To make your grass-cutting experience super easy and smooth, it is essential to have sharp lawnmower blades. However, most people don’t even know how long lawn mower blades last and how often you should replace them. If you are one of those people, look no more as we have all your queries answered.[acf field=”faqschema”]
How long do Lawn Mower Blades Last?
The substances that are present in your yard other than the grass and the length of mowing operation determine how long do lawn mower blades last. Once you have the best lawn mower, its high-quality lawn mower blades last quite long without getting dull and showing deterioration in their function for around 400 hours, that too, if operated very carefully.
Depending on the level of maintenance and care, the lawn mower blades last for almost 100 to 200 operating hours on average. For your blades to remain working correctly and last longer, you are supposed to sharpen them after every 20 to 25 hours of use.
These blades must be taken care of because they are the fundamental part of lawn mowing and your mower. Therefore, taking proper care of these blades and sharpening and replacing them with time is necessary.
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Maintenance Tips to Keep Mower Blades in working condition:
To make sure that the lawn mower blades are always in shape and ready to cut the grass appropriately and last longer, here are some maintenance tips to follow:
Sharpen Blades When Needed:
Once you start noticing that the blades are tearing the grass rather than properly cutting it, do know it is time to sharpen the blades. To sharpen them, you will need a mower blade sharpener that will not make the blade serrated and does the job of sharpening amazingly.
Here is how you can sharpen the blades of your lawn mower:
- The first and foremost thing is to take care of your safety. Get your hands on leather gloves and safety glasses before starting the job.
- To avoid the accidental startup of the mower, don’t forget to unplug the spark plug. Ensure you have emptied the fuel in your mower to prevent any kind of unintentional fuel spill.
- Hose down the blade and the housing until you are sure that all the grass and other stuff are removed.
- Now remove the nut that is holding the blade by using a ratchet, cheater bar etc.
- Once removed, it is now time to examine the blade to make sure that the blades need sharpening and not a replacement. If the blade is having just minor nicks or one or two extensive nicks, then sharpening the blade will do the job. However, if there is a crack, a bent, or many significant nicks on the blade, then it needs to be replaced entirely.
- You can either use a grinder or a file to sharpen the blade, depending on your choice.
- If you use a grinder, put your safety glasses and gloves on and grasp the blade tightly in your hands or clamps. Maintain the angle that is already on the blade and slowly start grinding by taking small portions off at a time.
- If you are using a file, clamp the blade properly and maintain its angle that is already on the blade. Use only one stroke, whether a push or pull, depending on your choice. Keep filing until the minor nicks are gone and the edge of the blade is reasonable.
- Once you are done with sharpening, place the blade back on the mower and tighten it with the nut.
Check Peripheral Parts:
Just maintaining the blades won’t do the job because checking the peripheral parts that are responsible for running the lawn mower blades is equally essential. The maintenance of the peripheral components plays a huge role in running the mower and its blades properly.
Things you can do to let peripheral parts work correctly are as follows:
- Oil the moving parts.
- Change the oil.
- Check the rubber fittings.
- Replace the fuel filter when needed.
How often should you replace Lawn Mower Blades?
You should replace the blades as long as they do not get the job of cutting the grass appropriately. If the nicks or bents in the blades can’t be sharpened using the sharpening techniques, it is better to replace the blades rather than getting half job done by them.
Don’t keep using the blades if their life span has ended, and make sure you get the suitable blades for your mower. It is better to go back to the shop you bought your mower from to get the proper recommendations regarding selecting the blades.
Conclusion:
Mowing a lawn may seem like an easy job, but it gets challenging and overwhelming when the blades aren’t functioning correctly. Therefore, to get the best out of your mower’s blades, it is essential to sharpen them when needed or replace them when you can’t repair them.
