Blade sharpening, anybody try.

[Mike McKown]

I'm not an experienced belt sander guy but I just wonder if you won't have trouble taking off a lot of metal when you reshape your cutting edge to the correct angle? I have a belt sander but no belt on it. It also has a round wheel to stick a disc on. I may try it and see how it works out.

For those that use the 4" angle grinder, I have found I get the best results by far if I use a new wheel with a square edge on it. Wheels with a rounded edge and worn down are hard to put a good edge on the blades.

[Berwil]

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

For those that use the 4" angle grinder, I have found I get the best results by far if I use a new wheel with a square edge on it. Wheels with a rounded edge and worn down are hard to put a good edge on the blades.

I agree with everyone using a shallower bevel. I clamp my blades to the work bench and use a newer, squarer disc in my grinder. I try to "dish" the bevel with the radius of the wheel, gets the edge a little thinner. It also makes resharpening easier. This year before I put the deck on, I flipped it over and used a file on the blades. A few swipes on each edge got it sharp without taking the blades off.

I think a belt sander would be good for sharpening the blades as a lot of knife/scissor manufactures use them to put an edge on.

Bill

[Maxwelhse]

Originally Posted by clay1811/44c

I wandered what people meant when they said longer. But I see you mean the angle. For the most part it is close to what the factory had. My thought is if you angle it back farther then factory, making the edge thinner it will chip easier. A piece of paper will cut but wouldn't last long. But I should try and keep the angle the same when I sharpen the blades.

I put a little more angle on mine than your pics showed too. I generally only sharpen once per season with maybe 20-25 hours of mowing. Not sure if that's good or bad performance.

[clay1811/44c]

Touched them up some more and checked the balance with a nail in the vise.

[zippy1]

Looks like they'll cut grass
I've used my belt sander a time or two but always end up going back to the angle grinder. Seems the sander get's them to smooth and almost a to sharp of edge and they don't seem to last as long.
You don't want them knife sharp.

[Mooner]

I've used my stationary belt sander for my walk behind mower in the past and had good results. Dumb question for the Cub...what's the best way to remove the blades while the deck is mounted? Car ramp? Jack stands? And...is there a special arrangement for the blades when remounting them? (I'm thinkking just to make sure they don't make contact with ech other).

[Billy-O]

I use an angle grinder. It's expensive replacing belts on belt sander as it doesn't last long. The grinding disc are cheap.

I avoid the blues by moving the grinder quickly across length of the bevel. After the grind (and checking balance), I take a file to quickly knock off the burrs and smooth out the serrated edges left by the grinder.

[Merk]

Originally Posted by Jeff in Pa

The longer edge stays sharper longer.

I use a 4-1/2" angle grinder with a 100 grit flap wheel to sharpen my blades. I wirewheel the grass debris off and balance them.

Same here......
Using a 100 grit flap wheel leaves a better longer lasting edge. Every time you blue a balde you take the hardness out of it.

I found out that Oregon Gator blades have the longest life. I only used them on my mower.

[twoton]

I use this Oregon blade grinder;

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B8L62W...I1XUCMS4QWIV4Z

Didn't pay that much for it though

Then I finish with an angle grinder with a flapper disc.

And I always take the deck off the tractor so I can grease the spindles too.

[Berwil]

Originally Posted by Mooner

I've used my stationary belt sander for my walk behind mower in the past and had good results. Dumb question for the Cub...what's the best way to remove the blades while the deck is mounted? Car ramp? Jack stands? And...is there a special arrangement for the blades when remounting them? (I'm thinkking just to make sure they don't make contact with ech other).

I raise the deck up and reach under and change them, nothing fancy. Sometimes I drive the front tires up on the patio so the front wheels are raised up 4" for more room. The best way is whatever is comfortable for you and safe so that nothing is going to fall or roll and hurt you. I install adjacent blades 90 degrees from each other. It's really not necessary because the triangle shape of the deck prevents the blades from hitting yet allows them to overlap.

Bill