Sharpen Your Lawn Mower Blades With A Compact And Portable Amazon Find
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Your lawn is supposed to look clean, neat, and level after mowing. Similarly, it should not have any brown tips or ragged edges. If, however, that is not the case, it might be because your lawn mower blade is dull and it is not cutting the grass properly. No need to worry, though: There are many tools that make it easy to safely sharpen your lawn mower blades. One such option is the SHARPAL 129N Multipurpose Garden Tool Blade Sharpener. It is a small handheld tool that you can buy on Amazon, and it measures just 5 inches long.
The sharpener features two distinct sharpening components: a tungsten carbide section and a ceramic rod. The tungsten carbide section is designed to sharpen blades quickly, whereas the ceramic rod is designed for fine honing once the initial edge is established. The sharpener also includes a pen clip and a lanyard hole if you need to take it with you to a job site. The sharpener is also backed by a 3-year warranty.
Customers seem to like the sharpener, too. The reviews on Amazon frequently mention that the SHARPAL 129N Multipurpose Garden Tool Blade Sharpener is easy to use, and it is good value for money. Its durability, however, has received mixed feedback. It is also important to note here that it is a small, compact sharpener that might not suffice for heavy jobs. So, if your lawn mower blade is too dull or nicked, it is better to find a dedicated blade grinder instead of relying on this compact handheld sharpener.
Keep these things in mind when sharpening your mower blade
Whenever you are working on sharpening a lawn mower blade, it is important to take safety precautions first. So, first of all, remove or disconnect the spark plug wire so the engine cannot fire accidentally, and if you are working with an electric or battery-powered lawn mower, remove its plug or battery. Furthermore, wear cut-proof gloves and eye protection. Once done, take the blade off carefully and start sharpening it. Just make sure to sharpen the blade at the correct angle. Not doing so is one of those mistakes everyone makes when sharpening lawn mower blades.
It is also important to understand here that when it comes to mower blades, sharper is not always better. A mower blade does not need a razor-thin edge to cut grass cleanly. In fact, an overly fine edge is structurally weaker as it dulls faster, chips more easily, and tends to roll over when it strikes thick clumps of grass, small stones, or twigs. You only need to make it as sharp as a butter knife, and you are good to go.
Similarly, blade balance is another thing you cannot ignore when sharpening the mower blade. If you remove more metal from one side of the blade when sharpening, the blade becomes unbalanced. Now, this may not seem like a big deal, but an unbalanced blade creates noticeable vibration when spinning at high speed, which can, over time, damage the mower as well. Lastly, make sure you know when it is time to replace your lawn mower blades. For instance, if the blade is badly nicked or damaged, it is better to replace it than to spend time on sharpening it.