How to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

If you notice that your lawn mower isn’t cutting grass as neatly as usual, you may need to inspect and sharpen its blade. A dull blade makes your mower less efficient and it can also leave your grass with a ragged edge, which looks sloppier. A very dull blade may even rip out grass and make your yard look worse. Here are the steps you need to take to sharpen your lawn mower blade.

Remove Spark Plug & Blade

Park your lawn mower on a flat surface and remove the spark plug as a safety precaution. Tilt your mower over and use a piece of tape or a Sharpie marker to mark the underside of the blade so you know how to orient it. You can now use a breaker bar or a wrench to loosen the bolt that holds your blade in place.

Inspect the Blade

Carefully examine your lawn mower blade in good lighting to see whether it has warping or too many nicks in it. A very worn-down blade needs to be replaced, not sharpened, so make sure you won’t be wasting your time before you start. If you’ve decided you don’t need to replace it, you can sharpen the blade.

Sharpen & Replace Blade

Use a rasp or a file that is about 10” long to carefully sharpen your blade. Only file the blade with downward strokes and make sure that you aren’t sharpening it too much: about twenty to thirty strokes should be good.

Balance your blade by placing the bolthole on a nail that’s been hammered into a piece of wood. If it tips to one side, sharpen that side more until the blade is balanced. You can now reinstall the blade with the right side up, tighten the bolt, turn the mower upright, and replace the spark plug.

Need assistance with lawn mower maintenance? Get in touch with the Gary’s Power Equipment service department to make your appointment. We can assist you with sharpening your lawn mower blades and performing other routine maintenance to save you time.

Looking to buy a lawn mower? Visit our dealership in Winchester, NH, to check out our great stock of new and used lawn mowers for sale. We can also help you with financing your purchase. Gary's Power Equipment serves our New Hampshire customers in Battleboro and Swanzey.