Sometimes there isn't really a point, rather just conversation..
In many of my comments on certain aspects of sharpening there is a point, or two sides to a point, and that is the time availability difference, between a private individual only doing theirs or a shop owner doing hundreds with an extreme backlog.
I've asked at least two if not three people who have detailed their procedure for cleaning a blade as to how long it takes them start to finish to sharpen one standard 21 to 22 in walk behind mower blade.
As of yet, no one has given me any specific numbers as to how long they spend from the time the blade is off of the mower and placed into their hand since we have to be accurate about that because as a shop owner some blades are brought to you and handed to you for sharpening and you do not have to remove and reinstall them.
For me it's not about overall time as much as it is about efficiency but obviously for some people it's more about overall result and they somehow feel better if the blade is all clean and or shiny, repainted, etc.
It's the same for cleaning out carburetors in most situations. Most people prefer to take it off tomorrow which involves removing other things etc and place it on their workbench and they spend a good deal of time more doing it start to finish and they usually justify a rationalize this by talking about what a more thorough job they're doing but at the end of the day the results are the same with a running mower that didn't run before.
The same results I get a very high percentage of the time by simply removing the carb bowl and or jet or jets in the case of the Huayi style ones, cleaning those out and making sure everything in that bowl area and gasket area and float is clean when I put it back together.
II've always said the way I do it is a little bit harder but it's a lot faster.
In the case the blades there is no increased level of difficulty so it's not harder at all and it's simply quicker and it's beyond adequate, good enough, appropriate, quality.... whatever words you want to use because it's still an old blade that's going to be beat up, dulled, dirty, coated again in just a few minutes. Lol
Somewhat along these lines though or even plenty of customers who call thinking they need a new blade because there's probably dull.
They don't seem to have any idea that common practice is to sharpen a mower blade a decent handful of times if not more before it ever needs to be replaced.
It makes me wonder where they got that idea because the industry, internet, advertising pretty much completely avoids the whole issue.
It's not like there's ever been any advertisements or public service style announcements to replace your blade for the best cut and quality looking on etc LOL.
I guess I shouldn't give them any ideas!
I think the only way people even get the idea of replacing is when they see them in the packages at the store and some of them are somewhat attractively packaged in there blister packs hanging up on hooks etc but so many are just bear laying there in their bin without a whole lot of merchandising or appearance.
I'm sure the owners manuals say something about it but I think they mentioned sharpening first and foremost but how many people percentage wise really read the manual or ever get to that point of actually paying attention to what that part of the manual says?
