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How do you detect when mower blades need sharpening ?
#1
MowerMark
MowerMark
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ? How can one tell if the blade is sharp enough ?
What to use to sharpen ? Or must it be done professionally ?
What to use to sharpen ? Or must it be done professionally ?
#2
S
SeniorCitizen
Dull tools have never been for me. I've had a sharp pocket knife since I was about 6. I prefer my blades to cut rather than beat the grass off and it isn't because what damage may incur to my ranch land grass ( and weeds ).
When I can run my finger the length of the edge without fear of cutting myself they get sharpened. With the system I've developed and using my Makita right angle grinder, while setting in my chair, it takes about 20 minutes for 2 blades start to finish.
Somewhere on the site there is a picture of a blade I sharpened if you would like to see the work the old man does in that 20 minutes.
S
SeniorCitizen
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ? How can one tell if the blade is sharp enough ?
What to use to sharpen ? Or must it be done professionally ?
Dull tools have never been for me. I've had a sharp pocket knife since I was about 6. I prefer my blades to cut rather than beat the grass off and it isn't because what damage may incur to my ranch land grass ( and weeds ).
When I can run my finger the length of the edge without fear of cutting myself they get sharpened. With the system I've developed and using my Makita right angle grinder, while setting in my chair, it takes about 20 minutes for 2 blades start to finish.
Somewhere on the site there is a picture of a blade I sharpened if you would like to see the work the old man does in that 20 minutes.
#3
L
LoCo86
I sharpen my blades pretty much daily. It might be excessive but I just write my blades off as a wear item that no matter what will have to be replaced twice a year.
To sharpen my ZTR blades I use a 1/2HP Oregon blade grinder and a buffer wheel to knock and burrs off the blade just for good measure. To sharpen my push mower blade I just use a file and sharpen it about 3 times a season and replace it every year.
L
LoCo86
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ? How can one tell if the blade is sharp enough ? What to use to sharpen ? Or must it be done professionally ?
I sharpen my blades pretty much daily. It might be excessive but I just write my blades off as a wear item that no matter what will have to be replaced twice a year.
To sharpen my ZTR blades I use a 1/2HP Oregon blade grinder and a buffer wheel to knock and burrs off the blade just for good measure. To sharpen my push mower blade I just use a file and sharpen it about 3 times a season and replace it every year.
#4
reynoldston
reynoldston
I sharpen or replace them as needed every spring before I start my seasonal grass cutting. Along with all new filters and a complete service. Right now I am getting ready for snow removal and fire wood.
#6
jekjr
jekjr
We normally change blades every 6 to 8 hours of run time unless they are not cutting good. Then we change more often. One day last week we changed blades in my Scag twice in one day.
#7
exotion
exotion
It's easy to detect your cut quality is lowered, your not mulching as well, its clumping, missing grass, grass looks beat up not cut.
I try to file mine nightly although I've been slacking lately, for heavy chunks I use a vice grip, angle grinder, and a cone balancer
I try to file mine nightly although I've been slacking lately, for heavy chunks I use a vice grip, angle grinder, and a cone balancer
#8
Bob E
All of the above. I can usually get 4 mows before sharpening. However, It's not extremely critical. If I get lazy and squeeze in a few extra mows before sharpening it doesn't hurt much.
I use a bench grinder to sharpen, and hang the blade horizontally on a screw driver shaft to check for balance.
Bob E
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ?
All of the above. I can usually get 4 mows before sharpening. However, It's not extremely critical. If I get lazy and squeeze in a few extra mows before sharpening it doesn't hurt much.
I use a bench grinder to sharpen, and hang the blade horizontally on a screw driver shaft to check for balance.
#9
P
possum
P
possum
I have never sharpened blades that much. As long as they cut good and the grass looks good I keep going. My rider often goes 30 or 40 hours before I sharpen or change them out. My push mowers get sharpened once a year. Sometimes twice. Every 25 or 30 hours.
#10
exotion
exotion
Well if I had a nice lawn and a machine that costs a lot of money I would want it to cut its best every time. Keeping the blades sharp is the best way. Worst thing about oversharpening is you will have to replace the blades more often. But your lawn will always look smoothly cut.
Just sharpen them regularly every month, 2 months, 3... Etc whatever is best for you if you wait for the warning signs your already damaging your lawn
Just sharpen them regularly every month, 2 months, 3... Etc whatever is best for you if you wait for the warning signs your already damaging your lawn
#11
Ric
You say it's easy detecting when your cut quality is lowered, your not mulching as well, its clumping, missing grass, grass looks beat up not cut, but that's not necessarily the case. All the thing you mentioned are maybe true but they can also be caused by grass build up in your deck and may not be caused by dull blades necessarily. To find out if your blades are dull or not you need to physically inspect them. Check them to see if there sharp or not, look for nicks in the blade etc and replace if needed and if your a homeowner that uses their mower once a week I'd replace them at the beginning of every mowing season. There not that expensive for a BBS mower.
Ric
It's easy to detect your cut quality is lowered, your not mulching as well, its clumping, missing grass, grass looks beat up not cut.
I try to file mine nightly although I've been slacking lately, for heavy chunks I use a vice grip, angle grinder, and a cone balancer
You say it's easy detecting when your cut quality is lowered, your not mulching as well, its clumping, missing grass, grass looks beat up not cut, but that's not necessarily the case. All the thing you mentioned are maybe true but they can also be caused by grass build up in your deck and may not be caused by dull blades necessarily. To find out if your blades are dull or not you need to physically inspect them. Check them to see if there sharp or not, look for nicks in the blade etc and replace if needed and if your a homeowner that uses their mower once a week I'd replace them at the beginning of every mowing season. There not that expensive for a BBS mower.
#12
L
LoCo86
I think he was talking about noticing as you are mowing throughout the day you can see your blades getting duller after every yard. As far as grass build up you should clean the deck after every days use. I know after mowing all day you don't feel like it but it needs to be done and it saves you time in the morning. Also I think you should sharpen your blades at this time as well. I personally sharpen them everyday of use.
L
LoCo86
You say it's easy detecting when your cut quality is lowered, your not mulching as well, its clumping, missing grass, grass looks beat up not cut, but that's not necessarily the case. All the thing you mentioned are maybe true but they can also be caused by grass build up in your deck and may not be caused by dull blades necessarily. To find out if your blades are dull or not you need to physically inspect them. Check them to see if there sharp or not, look for nicks in the blade etc and replace if needed and if your a homeowner that uses their mower once a week I'd replace them at the beginning of every mowing season. There not that expensive for a BBS mower.
I think he was talking about noticing as you are mowing throughout the day you can see your blades getting duller after every yard. As far as grass build up you should clean the deck after every days use. I know after mowing all day you don't feel like it but it needs to be done and it saves you time in the morning. Also I think you should sharpen your blades at this time as well. I personally sharpen them everyday of use.
#13
Ric
I think if your seeing a change like that during the day it's probably the deck plugging up, not the blades going dull. Sharpening blades daily is a thing of the past with the blades they are making today. Manufactures are making blades now that you don't have to sharpen as frequently. Blades like the Gator Blades are made a lot more heavy duty than OEM blades are, the cutting edge they use are made using a electrofusion process that welds tungsten carbide into the blade, reduces the frequency of blade sharpening and lengthens blade life. You can believe that the blades sold at and on your BBS mowers are about as cheap as they come.
Ric
I think he was talking about noticing as you are mowing throughout the day you can see your blades getting duller after every yard. As far as grass build up you should clean the deck after every days use. I know after mowing all day you don't feel like it but it needs to be done and it saves you time in the morning. Also I think you should sharpen your blades at this time as well. I personally sharpen them everyday of use.
I think if your seeing a change like that during the day it's probably the deck plugging up, not the blades going dull. Sharpening blades daily is a thing of the past with the blades they are making today. Manufactures are making blades now that you don't have to sharpen as frequently. Blades like the Gator Blades are made a lot more heavy duty than OEM blades are, the cutting edge they use are made using a electrofusion process that welds tungsten carbide into the blade, reduces the frequency of blade sharpening and lengthens blade life. You can believe that the blades sold at and on your BBS mowers are about as cheap as they come.
#14
Carscw
Carscw
I change my blades out every day.
Takes less then 5 mins
Keeps the ends from getting rounded.
I never clean my deck.
Takes less then 5 mins
Keeps the ends from getting rounded.
I never clean my deck.
#15
B
badboypartsonline
B
badboypartsonline
When the grass is not cutting in shape and sometime blade moves freely without cutting grass its time to change the blade of sharpening it.:confused2:
#16
X-man
X-man
I'm notorious about not taking care of my blades
I usually wait until it does a poor job at cutting :/
I usually wait until it does a poor job at cutting :/
#17
Carscw
Always keeping the blades sharp saves you time and money.
You ever notice there are times you have to cut a yard twice or go slow ?
Take the 15 mins a week and sharping the blades. You can mow faster and less wear and tear in the engine and deck spindle bearings.
Carscw
I'm notorious about not taking care of my blades I usually wait until it does a poor job at cutting :/
Always keeping the blades sharp saves you time and money.
You ever notice there are times you have to cut a yard twice or go slow ?
Take the 15 mins a week and sharping the blades. You can mow faster and less wear and tear in the engine and deck spindle bearings.
#18
X-man
Yeah I know. The thing is with me, the only time I ever think about the blades is when I'm in the middle of mowing a lawn.
Or when I'm running over all the damn crabapples in my backyard.
X-man
Always keeping the blades sharp saves you time and money.
You ever notice there are times you have to cut a yard twice or go slow ?
Take the 15 mins a week and sharping the blades. You can mow faster and less wear and tear in the engine and deck spindle bearings.
Yeah I know. The thing is with me, the only time I ever think about the blades is when I'm in the middle of mowing a lawn.
Or when I'm running over all the damn crabapples in my backyard.
#19
S
SeniorCitizen
The apple juice and clippings are easier to clean the under side of the deck with the blades removed. :laughing: Perfect time to sharpen.
S
SeniorCitizen
Yeah I know. The thing is with me, the only time I ever think about the blades is when I'm in the middle of mowing a lawn.
Or when I'm running over all the damn crabapples in my backyard.
The apple juice and clippings are easier to clean the under side of the deck with the blades removed. :laughing: Perfect time to sharpen.
#20
P
panabiker
P
panabiker
I only have a my own lawn to mow every 7-10 days and I sharpen my blades once a season, before the first cut in the spring. I never noticed any cut quality change throughout the season. If anything, the lawn looks the best just about now.
#21
Ric
I agree with everything you said, I generally sharpen every twenty five hours which for me is like every seven or eight days. I keep a couple of sets of blades already sharpened in the tool box so it's a case of just changing them out and I'll sharpen the set I remove at a later time.
Ric
Always keeping the blades sharp saves you time and money.
You ever notice there are times you have to cut a yard twice or go slow ?
Take the 15 mins a week and sharping the blades. You can mow faster and less wear and tear in the engine and deck spindle bearings.
I agree with everything you said, I generally sharpen every twenty five hours which for me is like every seven or eight days. I keep a couple of sets of blades already sharpened in the tool box so it's a case of just changing them out and I'll sharpen the set I remove at a later time.
#22
MowerMark
Where may I get Gator Blades to fit my Honda mower ?
MowerMark
I think if your seeing a change like that during the day it's probably the deck plugging up, not the blades going dull. Sharpening blades daily is a thing of the past with the blades they are making today. Manufactures are making blades now that you don't have to sharpen as frequently. Blades like the Gator Blades are made a lot more heavy duty than OEM blades are, the cutting edge they use are made using a electrofusion process that welds tungsten carbide into the blade, reduces the frequency of blade sharpening and lengthens blade life. You can believe that the blades sold at and on your BBS mowers are about as cheap as they come.
Where may I get Gator Blades to fit my Honda mower ?
#23
exotion
You don't
exotion
Where may I get Gator Blades to fit my Honda mower ?
You don't
#25
exotion
They don't make them. Nor are there any aftermarket blades for Honda's
exotion
Why not ?
They don't make them. Nor are there any aftermarket blades for Honda's
#26
MowerMark
Please get this problem corrected forthwith. Thank you, and Happy Turkey Day.
MowerMark
They don't make them. Nor are there any aftermarket blades for Honda's
Please get this problem corrected forthwith. Thank you, and Happy Turkey Day.
#27
exotion
I know! When I used the Honda commercially I searched for them came out empty handed. A gator blade on a Honda would be incredible
exotion
Please get this problem corrected forthwith. Thank you, and Happy Turkey Day.
I know! When I used the Honda commercially I searched for them came out empty handed. A gator blade on a Honda would be incredible
#28
MowerMark
Have you contacted the manufacturer, or does Honda prohibit after market improved blades ?
MowerMark
I know! When I used the Honda commercially I searched for them came out empty handed. A gator blade on a Honda would be incredible
Have you contacted the manufacturer, or does Honda prohibit after market improved blades ?
#29
Ric
Ric
Oregon makes the Gator blades for the Honda mowers, you can get them any number of places.
#30
MowerMark
Oregon what ? Have a link ? I'll go and talk to them.
MowerMark
Oregon makes the Gator blades for the Honda mowers, you can get them any number of places.
Oregon what ? Have a link ? I'll go and talk to them.
#31
exotion
My dealer I use is an Oregon dealer he told me they didn't make blades for Honda maybe it was just my Honda
exotion
Oregon makes the Gator blades for the Honda mowers, you can get them any number of places.
My dealer I use is an Oregon dealer he told me they didn't make blades for Honda maybe it was just my Honda
#32
Ric
Oregon is who makes the Gator Blades and yes you can but the blades from them. You can also buy them in dozens of places online. Here's just three links. I assume your talking about the 21" I really don't know why anyone would say they don't make the blades.
Amazon.com : Oregon Gator Mulcher 3-N-1 Blade For 21-Inch Honda Lawn Mowers 90-651 : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Oregon 20-7/8" Gator Mulcher G3 Mower Blade 7/8" Center Hole (90-651) For Honda | 20 Thru 23 Inch | Honda | www.baileysonline.com
Oregon Gator Mulcher™ Mower Blade — 21in. Cut, Honda | Mower Accessories| Northern Tool + Equipment
Ric
Oregon what ? Have a link ? I'll go and talk to them.
Oregon is who makes the Gator Blades and yes you can but the blades from them. You can also buy them in dozens of places online. Here's just three links. I assume your talking about the 21" I really don't know why anyone would say they don't make the blades.
Amazon.com : Oregon Gator Mulcher 3-N-1 Blade For 21-Inch Honda Lawn Mowers 90-651 : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Oregon 20-7/8" Gator Mulcher G3 Mower Blade 7/8" Center Hole (90-651) For Honda | 20 Thru 23 Inch | Honda | www.baileysonline.com
Oregon Gator Mulcher™ Mower Blade — 21in. Cut, Honda | Mower Accessories| Northern Tool + Equipment
#33
Ric
I don't know what Honda you have but I'd be willing to bet you can get a Gator Blade for it. I would assume Honda uses the same blade adapter or mount on most all there mowers, seems like there all a three bolt pattern aren't they at least everyone I've used over the years have been the same.
Ric
My dealer I use is an Oregon dealer he told me they didn't make blades for Honda maybe it was just my Honda
I don't know what Honda you have but I'd be willing to bet you can get a Gator Blade for it. I would assume Honda uses the same blade adapter or mount on most all there mowers, seems like there all a three bolt pattern aren't they at least everyone I've used over the years have been the same.
#34
MowerMark
Ric: Thank you. Any links or further information on those places ?
MowerMark
Oregon makes the Gator blades for the Honda mowers, you can get them any number of places.
Ric: Thank you. Any links or further information on those places ?
#35
Ric
I don't know what other information I could give you about those places other than I've done business with Amazon and Northern Tool and both are reasonable fast on there shipping. I order a lot of stuff through Amazon and you can frequently get free shipping so it makes it a little cheaper with out that cost. The blade at the bottom is off the Oregon site with there part number. Your Blade will probably be the G3
Honda Gator Blades
Ric
Ric: Thank you. Any links or further information on those places ?
I don't know what other information I could give you about those places other than I've done business with Amazon and Northern Tool and both are reasonable fast on there shipping. I order a lot of stuff through Amazon and you can frequently get free shipping so it makes it a little cheaper with out that cost. The blade at the bottom is off the Oregon site with there part number. Your Blade will probably be the G3
Honda Gator Blades
|  | 90-651 |
#36
J
jamie11
I change blades as soon as I see nicks sitting on the blades. But its should be a little obvious when your mower's blade is already blunt. Do a test and start mowing in a certain area. Check some cut grass and analyse if they were mowed finely. When you see a thread-like thing sticking out of the grass (vascular tissue), that's the time you need to sharpen or replace the blade.
I don't know what kind of machine is the best thing to use for sharpening, you just ask the shop where you bought your mower from about blades.
J
jamie11
Does one wait until the grass blade looks shredded and yellow ? Do you feel the edge and decide ? Sharpen at regular intervals no matter what ? How can one tell if the blade is sharp enough ?
What to use to sharpen ? Or must it be done professionally ?
I change blades as soon as I see nicks sitting on the blades. But its should be a little obvious when your mower's blade is already blunt. Do a test and start mowing in a certain area. Check some cut grass and analyse if they were mowed finely. When you see a thread-like thing sticking out of the grass (vascular tissue), that's the time you need to sharpen or replace the blade.
I don't know what kind of machine is the best thing to use for sharpening, you just ask the shop where you bought your mower from about blades.
#37
MowerMark
Home Depot ? No way. I've used a $10 handheld sharpener. Just three strokes and the blade is sharper.
MowerMark
I change blades as soon as I see nicks sitting on the blades. But its should be a little obvious when your mower's blade is already blunt. Do a test and start mowing in a certain area. Check some cut grass and analyse if they were mowed finely. When you see a thread-like thing sticking out of the grass (vascular tissue), that's the time you need to sharpen or replace the blade.
I don't know what kind of machine is the best thing to use for sharpening, you just ask the shop where you bought your mower from about blades.
Home Depot ? No way. I've used a $10 handheld sharpener. Just three strokes and the blade is sharper.
#38
B
bertsmobile1
B
bertsmobile1
Just to clear things up a little.
gator only make bar blades, not swing back blades.
So if you are talking about a push mower, no there are no gators available.
Down here the local aftermarket suppliers do thicker blades for commercial honda push mowers .
Domestically swing back blades should be changed every season around 50 hours.
If you have rough lawns with gravel and / lots of sticks you don't bother the clear away first then you will need to change/ sharpen your blades a lot sooner.
Swing back blades are only 2 mm thick so you will not notice if they are blunt unless you ae mowing a really fine lawn.
A blunt blade will leave a cut in the grass that looks the same as a weed whacker.
If you sharpen swing back blades they should be balanced to within 6 gram and ideally within 2 gram so they need to be done on a wet stone or with a diamond hone.
For the price of new blades, it is not economic for me to do it as labour ends up twice the replacement cost & my insurance company will not cover me for sharpened blades unless done with a sharpening tool that costs hundreds of dollars.
If you want to do it at home then you will need a couple of sets unless you run a hone over them every time you mow.
Blade bolts should always get replaced. some types are safe to reuse, some are not, most are held on with nylock nuts which are single use only.
Bar blades should never be used with push mowers.
Bar blades are a different animal and do need to be sharpened regularly in order to make a clean cut at a reasonable speed.
My commercial customers usually sharpen every week as part of routine maintenance .
Domestically that would be about once a season most home owners do around 50 hours a season.
Generally very few , except commercial mowerers sharpen blades which is why mowers now run engines 2 to 3 times bigger than needed so the motor has enough grunt to smash grass apart with a 1/4" thick lump of round edged steel that once upon a time was a sharp blade.
gator only make bar blades, not swing back blades.
So if you are talking about a push mower, no there are no gators available.
Down here the local aftermarket suppliers do thicker blades for commercial honda push mowers .
Domestically swing back blades should be changed every season around 50 hours.
If you have rough lawns with gravel and / lots of sticks you don't bother the clear away first then you will need to change/ sharpen your blades a lot sooner.
Swing back blades are only 2 mm thick so you will not notice if they are blunt unless you ae mowing a really fine lawn.
A blunt blade will leave a cut in the grass that looks the same as a weed whacker.
If you sharpen swing back blades they should be balanced to within 6 gram and ideally within 2 gram so they need to be done on a wet stone or with a diamond hone.
For the price of new blades, it is not economic for me to do it as labour ends up twice the replacement cost & my insurance company will not cover me for sharpened blades unless done with a sharpening tool that costs hundreds of dollars.
If you want to do it at home then you will need a couple of sets unless you run a hone over them every time you mow.
Blade bolts should always get replaced. some types are safe to reuse, some are not, most are held on with nylock nuts which are single use only.
Bar blades should never be used with push mowers.
Bar blades are a different animal and do need to be sharpened regularly in order to make a clean cut at a reasonable speed.
My commercial customers usually sharpen every week as part of routine maintenance .
Domestically that would be about once a season most home owners do around 50 hours a season.
Generally very few , except commercial mowerers sharpen blades which is why mowers now run engines 2 to 3 times bigger than needed so the motor has enough grunt to smash grass apart with a 1/4" thick lump of round edged steel that once upon a time was a sharp blade.
#39
Carscw
Carscw
I would like to know what mower comes with more hp then it needs.
Most mowers are under powered.
Most mowers are under powered.
#40
Ric
LOL:thumbsup:
Ric
I would like to know what mower comes with more hp then it needs.
Most mowers are under powered.
LOL:thumbsup:
#41
exotion
Ya... I agree I want to push my mower through 12" wet grass with no troubles
exotion
I would like to know what mower comes with more hp then it needs.
Most mowers are under powered.
Ya... I agree I want to push my mower through 12" wet grass with no troubles
#42
B
bertsmobile1
B
bertsmobile1
3 to 4 inches of cut per Horse is more than adequate
the old 30" used to come with 6 to 8 Hp
Now they come with 15 Hp
Lots of mowers are getting down to 1.5" per Hp as the world has gone power mad and the mowers are so similar the last selling point is "mine is bigger than yours".
I have a customer with 61" Dane powered by a 22Hp .
His beighbour has a 42" Husky run by a 27 Hp.
the Dane will cut grass at nearly twice the speed of the Husky and leave a better finish.
Professional mowers are a slightly different matter as you blokes run them very fast but with sharp blades most would be able to cut faster than their maximum ground speed.
Mulching admittantly adds another 20 % load ( so the manufacturers bumph says ) but I see little difference to the load mulching as I do bagging and if anything the baggers seem more energy hungry.
Have a think back about your own mower over the past 10 years or so.If it has been current for all that time usually nothing has changed save a few compulsory safety switches and the motor packages offered now are nearly double what they came out with. Both B&S & Kohler recommend engines rated at 120% of the requirement of the mower and then most manufacturers fit the next size up. take a little cut in their margins in the hope you will sing the praises of their machine on places like this.
Every client who whinges about how slow their mower is generally has blades with no cutting edge left at all. I pop a new set of blades on and they ring back wanting to know what I have done as "it runs just like new" but try & get them to buy new blades before the flutes have worn off the old ones is next to impossible.
I have a lot of JD's no my run, both LT's & ZTRs. with the same deck ( 42" ) the ZTRs cut at nearly twice the speed of the tractors both having the same power rated engines ( although not the same brands ).
Apart from one contractor who mows roadsides I know of no one who regularly runs their mower at full speed.
Most will cut quite well flat stick but border on being uncontrollable at much over 10kph
perhaps if I drove them 10 hours a day in place of 1/2 hour every 6 months when they get serviced I might have a different opinion.
However I have 2 Dixie Choppers ( very appropriate name ) in my run and I have been fighting the owners to get them to run the engines at full speed as both cut running at about 1/2 speed because it goes too fast
One has a 2 acre block the other 5 acres which is why they decided they needed the really fast mowers
the old 30" used to come with 6 to 8 Hp
Now they come with 15 Hp
Lots of mowers are getting down to 1.5" per Hp as the world has gone power mad and the mowers are so similar the last selling point is "mine is bigger than yours".
I have a customer with 61" Dane powered by a 22Hp .
His beighbour has a 42" Husky run by a 27 Hp.
the Dane will cut grass at nearly twice the speed of the Husky and leave a better finish.
Professional mowers are a slightly different matter as you blokes run them very fast but with sharp blades most would be able to cut faster than their maximum ground speed.
Mulching admittantly adds another 20 % load ( so the manufacturers bumph says ) but I see little difference to the load mulching as I do bagging and if anything the baggers seem more energy hungry.
Have a think back about your own mower over the past 10 years or so.If it has been current for all that time usually nothing has changed save a few compulsory safety switches and the motor packages offered now are nearly double what they came out with. Both B&S & Kohler recommend engines rated at 120% of the requirement of the mower and then most manufacturers fit the next size up. take a little cut in their margins in the hope you will sing the praises of their machine on places like this.
Every client who whinges about how slow their mower is generally has blades with no cutting edge left at all. I pop a new set of blades on and they ring back wanting to know what I have done as "it runs just like new" but try & get them to buy new blades before the flutes have worn off the old ones is next to impossible.
I have a lot of JD's no my run, both LT's & ZTRs. with the same deck ( 42" ) the ZTRs cut at nearly twice the speed of the tractors both having the same power rated engines ( although not the same brands ).
Apart from one contractor who mows roadsides I know of no one who regularly runs their mower at full speed.
Most will cut quite well flat stick but border on being uncontrollable at much over 10kph
perhaps if I drove them 10 hours a day in place of 1/2 hour every 6 months when they get serviced I might have a different opinion.
However I have 2 Dixie Choppers ( very appropriate name ) in my run and I have been fighting the owners to get them to run the engines at full speed as both cut running at about 1/2 speed because it goes too fast
One has a 2 acre block the other 5 acres which is why they decided they needed the really fast mowers
#43
Carscw
Come work with me for one day and you will change your out look on this.
Not saying that it's all HP a lot has to do with the pulley set up.
You run junk deere so you know a bad pulley setup hurts the mower in tall grass.
Carscw
3 to 4 inches of cut per Horse is more than adequate the old 30" used to come with 6 to 8 Hp Now they come with 15 Hp Lots of mowers are getting down to 1.5" per Hp as the world has gone power mad and the mowers are so similar the last selling point is "mine is bigger than yours". I have a customer with 61" Dane powered by a 22Hp . His beighbour has a 42" Husky run by a 27 Hp. the Dane will cut grass at nearly twice the speed of the Husky and leave a better finish. Professional mowers are a slightly different matter as you blokes run them very fast but with sharp blades most would be able to cut faster than their maximum ground speed. Mulching admittantly adds another 20 % load ( so the manufacturers bumph says ) but I see little difference to the load mulching as I do bagging and if anything the baggers seem more energy hungry. Have a think back about your own mower over the past 10 years or so.If it has been current for all that time usually nothing has changed save a few compulsory safety switches and the motor packages offered now are nearly double what they came out with. Both B&S & Kohler recommend engines rated at 120% of the requirement of the mower and then most manufacturers fit the next size up. take a little cut in their margins in the hope you will sing the praises of their machine on places like this. Every client who whinges about how slow their mower is generally has blades with no cutting edge left at all. I pop a new set of blades on and they ring back wanting to know what I have done as "it runs just like new" but try & get them to buy new blades before the flutes have worn off the old ones is next to impossible. I have a lot of JD's no my run, both LT's & ZTRs. with the same deck ( 42" ) the ZTRs cut at nearly twice the speed of the tractors both having the same power rated engines ( although not the same brands ). Apart from one contractor who mows roadsides I know of no one who regularly runs their mower at full speed. Most will cut quite well flat stick but border on being uncontrollable at much over 10kph perhaps if I drove them 10 hours a day in place of 1/2 hour every 6 months when they get serviced I might have a different opinion. However I have 2 Dixie Choppers ( very appropriate name ) in my run and I have been fighting the owners to get them to run the engines at full speed as both cut running at about 1/2 speed because it goes too fast One has a 2 acre block the other 5 acres which is why they decided they needed the really fast mowers
Come work with me for one day and you will change your out look on this.
Not saying that it's all HP a lot has to do with the pulley set up.
You run junk deere so you know a bad pulley setup hurts the mower in tall grass.
#44
Ric
I think your wasting your time.
Ric
Come work with me for one day and you will change your out look on this.
Not saying that it's all HP a lot has to do with the pulley set up.
You run junk deere so you know a bad pulley setup hurts the mower in tall grass.
I think your wasting your time.
#45
Carscw
I agree but you know I have to keep going.
Carscw
I think your wasting your time.
I agree but you know I have to keep going.
#46
exotion
exotion
People who have never ran a mow crew have very strong opinions on how we do things. It's like the 20 something single woman who has never had kids but has babysat telling me how to be a parent lol
#47
Ric
:laughing::thumbsup:
Ric
People who have never ran a mow crew have very strong opinions on how we do things. It's like the 20 something single woman who has never had kids but has babysat telling me how to be a parent lol
:laughing::thumbsup:
#48
B
bertsmobile1
B
bertsmobile1
Not trying to be obnoxious nor teach granny how to suck eggs, Just some thing I have noticed particularly as all of the mowers I own are under 15 Hp.
OTOH I do like to get into peoples heads to see where they are coming from and how they think. If we were always in agreement the world would be a very boring place, and being a conceited old git, naturally I am always right ( untill PROVEN wrong ), after which I will then be right.
My imediate thoughts are that you would like to do all your mowing, slashing & clearing with the one impilment and you see the solution as more grunt.
From my view, 12" wet grass is not the place to be using a finishing mower, it is a job for a slasher or flail . Down here we have the luxury of 300+ dry days a year so when it rains then that is down time for equipment maintenance so no need to mow in the rain or even mow wet grass. I appreciate your circumstance could be substantially different.
And no I have not run a team, but I do have 4 miles of road side 5 strad wire & post fence ( electric ) to mow under & both sides of along with around 6 acres of associated rural street frontage including 3 creeks , up a 15 - 40 deg hill plus some really steep embankments and a few cuttings. This being in the bush it is full of Lantanna, blackberries, Tussock grasses ( 3 kinds ), bull rushes, bogs, swampy sectiions , gravel , saplings, fallen tree branches and of course McDonalds , Coke bottles & beer cans ( people are such slobs ) and just to make life interesting snakes 3 kinds all killers plus the odd pile of garbage or building debris some moron dumps overnight. So I do just a little mowing and as this has to be fitted in around doing repairs, mowing time is time I am prevented from making money so we are sort of in the opposite ends of the same canoe . I am not a saturday arvo armchair mower cruising around in the sun with an ice cold beer in one hand telling the pros how to do their job.
The fun bit is as a small engine repairer I get to play with a lot of different gear ( mostly domestic ) and see a lot of different attitudes from the contractor who runs cheap equipment and sends his employees in every Friday arvo on the way home for a blade change & once over. They sharpen the blades, I just change them ( insurance reasons ) . right through to the types who run top shelf gear, fit Gator blades then never touch them till they start to leave a mowhawk down the lawns.
OTOH I do like to get into peoples heads to see where they are coming from and how they think. If we were always in agreement the world would be a very boring place, and being a conceited old git, naturally I am always right ( untill PROVEN wrong ), after which I will then be right.
My imediate thoughts are that you would like to do all your mowing, slashing & clearing with the one impilment and you see the solution as more grunt.
From my view, 12" wet grass is not the place to be using a finishing mower, it is a job for a slasher or flail . Down here we have the luxury of 300+ dry days a year so when it rains then that is down time for equipment maintenance so no need to mow in the rain or even mow wet grass. I appreciate your circumstance could be substantially different.
And no I have not run a team, but I do have 4 miles of road side 5 strad wire & post fence ( electric ) to mow under & both sides of along with around 6 acres of associated rural street frontage including 3 creeks , up a 15 - 40 deg hill plus some really steep embankments and a few cuttings. This being in the bush it is full of Lantanna, blackberries, Tussock grasses ( 3 kinds ), bull rushes, bogs, swampy sectiions , gravel , saplings, fallen tree branches and of course McDonalds , Coke bottles & beer cans ( people are such slobs ) and just to make life interesting snakes 3 kinds all killers plus the odd pile of garbage or building debris some moron dumps overnight. So I do just a little mowing and as this has to be fitted in around doing repairs, mowing time is time I am prevented from making money so we are sort of in the opposite ends of the same canoe . I am not a saturday arvo armchair mower cruising around in the sun with an ice cold beer in one hand telling the pros how to do their job.
The fun bit is as a small engine repairer I get to play with a lot of different gear ( mostly domestic ) and see a lot of different attitudes from the contractor who runs cheap equipment and sends his employees in every Friday arvo on the way home for a blade change & once over. They sharpen the blades, I just change them ( insurance reasons ) . right through to the types who run top shelf gear, fit Gator blades then never touch them till they start to leave a mowhawk down the lawns.
#49
OutdoorEnvy
OutdoorEnvy
I just sharpened up my blade for the season. I use a file and get it plenty sharp in 10-15 minutes. I just did my low cut for the start of the season, it cut like butter. I'm a residential mower but I've been using the same blade for 5 years now and it does great getting sharpened once a year. I'm surprised to read how many replace their blades after pretty low hour use. I realize commercial mowing is totally different but that seems like it would add up to a lot of money over the course of a season and years.
I'd be curious if anyone knows what Rockwell hardness rating different blades have to compare durability and longevity. There's a got to be a sweet spot for mower blades that combines decent edge retention without being brittle. Similar to an axe.
I'd be curious if anyone knows what Rockwell hardness rating different blades have to compare durability and longevity. There's a got to be a sweet spot for mower blades that combines decent edge retention without being brittle. Similar to an axe.
#50
jekjr
I just bought three sets of blades for my 52" Scag. We normally swap blades out every day if we are running hard. We normally get three to four runs out of a set I think before the ends start to wear out.
jekjr
I just sharpened up my blade for the season. I use a file and get it plenty sharp in 10-15 minutes. I just did my low cut for the start of the season, it cut like butter. I'm a residential mower but I've been using the same blade for 5 years now and it does great getting sharpened once a year. I'm surprised to read how many replace their blades after pretty low hour use. I realize commercial mowing is totally different but that seems like it would add up to a lot of money over the course of a season and years. I'd be curious if anyone knows what Rockwell hardness rating different blades have to compare durability and longevity. There's a got to be a sweet spot for mower blades that combines decent edge retention without being brittle. Similar to an axe.
I just bought three sets of blades for my 52" Scag. We normally swap blades out every day if we are running hard. We normally get three to four runs out of a set I think before the ends start to wear out.
#51
S
SeniorCitizen
Check the hardness by using the blade as a Hardy and cutting a nail.
******************************************************************
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/front-porch/28245-blade-hardness.html?highlight=blade+hardness
S
SeniorCitizen
******************************************************************I just sharpened up my blade for the season. I use a file and get it plenty sharp in 10-15 minutes. I just did my low cut for the start of the season, it cut like butter. I'm a residential mower but I've been using the same blade for 5 years now and it does great getting sharpened once a year. I'm surprised to read how many replace their blades after pretty low hour use. I realize commercial mowing is totally different but that seems like it would add up to a lot of money over the course of a season and years.
I'd be curious if anyone knows what Rockwell hardness rating different blades have to compare durability and longevity. There's a got to be a sweet spot for mower blades that combines decent edge retention without being brittle. Similar to an axe.
Check the hardness by using the blade as a Hardy and cutting a nail.
******************************************************************
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/front-porch/28245-blade-hardness.html?highlight=blade+hardness
#52
B
bertsmobile1
Nothing like an axe two totally different types of cutting edges and load dynamics.
Keech Castings used to do the raw castings for a lot of competition axes
They are made from an alloy very similar to excavator teeth, very hard & gets harder the more it is used.
Judging from the sparks most bar blades I see are 08 to 1 carbon which brings them out in the range of carbon tool steel.
Blades need to be tough rather than hard so they bend rather than break.
Some Chineese bar blades appear to be a casting which is very dangerous but casting is the cheapest method of shaping metals so I was not surprised as they are made to be the cheapest possible product not a servicable product.
Swing back blades are higher carbon again and much harder because they can swing back rather than having to take a heavy blow
As for Gators "electrofusion" of tungston carbide, well that is what happens when you let advertising copywriters loose on some thing they have no ideal about.
Electrofusion is a copyright term of Plessy from memory and reffers specifically to a method of welding plastic. don't believe me, Google it.
But electrofusion does sound a lot sexier than dissolution heat treating.
The slightest exercising of the "little grey cells" should have come up with alarm bells.
The "fused" blade, resists errosion & abrasion and avoids chipping, which are the mechanical mechanisms that blunten the blade.
However the blade that is twice as hard to blunten is no harder to sharpen.
So how do you sharpen the blade, you abrade the surface, but the surface is more resistant to abrasion, er , dosn't quite gell does it.
B
bertsmobile1
I just sharpened up my blade for the season. I use a file and get it plenty sharp in 10-15 minutes. I just did my low cut for the start of the season, it cut like butter. I'm a residential mower but I've been using the same blade for 5 years now and it does great getting sharpened once a year. I'm surprised to read how many replace their blades after pretty low hour use. I realize commercial mowing is totally different but that seems like it would add up to a lot of money over the course of a season and years.
I'd be curious if anyone knows what Rockwell hardness rating different blades have to compare durability and longevity. There's a got to be a sweet spot for mower blades that combines decent edge retention without being brittle. Similar to an axe.
Nothing like an axe two totally different types of cutting edges and load dynamics.
Keech Castings used to do the raw castings for a lot of competition axes
They are made from an alloy very similar to excavator teeth, very hard & gets harder the more it is used.
Judging from the sparks most bar blades I see are 08 to 1 carbon which brings them out in the range of carbon tool steel.
Blades need to be tough rather than hard so they bend rather than break.
Some Chineese bar blades appear to be a casting which is very dangerous but casting is the cheapest method of shaping metals so I was not surprised as they are made to be the cheapest possible product not a servicable product.
Swing back blades are higher carbon again and much harder because they can swing back rather than having to take a heavy blow
As for Gators "electrofusion" of tungston carbide, well that is what happens when you let advertising copywriters loose on some thing they have no ideal about.
Electrofusion is a copyright term of Plessy from memory and reffers specifically to a method of welding plastic. don't believe me, Google it.
But electrofusion does sound a lot sexier than dissolution heat treating.
The slightest exercising of the "little grey cells" should have come up with alarm bells.
The "fused" blade, resists errosion & abrasion and avoids chipping, which are the mechanical mechanisms that blunten the blade.
However the blade that is twice as hard to blunten is no harder to sharpen.
So how do you sharpen the blade, you abrade the surface, but the surface is more resistant to abrasion, er , dosn't quite gell does it.