Do Brand New Lawn Mower Blades Need To Be Sharpened?

Do brand new lawn mower blades need to be sharpened?

Just bought a brand new lawnmower, and you are wondering whether you should sharpen the blades or not?

Dull lawnmower blades may turn your hobby of cutting grass into an annoying job.

Everyone would want to have a lawnmower with sharp blades to cut grass with less strain.

Sharp blades give an even grass cut to leaving the grass grow healthier.

In this guide, I’ll be discussing whether brand new lawn mower blades should be sharpened, when should the blades be replaced, and how frequent should sharpen the blades.

Do I Need To Sharpen My Brand New Lawn Mower Blades?

New lawnmower blades come sharpened from the manufacturer, so there is no need to sharpen them.

Do brand new lawn mower blades need to be sharpened?

The blades are sharpened in the factory before being sold to the customers.

They require sharpening after several sessions though it’ll depend on the nature of the mowing area and how frequent you do it.

Check my post on lawn mower valve adjustment symptoms.

When Should Lawn Mower Blades Be Sharpened?

After some time of using the lawn mower, the blades tend to get dull, making them less effective.

During mowing, the blades bump into objects such as rocks that may harm them, making them dull and blunt.

Check the blades after every session to determine whether there are any major scratches.

Minor dents can be fixed through sharpening, but with major dents and scratches, you may have to replace the blades with a new one.

Also, check my post on the electric grass shears on the market today.

When you mow using the dull blades, your grass will be left with jagged tears on its tips.

After a while, the tips may start turning yellow, making them unattractive.

How often you sharpen the blades will depend on the frequency in which you use the mower.

The more you use the lawnmower, the faster it will require sharpening.

You can easily notice when the blades need sharpening by checking whether they are making a clean, even cut.

Why Is It Important To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades?

The purpose of any lawn mower is to cut down grass to give a beautiful and even appearance.

Mowing helps the grass grow better and healthier to give you a look you need.

It’s very frustrating, just when you are in the mood to mow, you find that the blades are not cutting the grass properly.

Dull blades rip through grass, leading to jagged tips leaving the grass with torn tips that are likely to attract pests.

The grass will then start turning yellow at the tips to give it an unappealing look.

Sharp blades give you a clean and healthy cut that is visually appealing.

Most people prefer sharpening the blades once or twice a year, depending on the number of sessions and how long the sessions take.

Sharpening Lawn Mower Blades

Can you sharpen lawn mower blades without detaching them from the mower?

The answer is yes, you can sharpen the blades without having to remove them.

However, this only applies if the blade does not have major damages.

Most people will prefer, removing the blade to sharpen then re-balance it.

Sharpening the blades without removing them poses a risk of unbalancing them which causes vibration.

Use a torque wrench to tighten the blade bolt to ensure that they are tight enough according to the specifications.

In a single blade mower, the bolt will be a right-hand thread when viewing the mower with the carburetor side up.

To tighten the bolt, turn clockwise then turn anticlockwise when loosening

Note that over-tightening prevents the blade from slipping on the boss.

It later leads to bending of the crankshaft which later destroys the engine.

Why Does My Lawn Mower Cut Uneven?

There are various reasons why your lawnmower blades are cutting grass unevenly.

The end goal of any garden is to get a clean even cut after mowing.

However, sometimes, the expectations are not met due to a number of reasons.

Below are some of the reasons why your mower is not giving the cut you need.

• A bent or worn blade- when blades hit rocks or other hard objects on the grass during mowing, they get scratches and bents and over time they become worn out.
• Unlevelled deck- this is most common in tractor mowers. When the deck is not leveled you get an uneven cut at the end of the mowing.
• Deck wheels with varying heights- this applies to walk behind mowers, when the wheels do not have the same height you will definitely have an uneven cut in the end.
• Uneven tires pressures- when the tires of a tractor mower are uneven; the final result is an uneven cut.

How Often Should You Replace the Lawn Mower Blade?

After some time of using your lawnmower, its blades tend to wear out.

You can easily notice if the blades need replacement by inspecting them.

If you notice major dents, nicks and scratches, then it’s time to replace them.

Also, check on the blade’s thickness, and if they appear too thin, then its time to replace them.

To prolong the life of the blades, ensure regular sharpening which repairs any minor dent on the blade.

Now how often should one replace the blades?

Well, this depends on how frequent you use the lawnmower and how long does each session take.

If you use the mower too often, replace the blades every year depending on their condition.

Conclusion On Do Brand New Lawn Mower Blades Need To Be Sharpened

I hope I’ve answered your question on do brand new lawn mower blades need to be sharpened.

The simple answer is no as they are usually sharpened from the manufacturer so no need to sharpen again.

You can sharpen the blade after some time of use when you notice they are not giving you a clean and even cut.

Regularly inspect the blades so that you know when it needs sharpening and replacement.