How to Sharpen a Reel Mower

You have a reel mower at home, but you don’t know if you need to sharpen it, when, and how much. If you know that it needs sharpening, you are probably wondering how to sharpen a reel lawn mower. You don’t have to worry, because we will go through all the necessary steps together and learn how to sharpen a reel lawn mower.

This type of mower is somewhat different from the others because its blades rotate vertically, moving from north to south. The appearance and efficiency of this type of mower vary from model to model, depending on whether it has three or more blades. The maximum it can have is seven. However, these blades become dull over time.

The reason for this can be the contact of the blade with stones, rocks, tree roots, but also any other obstacle that can damage them. If you have this problem, you do not need to call a professional. Don’t worry. With a little effort and time, you will easily master this technique. Below I will explain what you will need to sharpen the mower, in which order you will perform the steps and what you need to do after sharpening.

How Does a Reel Mower Work?

This type of mower has a set of curved blades that rotate together with the mower wheels. This type of mower has a set of curved blades that rotate together with the mower’s wheels. By pushing forward, the blades rotate. You need to keep in mind that frequent mowing of the grass improves the quality of your lawn.

Mowers with a bucket for collecting already mown grass can be found on the market. If you don’t have that gadget on your lawn mower, you should pick up grass that has already been mowed after you finish mowing.

How to Sharpen a Reel Mower Blade?

Before you start sharpening the blades on your mower, it is very important that you take care of your safety. Precautionary measures:

You can sharpen your mower in several ways. Some of the methods are:

How to Sharpen a Reel Mower Using a File?

This way of sharpening the blade in your mower is one of the most economical ways. Sharpening with the help of a file is very easy, and the results obtained are quite acceptable. Before sharpening, it is very important to thoroughly clean the blades with a wire brush or coarse sandpaper. After cleaning the blades of grass or dirt, place them on the surface in front of you and fasten them so that they do not move.

You can secure the blade with a broom or a piece of the armature that you will pass through the mower blades. Place the wavy part of the file on the edge of the blade. The angle at which the file stands should be the same as the angle of the beveled side of the blade. Now that you have set everything up and prepared properly, scrape the file on the blade from 3 to 6 times.

This will restore the old shine to your blade. When you have completely sharpened one blade, repeat the procedure on the other blades, until you sharpen them all. If you want your mower to last longer, after sharpening, lubricate them directly or on a cloth with which you will coat the blade.

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How to Sharpen Reel Mower Blades Using a Sharpening Compound?

Sharpening with a back-lapping sharpening kit is a very easy and effective way to quickly sharpen the blades of your mower. We know that this is probably not the most favorite activity for all of you, so it is necessary to make it as easy as possible. This kit contains a handle and a blade sharpening compound. This mixture is made of granular material and we will apply it to the cutting edges of the mowers.

The first thing you will do is to attach the handles of the kit to the mower, and then apply the mixture to each blade with a brush. Make sure everything is well greased. The next step is to turn the reel backwards so that the blades scrape against each other, thus returning their sharp edges. There are two ways to do this, manually or with help of electric grinder.

How to Properly Place the Blades on Your Mower?

When our lawn mower doesn’t work exactly the way we wanted it to, the first thought is that the blades are dull. That may not always be the case. Sometimes the problem is that the blades are not placed correctly. This causes the blades to hit each other and slow down the mower.

However, this is not an insurmountable problem and if you follow the tips you will solve it quickly and easily. The first thing you need to do is place the mower on a flat surface in front of you. It is very important to lock the blades to prevent unwanted movements.

The next step you need to take is to turn the reel with your hands to determine what type of adjustment is needed on your mower. If you notice noise, you should move the blade away from the cutting edge. However, if you notice a loose rotation, be sure to bring the blades closer to the cutting edge.

Once you have determined which type of setting you need, perform one of two options, depending on the type of setting. If it is necessary to bring the blades closer to the cutting edge, place a screwdriver on the screws and tighten them. Otherwise, if it is necessary to move them away from the edge of the blade, loosen the screws until you reach the desired distance of the blade from the cutting edge.

Do not rush with this adjustment, tighten the screws or loosen them little by little. Do not forget to turn the screws in the opposite direction from the reel screws. I advise you to do this step first before sharpening the blades of your mower. Only if the mower still does not work properly after this, start sharpening the blade.

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Is Regular Mower Maintenance Worth It?

The answer is yes. Although it looks very simple, this type of mower also needs regular maintenance. Regular maintenance will really help you make the most of your mower. Of course, there is no reason not to do that, because all you need to do is adjust it from time to time, sharpen the blades and lubricate it with a little transparent lubricant.

What Happens if We Don’t Sharpen Reel Lawn Mower Blades?

The wheels of the mower and the blades of the mower are interdependent, which means that operating your mower will be very difficult if the blades are blunt. Also, if the blades are blunt, the grass will not be completely mowed. Simply, the mower will not be able to cut the same amount of grass as when it is sharpened.

If you are really a lover of gardening, you will have to take care of the sharpness of the blade for some other reasons. Blunt or rusty blades can damage the grass and make it susceptible to grass diseases, pests and fungal problems.

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Final Thoughts

Why expose your home budget to unnecessary expense? If you hire someone to do this for you, rest assured that they will charge you much more than you need the money to do it yourself. If you still decide to use it with such protruding blades, you will have to buy a new mower very soon. It is a waste of money.

So be very smart this and apply what you read in this text today. I advise you to remember all the information about the reel mower blade sharpening very well because you will need it sooner or later. Of course, another useful piece of advice I can give you, in the end, is to remember to protect the blades of your mower from rust and thus also extend its shelf life.