*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/lawncare) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Several-Honey-8810
sharpen your blades on your mower
neil470
If that’s an older, coarse variety of tall fescue, it just doesn’t cut as cleanly as newer softer varieties. That said, sharp your blades more.
fightinirishpj
You may have just sharpened your mower, but your blades are dull. Check to see how dull they are.
There’s a possibility you sharpened your blade too thin, like to a razor edge, which can’t stay sharp very long. Depending on what you used to sharpen, you may have overheated your blade which loses its temper And makes it dull faster since it is softer.
There’s other reasons too, but overall, your grass tells the story that the mower is dull.
Comprehensive_Dolt69
Sharpen them blades
Huskergambler
Dull blade, mowed when grass was wet, or mower hp is inefficient for the thickness of the lawn
ginleygridone
Sharpen blades or a frosty night can cause that.
msabercr
Shredding at the tips of your grass is a telltale sign you need to sharpen your mower blade. As a rule you should sharpen your blade before the first cut of the season and then again half way into summer is typical. If you have a grinder go purchase a lap disk otherwise go buy both they are useful for all kinds of metal cutting around the house or for simply maintaining blunt instruments that should be sharp.
Unscrew your lawn mower blade by wedging it against a piece of scrap 2 x 4 to keep it from rotating. Once unscrewed note the alignment plate orientation so you know how to replace it after sharpening.
To sharpen with the lap disc, clamp the mower blade to a flat surface with a squeeze clamp ensuring its secure on the work surface. Then run the grinder with the lap disk along the entirety of the width of the beveled edge of the mower blade making sure to maintain the same factory angle. If there are any rolled over edges or nicks in the blade keep making passes until they have disappeared.
Make sure the blade is well balanced!
If you had to fix a few nicks more on one side of the blade with a few more passes, make sure you make the same number of passes on the other side of the blade. To verify the blade is balanced simply place the blade with the mounting bolt hole on your finger. If it doesn’t float parallel to the ground its imbalanced and needs a few more passes from the grinder on the side that is hanging lower then your finger.
Once sharpened and balanced, replace the blade with the factory alignment plate in the same orientation it was in before removal and make sure its good and tight using the scrap 2×4 again to make sure the blade doesn’t rotate when you are tightening it down.
Cut your grass and marvel at the new crisp cut it affords you. No more white tips here.
If its still shredding you may have over sharpened your blade or didn’t maintain the factory angle and just need a replacement.
lookitsafish
Cutting grass with a blade as sharp as a spoon will make it look like that
eroded4
Sharpening will solve it. With angle grinder there will be deep scratches and a burr that rolls to under side. You need to minimize the burr by working the under side. Another thing is if you have a norton crystolon(16bucks) combo stone use the fine side to refine the edge. I also finish with a buffing wheel and a secondary bevel. They hold their edges throughout the season anad sometimes i even go over branches.
I adapted “unicorn sharpening method” by david weaver and my grass has never looked any better. Probably overkilling but i don’t like sharpening garden tools regularly. I’d rather do it once and properly.
Bankonte
dull mower blades
Ricka77_New
Blades. Stay at 25-30 degree angle. Any sharper and you damage the blade, giving you this..
corn_n_potatoes
Have you double checked the blades are not on upside down…? Don’t ask how I know to check for this.
avguser21
Sharpen the blade.
JP175
Get a new blade….
zumoney515
When was the last time you sharpened the blades?
bfarrellc
Look up sharpening. Your grinding a thin edge. Need a thick one.
ZeusThunder369
That’s from “dull” blades, but it’s not that bad. A standard mower is always going to tear the grass a little bit.
But if you are really interested in minimizing this so much you don’t notice it, you can sharpen your mower blades basically like a knife. Get a 400 and 1000 grit diamond stone and a leather strop (plus paste). Sharpen your blades until they can cleanly cut paper. You won’t see white tips anymore.
Just make sure you use the strop. You need to remove the burr, or your blades will (functionally) get dull really quick. Oh, and get a blade balance checker as well. And it’s easiest doing this with a new blade than one that’s beat up.
some_kind_of_friend
Did you by chance install the blade upside down?
SubstantialFix510
There is a chance that the blade is installed upside down. I did it. Easy to do. Verify when you pull the rope. Off of course. The blade turns in the right direction.
20 Comments
Check out the [Cool Season Starter Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/s/FetSGi0hFi).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/lawncare) if you have any questions or concerns.*
sharpen your blades on your mower
If that’s an older, coarse variety of tall fescue, it just doesn’t cut as cleanly as newer softer varieties. That said, sharp your blades more.
You may have just sharpened your mower, but your blades are dull. Check to see how dull they are.
There’s a possibility you sharpened your blade too thin, like to a razor edge, which can’t stay sharp very long. Depending on what you used to sharpen, you may have overheated your blade which loses its temper And makes it dull faster since it is softer.
There’s other reasons too, but overall, your grass tells the story that the mower is dull.
Sharpen them blades
Dull blade, mowed when grass was wet, or mower hp is inefficient for the thickness of the lawn
Sharpen blades or a frosty night can cause that.
Shredding at the tips of your grass is a telltale sign you need to sharpen your mower blade. As a rule you should sharpen your blade before the first cut of the season and then again half way into summer is typical. If you have a grinder go purchase a lap disk otherwise go buy both they are useful for all kinds of metal cutting around the house or for simply maintaining blunt instruments that should be sharp.
Unscrew your lawn mower blade by wedging it against a piece of scrap 2 x 4 to keep it from rotating. Once unscrewed note the alignment plate orientation so you know how to replace it after sharpening.
To sharpen with the lap disc, clamp the mower blade to a flat surface with a squeeze clamp ensuring its secure on the work surface. Then run the grinder with the lap disk along the entirety of the width of the beveled edge of the mower blade making sure to maintain the same factory angle. If there are any rolled over edges or nicks in the blade keep making passes until they have disappeared.
Make sure the blade is well balanced!
If you had to fix a few nicks more on one side of the blade with a few more passes, make sure you make the same number of passes on the other side of the blade. To verify the blade is balanced simply place the blade with the mounting bolt hole on your finger. If it doesn’t float parallel to the ground its imbalanced and needs a few more passes from the grinder on the side that is hanging lower then your finger.
Once sharpened and balanced, replace the blade with the factory alignment plate in the same orientation it was in before removal and make sure its good and tight using the scrap 2×4 again to make sure the blade doesn’t rotate when you are tightening it down.
Cut your grass and marvel at the new crisp cut it affords you. No more white tips here.
If its still shredding you may have over sharpened your blade or didn’t maintain the factory angle and just need a replacement.
Cutting grass with a blade as sharp as a spoon will make it look like that
Sharpening will solve it. With angle grinder there will be deep scratches and a burr that rolls to under side. You need to minimize the burr by working the under side. Another thing is if you have a norton crystolon(16bucks) combo stone use the fine side to refine the edge. I also finish with a buffing wheel and a secondary bevel. They hold their edges throughout the season anad sometimes i even go over branches.
I adapted “unicorn sharpening method” by david weaver and my grass has never looked any better. Probably overkilling but i don’t like sharpening garden tools regularly. I’d rather do it once and properly.
dull mower blades
Blades. Stay at 25-30 degree angle. Any sharper and you damage the blade, giving you this..
Have you double checked the blades are not on upside down…? Don’t ask how I know to check for this.
Sharpen the blade.
Get a new blade….
When was the last time you sharpened the blades?
Look up sharpening. Your grinding a thin edge. Need a thick one.
That’s from “dull” blades, but it’s not that bad. A standard mower is always going to tear the grass a little bit.
But if you are really interested in minimizing this so much you don’t notice it, you can sharpen your mower blades basically like a knife. Get a 400 and 1000 grit diamond stone and a leather strop (plus paste). Sharpen your blades until they can cleanly cut paper. You won’t see white tips anymore.
Just make sure you use the strop. You need to remove the burr, or your blades will (functionally) get dull really quick. Oh, and get a blade balance checker as well. And it’s easiest doing this with a new blade than one that’s beat up.
Did you by chance install the blade upside down?
There is a chance that the blade is installed upside down. I did it. Easy to do. Verify when you pull the rope. Off of course. The blade turns in the right direction.