The Genius Trick You Need For An Easier Time Sharpening Lawn Mower Blades

It can be incredibly frustrating when you've taken the time to remove, sharpen, and reinstall your lawn mower blades, only to find they still aren't cutting your grass properly. You go back and double-check that you've done everything correctly and find that the blades are balanced and the hardware is adequately tightened. So, why then is your lawn mower flattening the grass and cutting it unevenly instead of giving it a nice, uniform look? After all that effort, you may be wondering whether the problem lies with the blades, the mower, or something else entirely. There is one common mistake people make when sharpening lawn mower blades that you may have overlooked — during reassembly, the blade might be put in upside down.

It's an easy mistake to make, but it's one that can not only make cutting your grass near impossible but also damage your lawn mower. Fortunately, there is a step you can take when sharpening your lawn mower blades that can eliminate the chance of upside-down blade installation. Mark the underside of the blades with a little bit of paint.

Whether you're using power tools or sharpening your lawn mower blades by hand, it's easy to get confused and put them back on the wrong way. This is a common mistake simply because the top and bottom have a similar appearance. The way to tell the difference is that the top of the blades curve upward toward the lawnmower. 

This lawn mower blade sharpening hack is pretty self-explanatory. Before you remove your blades to sharpen them, simply mark the side that faces down toward the grass with a little dab or streak of paint. You could also use stickers or even magnets to mark the blades, taking care to remove them after the blades have been reinstalled. As previously mentioned, if you've already removed the blades and gotten confused, you can identify the top of the lawn mower's blades because they curve upward.

If you are still unsure which side of the blades to dab with paint, check out your owner's manual. The manual should have a diagram or written description of how to reinstall the blades. If you look closely at the blades, there may even be a label telling you which sides are up and which are down.

Your lawn mower blades, when installed correctly, are designed to pull the grass upward, cut it, and then blow it out to the side. So when they are put in the wrong way, they won't effectively cut grass. Other problems caused by improper blade installation include not only damage to the underside of the lawn mower and the blades but also damage to your lawn from uprooting.