Where do you buy your blades?

jimbob200521 · #1 06-23-2014, 11:48 AM

Well I made a call this morning to my local Dealer I usually buy my parts from to get a price for some new blades for my deck. Took the guy a minute, but he came back at $22.96 per blade!

This can't be right. So my question is, where do you guys buy your blades? I wouldn't think there's anything special about my setup. BTW, this is for my 1863 with the 54" GT deck. I need some new blades as the ones that came with it are about at the end, the upward curve on the back is missing some chunks and they aren't getting very good lift. Thanks guys!

Mike McKown · #2 06-23-2014, 12:14 PM

I bought a set of Oregon blades for a deck just like yours. I think it was somewhere around $45-$50 for three of them. They've held up really well.

drglinski · #3 06-23-2014, 12:59 PM

Dad just got some for his 125 at a dealer. I don't recall the cost of each blade, but the fiber discs (2 per blade) were $5 each. (his lawn looks really great now though.....)

J-Mech · #4 06-23-2014, 01:18 PM

That's the price on the "cheap" blades Ryan. The hard coated ones are $35. As I've told you, I mow quite a large area. (For those who don't know: House I lived in last year, about 2 acres. Current house, 1.25-1.5 acres) I buy only CCC mower blades. I haven't replaced them for about 5 years. Suck it up. Buy the hard surface ones, and enjoy for the next several years. Or, buy cheap, replace every year, and spend the same or more. It's not even $100 man. (For the cheap ones.) Quit whining.

cubs-n-bxrs · #5 06-23-2014, 02:04 PM

I took a set of regular soft cub blades and hard faced them with Stainless Steel and they are just as sharp as when I put them in. I've hit sticks and small branches and they seem to be holding up real well. Quit Whining LOL Jon

Shaner · #6 06-23-2014, 02:15 PM

i don't buy blades until there is nothing left to sharpen. i don't ever really sharpen my blades either. so long as it keeps the grass short i don't care what it looks like.

Mike McKown · #7 06-23-2014, 03:02 PM

I have one Cyclops here with a 1860, 46" mower. Original 1990(?) Cub Cadet blades on it. It's been mowing 1 1/2 acres every year for the last twenty years and there's still PLENTY of blade left. I sharpen them once a year.

The blades (Oregon) I put on my 1864, 54" deck last year ran all year and didn't get dull. I have yet to sharpen them this year as it still cuts good.

On the other hand, I have picked up decks that I know didn't have much time on them and the blades were completely eaten up and worn out. It has to do with how low to the ground your deck runs I guess.

Many years ago, I had a 108 w/42" deck I cut my 1 1/2 acres with. Blades wouldn't stay sharp and wore quickly so I bought the hardened tip blades. They stayed relatively sharp for a long time but were hard to sharpen.

jimbob200521 · #8 06-23-2014, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Mech

That's the price on the "cheap" blades Ryan. The hard coated ones are $35. As I've told you, I mow quite a large area. (For those who don't know: House I lived in last year, about 2 acres. Current house, 1.25-1.5 acres) I buy only CCC mower blades. I haven't replaced them for about 5 years. Suck it up. Buy the hard surface ones, and enjoy for the next several years. Or, buy cheap, replace every year, and spend the same or more. It's not even $100 man. (For the cheap ones.) Quit whining.

Hey, it's my thread and I'll whine if I want to, whine if I want to, whine if I want to! You would whine too if it happened to you!!

Seriously though, if that's what it takes, I'll have to start putting some money back. I just bought some more tools for the shop (finally got a decent impact gun!) so the blades won't happen right away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

I have one Cyclops here with a 1860, 46" mower. Original 1990(?) Cub Cadet blades on it. It's been mowing 1 1/2 acres every year for the last twenty years and there's still PLENTY of blade left. I sharpen them once a year.

The blades (Oregon) I put on my 1864, 54" deck last year ran all year and didn't get dull. I have yet to sharpen them this year as it still cuts good.

On the other hand, I have picked up decks that I know didn't have much time on them and the blades were completely eaten up and worn out. It has to do with how low to the ground your deck runs I guess.

Many years ago, I had a 108 w/42" deck I cut my 1 1/2 acres with. Blades wouldn't stay sharp and wore quickly so I bought the hardened tip blades. They stayed relatively sharp for a long time but were hard to sharpen.

Honestly, this is the first set of blades I've had to buy. Every machine I've had to far has had decent blades on it. I usually just sharpen and go. But this one, these aren't in decent shape. There's chunks missing from the back of at least one of the blades. I'm not getting good lift. My deck is level, I've checked the blade height as well as the deck shell height and I'm good to go there. The engine is also turning away at RPM like it should, so all that's left is the blades.

BTW, I checked out the Oregon blades you mentioned. Turns out, I've got a couple Oregon Blade dealers within 3 miles of my house so I may give those a shot.

R Bedell · #9 06-23-2014, 03:36 PM

Quote:

That's the price on the "cheap" blades Ryan. The hard coated ones are $35. As I've told you, I mow quite a large area. (For those who don't know: House I lived in last year, about 2 acres. Current house, 1.25-1.5 acres) I buy only CCC mower blades. I haven't replaced them for about 5 years. Suck it up. Buy the hard surface ones, and enjoy for the next several years. Or, buy cheap, replace every year, and spend the same or more. It's not even $100 man. (For the cheap ones.) Quit whining.

IH Cub Cadet · #10 06-23-2014, 04:13 PM

I must be doing something wrong! I rarely go through a set of blades.

Not mowing rocks or roots and when I sharpen, if I grind, I go lightly. I prefer to use a hand file.

I also quit sharpening blades on a frequent basis. Once a year and have gone two years. Sharp vs dull - don't see a lot of difference. I guess if had something other than clover and crabgrass - maybe I'd notice.

But when I do - it ain't going to be the high dollar blades. I have just as good luck with what I get from Oregon, Stens, etc as genuine OEM blades. What's different - is the steel harder/softer and how would one know? Just asking - don't tear my head off....