Did You Know You Need to Sharpen Your Lawn Mower's Blades?

By Elizabeth Michael

July 08, 2024

When spring and summer approach, many homeowners prepare for the peak mowing season by making sure their mowers are in great shape. In addition to fueling up and changing the oil, it's important to sharpen your lawnmower blades.

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Dull blades can lead to frayed grass and root damage, while lawnmower blade sharpening helps ensure clean cuts that promote healthy growth. A sharp blade can also help prevent issues like clumping and patchiness.

How Often Do You Need to Sharpen Lawnmower Blades?

The frequency of sharpening your lawnmower blades depends on your specific lawn care goals. For example, if you're an avid mower and live in a warmer climate, you may need to sharpen your blades more often than someone who mows once a month during the warm months. A recent study shows certain lawn care aficionados sharpen their blades as much as once a week, while others save the sharpening for once every season. Whether you plan to mow weekly or a few times a year, experts advise sharpening your blades after every 25 hours of use. This means if it takes you 30 minutes to mow your lawn, you'll want to sharpen the blades after you use the mower 50 times.

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How to Sharpen Your Lawnmower’s Blades

The first thing you need to do when sharpening your lawnmower blades is to make sure your lawnmower is completely shut off. It's also important to disconnect the spark plug wire. This will help ensure optimal safety during the cleaning process and help prevent any accidental starts. Once you've turned off the mower, follow these steps to sharpen your blades:

Things You’ll Need

Hand file
Putty knife or cleaning brush
Bench clamp or vise
Screwdriver
Wrench
Eye mask
Work gloves

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Clean Your Mower

Elevate your mower or tilt it on its side for easy access to its underside. Make sure the carburetor side faces up. Use your putty knife or cleaning brush to remove any dirt, grass or other debris from the mower's underside and blades.

Step 2: Remove Lawnmower Blades

Locate the single bolt or nuts that attach the mower's blade or set of blades to its deck. Use your wrench or screwdriver to loosen the fasteners, and remove each blade. Once removed, inspect all blades for damage such as cracks or bending. If any of your blades have significant damage, it may be time for blade replacement.

Step 3: Use a Hand File to Sharpen Blades

Hand filing is recommended for beginners, as it doesn't require the use of machinery. Start by inserting your lawnmower blade into the vise to keep it in place throughout the process. Line up the file with the blade's sharp side (bevel). Make sure the blade is stable and secure, and move the file up and down along the cutting edge (approximately 50 strokes) at a 40- to 45-degree angle until the entire cutting edge is sharpened.

Step 4: Use a Grinder Tool to Sharpen Blades

You can also use a grinder tool to sharpen your lawnmower blades. However, these tools should only be handled by experienced users. To sharpen your blades with a grinder, place the blade against its revolving wheel. Follow the angle of the blade, and move it steadily across the grinder.

Step 5: Test Blades for Balance

Hammer a nail into a wall. Place the center hole of the blade over the nail. If one side hangs lower than the other, the blade may be out of balance. You can fix this by gently filing down the heavier side until the blade is completely balanced.

Step 6: Reinstall Lawnmower Blades

The final step in the sharpening process is to reinstall your blades. To ensure everything is where it should be, follow the diagram in your mower's user guide when replacing the blades, nuts or bolts.

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