mower blade sharpening video available ?

[moschdfass]

hello Forum Members and Guests,
last week I damaged our mower blade and needed to replace it.
The spare part arrived nearly dull :-(
In a first step I tried to sharpen it "freehand" on my TORMEK. Only the horizontal toolbar in use. The result didn't satisfy me much - no homogenous angle at all.
Q1: does somebody knows about a youtube video regarding this topic ?
Q2: is somebody out there having experience with mower blade sharpening and is able and willing to make such a video about the process and share it here ?

kind regards from
moschdfass (= Cidre barrel)

[Herman Trivilino]

Mower blades now come in a variety of shapes, so a jig that works on the Tormek for one type may be useless on another.

When possible, I like to use the knife jig (SVM-45).

Like you, I find it hard to get a nice edge free handing. Many people are good at it and will tell you it's way to get a good sharp edge. My lack of ability has led me to devise all sorts of jigs for sharpening tools on the Tormek.

[Ken S]

Herman, if no one else had your "lack of ability" we would not have so many jigs for the Tormek! With all respect due the expert old timers (real or imagined) who could do everything free hand, the desire for creating jigs may be a desire for higher precision rather than a lack of ability.

Incidentally, in my opinion, your HK-50 knife jig requires more hand skill than the Tormek small blade tool, and can also be more versatile. For the record, I have both and like both. (I even have an HK-40.)

Ken

[GrodanB]

I see no point in sharpening more than what a file is capable of.
The edge will be exposed to sand/earth/rocks etc. and not only grass...

So refining the edge more seems like a waste of time. I could be done sharpening and cutting the grass before any Tormek jig setup was done...

And my filed edge would most likely be as good as a Tormek made edge after a few square meters of gritty grass...

[jeffs55]

There isn't a jig for sharpening mower blades, it would be done freehand as with the file. There is no way your file is faster than the grinding wheel. You end up at the same point but the Tormek got you there first. No matter the degree of sharpness attained, the Tormek is faster.

[GrodanB]

Correct, no jig exist... But if there where I quite certain I would beat the setup of it with a file...

My Bacho files removes material faster than my SG-250 on my law mower blade.

My point is that there is little point in a jig even if it was possible since no refined edge is possible to retain for any useful time.

[SharpenADullWitt]

There isn't a Tormek jig, but there are jigs.  I've seen those from the ones that look like the typical handles you pull over a knife edge, to the little stones with the plastic backing, that you place in a drill and run over the mower blade.  Considering the tree debris, rocks (gravel driveway or gravel out of tires), possible roofing debris, etc. I tend to just use a grinding wheel. (speed over a file or carborundum stone)

[Herman Trivilino]

In my experience it pays to get a razor sharp edge on a mower blade. Yes, you have to be careful when mowing to not hit anything other than blades of grass. A dull blade will stress the grass blades and cause a brown cast over your lawn. Cutting with a sharp blade means a healthier lawn that requires less water and fertilizer.

What you use, a grindstone, a file, or whatever, doesn't matter as long as you get a sharp edge. Edge angle is important. Too blunt of an angle and the blade isn't sharp enough. Too small of an angle and the edge folds over.

I find that most of my mower blade sharpening time is spent removing, cleaning, and installing the blade. Very little time is actually spend grinding the edge. I don't think a file will save you much time, and may take longer.

I use a file to clear away nicks. Then I go back and forth between the dry grinder to remove lots of steel quickly and the Tormek to get a sharp edge and keep the blade cool.