grass being wet (not from rain, but from dew). I'll clean under the deck again and give them another try.
Bruce

 

[Carscw]

Well, I mounted the gator blades this morning and gave them a try. They were noisier, but gave a great cut. I mowed with the shoot open, and noticed that there was a lot of buildup under the deck compared to the OEM blades. It may have been due to the grass being wet (not from rain, but from dew). I'll clean under the deck again and give them another try.
Bruce

So you found out the hard way gator blades don't like wet grass.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

 

[Ric]

Well, I mounted the gator blades this morning and gave them a try. They were noisier, but gave a great cut. I mowed with the shoot open, and noticed that there was a lot of buildup under the deck compared to the OEM blades. It may have been due to the grass being wet (not from rain, but from dew). I'll clean under the deck again and give them another try.
Bruce

So you found out the hard way gator blades don't like wet grass.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

Whether or not they work in wet grass I think depends on what mower there on. There are mowers out there that regardless of what type of blades you install just aren't going to do well in the wet and some that are just the opposite. I have found that most ZTR's don't like wet grass regardless of the type of blades you install but a wide area walk behind and a mower like my grandstand can go all day in the wet and not have many problems.

 

[Brucebotti]

So you found out the hard way gator blades don't like wet grass.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

I was very satisfied with the cut. It was strange that the only clumps of cut grass I got were whenever I crossed over the driveway.

By the way, how can you say that gator blades don't like wet grass. They actually love it so much they kept a bunch of it under my deck....:laughing:

Bruce

 

[Tom59]

How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade - YouTube

 

[Ric]

So you found out the hard way gator blades don't like wet grass.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

I was very satisfied with the cut. It was strange that the only clumps of cut grass I got were whenever I crossed over the driveway.

By the way, how can you say that gator blades don't like wet grass. They actually love it so much they kept a bunch of it under my deck....:laughing:

Bruce

You guys are funny, :biggrin:

Now I'm not trying to be an azz here but , So you found out the hard way gator blades don't like wet grass. I find that statement pretty ironic when you consider your always cutting wet grass. As far as finding it strange that the only clumps of cut grass you get is whenever you cross over the driveway, it would be strange if if didn't when you consider the way a gator blade works, I mean as soon as you hit the drive the blades have nothing more to cut or throw to the top of the deck to be re-cut so naturally the grass that's in the deck will be discharged. :smile:

 

[Carscw]

You guys are funny, :biggrin:

Now I'm not trying to be an azz here but , So you found out the hard way gator blades don't like wet grass. I find that statement pretty ironic when you consider your always cutting wet grass. As far as finding it strange that the only clumps of cut grass you get is whenever you cross over the driveway, it would be strange if if didn't when you consider the way a gator blade works, I mean as soon as you hit the drive the blades have nothing more to cut or throw to the top of the deck to be re-cut so naturally the grass that's in the deck will be discharged. :smile:

Guess I should have said
Gator blades do not perform their best when the grass is wet and or to tall.

I discharge with them so I don't get the clumping like you would with mulching

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

 

[Ric]

Guess I should have said
Gator blades do not perform their best when the grass is wet and or to tall.

I discharge with them so I don't get the clumping like you would with mulching

(( cowboy up and get over it ))

If Gator blades do not perform their best when the grass is wet, when do they perform there best?