In order to achieve a great cut and a healthy lawn, you need the right kind of lawn mower. However, it doesn’t stop there. It is also necessary that you regularly sharpen or replace your mower blades.
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When is the best time to change lawn mower blade?
The general rule is that you should sharpen it at the start, and somewhere in the middle of the mowing season. If in case, some debris gets stuck in your mower, it is advisable to provide additional sharpening to ensure a quality cut for your lawn.
In this article, we are going to provide to you some of the tell-tale signs that will help you identify the time when to change lawn mower blade.
Uneven Cutting
The most common sign that you should look for is if your lawn mower cannot serve its purpose any more of cutting the grass to an even height. When the blades of your lawn mower are sharp, the cutting becomes accurate and it always cuts at the same height even on the first pass. If you find yourself going over the same area again and again due to missed patches of grass, your blade may be dull.
Torn grass
Another way of inspecting the quality of cut that your lawn mower brings is by examining the grass. A lawn mower with a sharp blade will have cleanly sliced grass. If the grass is torn, it’s most than likely time to change lawn mower blades.
Even if you are not constantly using your lawn mower, it is possible that dirt and dust can erode the sharpness of your blade. Torn grass may decrease the health of the grass thus, causing it to lose the greenness of its color and will turn a shade of brown.
Inspect the blade
The most obvious way to check if there is a need to sharpen or replace your lawn mower blades is to inspect the blades for inconsistencies. These inconsistencies will tear the grass rather than providing the clean-cut that is necessary for your lawn.
See if there are dents or chips that cannot be smoothed out. Another thing is that you should pay attention to is how thick your lawn mower blade is. It is inevitable that sand, dirt or even yard debris will erode the blade, causing the metal blade of your lawn mower to weaken.
If you notice this, it is a sure sign that you should replace your lawn mower blade to avoid further damage while you are mowing your lawn. This will also avoid instances wherein pieces of metal fly apart and could possibly injure you or bystanders.
Sharp lawn mower blades make it easy to achieve a clean cut that is healthy for your grass. Regular sharpening and inspection of your lawn mower can actually go a long way. Even if you take good care of your mower while mowing, nicks and dents cannot be avoided which is why it is important to inspect it before and after mowing.
While the above points are the basics of knowing when to change lawn mower blades, it is also important that you consider the type of grass that you have, how often you mow, and the size of the yard.
For the usual home owner, every couple of months is advisable for you to sharpen or change the lawn mower blade. If you mow more than once a week, it is advisable to check the blades of your lawn mower at least once a month.
As explained, nicks and dents cannot be avoided. However, if you have observed that the nicks or dents in the blades are larger than usual, it is high time that you should completely replace the blade rather than simply sharpening it. There are only a number of times where the lawn mower blade can be sharpened until they become permanently unusable. Luckily, replacing them with new blades is relatively inexpensive.
Make sure to consult the manufacturer’s manual to get an overview of how your lawn mower works. This would also include how to maintain the mower including the blades. If in case, your tractor or mower is under warranty, make sure to replace or repair the blades by a professional in order to keep your warranty intact.
Furthermore, a healthy lawn will only result from a good lawn mower and a good lawn mower can only be achieved with the proper maintenance.