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Sharpening Cutter Blades

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sprobst
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 17 Indiana
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2005-06-15          112398


How often should you sharpen rotary cutter blades? As I understand it, they should normally be dull, so, how do you determine when they are ready to be sharpened?

The second question is...how to sharpen them? Someone told me that grinding isn't the best method for sharpening. He recommended taking them to a blacksmith to be pounded back into shape. Thoughts?




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Sharpening Cutter Blades

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2005-06-15          112407


Generally speaking, you want the blade to taper down at about a 45° angle to a flat section of about 1/16". Try to keep the cutting edge as close to parallel to the back edge of the blade as possible.

An angle grinder is all that is needed, this isn't a sword.

The important part is to make sure that both blades are equally balanced, if they're not the cutter will shake itself (and you and the tractor too) to pieces eventually.

I use a highly technical system to balance blades. A 4' length of pipe with a hook in the middle and one at each end. I hang it from the middle and put a blade on each end, the heavy on pulls down more. I just keeping grinding a little off the heavy one until their equal again.

Best of luck. ....


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Sharpening Cutter Blades

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denwood
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 542 Quarryville PA
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2005-06-15          112423


What you are mowing can help determine when to sharpen. If it is just weeds and brush, almost never. If you are mowing grass, you will notice lack of cutting, just swirling and pushing the grass around and ripping it. Time to sharpen. My dad mowed all over the farm for 20 years and never sharpened, but it was not grass. ....


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Sharpening Cutter Blades

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091755
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 143 brantwood wisconsin
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2005-07-28          114033


Sharpening cutter blades.
I have a little different outlook on sharpening
the cutting blades on my howse 5ft cutter. I perfer
a nice looking cut and I cut alot (2 acres) around
my house, buildings, and driveway. I like it to look
like a finish cut and this is possible. I sharpen
before each time I cut. I lift the cutter up(remove
the upper bar of the 3pt hitch that hooks to the tractor)
with a hoist and sharpen with the blades on with a 41/2 inch angle grinder to a 45degree angle and sharp and the cutting edge. This gives a very nice cut. When cutting
logging roads or other coarse material, I dont usually
sharpen, as I am just trying to knock and rip the stuff up.
doc ....


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Sharpening Cutter Blades

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BillBass
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 190 North Texas
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2005-07-29          114051


I have a 6' cutter that I have always used an angle grinder to sharpen the blades. Sharpen them at least once and sometimes twice a year. I don't take the blades off. I just stand the cutter up on its side, lean it back against my FEL, secure it with a chain, and have at it. Much easier and cleaner than trying to reach under. And it allows me to clean grass, twine, wire, etc. wrapped around the blade bolts. And I always lube around the blade bolts to keep the blades free swinging. I don't remove much metal and I try to maintain the original angle of the blade. If I get the edge too sharp, I just use a file to flatten the edge a littel. No more vibration now than when new. ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2005-07-29          114057


If you do a little experiment you will see that sharpening the blades to a knife edge really doesn't accomplish very much.

Leaving a 1/16" flat spot along the face of the blade makes the edge stronger and it will last far longer than a 'sharp' edge will.

Unless the ground is pretty tough, the proof is in the comment above. The post says they sharpen the blades after cutting two acres.

We have to keep a golf course cut while it's under construction or repair, we use a batwing mower, which is basically three 5' rotary cutters joined to together, behind a CUT to keep all the fairways cut.

We sharpen the blades weekly, to a 1/16" as per the manufacturers spec.'s, but they often don't really need it and could go two weeks. This is after cutting upwards of 100 acres of grass.

The only thing a knife edge on a blade accomplishes, is wearing out grinding discs and mower blades faster than is necessary.

Best of luck. ....


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Sharpening Cutter Blades

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091755
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 143 brantwood wisconsin
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2005-08-03          114328


Murf

For the 20 minutes it takes me to sharpen my blades,
it is worth it. I do not get a finish type cut if
I dont touch them up. I guess it is up to the individual,
but I have always said do what works. This works for
me and gives me the cut I want. I probably only use
one sharpening disc per year, as sharpening each time
reduces the time and amount of metal to sharpen.
I dont think there is a right or wrong way as long
as you are getting the result you want and I do.

doc ....


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Sharpening Cutter Blades

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2005-08-05          114399


Doc, I think you misunderstood my comment. I'm not trying to argue here, please understand, I believe this forum is about teaching and learning, NOT argueing.

The point was not that you were doing something wrong, per se.

I was merely questioning efficacy of doing it at all.

If the blades need to be resharpened after cutting just 2 acres, then maybe the 20 minutes you spend doing it is for naught.

Unless you hit an object more substantial than grass, blades that are dull after only 2 acres are either made of butter, or not ground right, they should hold thier edge and cut as well after 20 acres as 2 acres.

In fact your comment "I do not get a finish type cut if
I dont touch them up." seems to argue your own position. If at the beginning of cut #4 the blades need to be 'touched up', then that tells me they weren't cutting acceptably at the end of cut # 3 either..... follow me?

Best of luck. ....


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