Should I Sharpen Both Sides Of My Lawn Mowers Blade?

Sharpening your lawnmower’s blades is part of essential maintenance for your mower so as it can be performing in the best way possible, on average you will need to sharpen them around twice a year.

Many people wonder when sharpening your mowers blades if you need to sharpen both sides, well, you should not sharpen both sides of your mowers blades, one should be left rough, while the other is sharpened at a 45-degree angle. 

So as you can find out why you shouldn’t sharpen both sides of your mowers blades, how to sharpen your mowers blades, and some tips for doing so, we have composed a small guide below with everything you need to know.

Why You Should Sharpen One Side Of Your Mowers Blades

It is important when sharpening your lawnmower’s blades to only sharpen one side of them, if you decide to file both, this will cause them to dull very quickly. If the rough side of your mowers blades has some dents and bumps, then you can pass over them once to iron any issues out.

Mowers blades should be sharpened the ways scissors are, one side sharp and the other dull.

How To Sharpen Your Mower Blades

Sharpening your blades has to be done once in a while to make sure your mower is cutting your grass properly and not tearing the blades apart which can hurt your lawn.

We have listed a simple step by step guide below that will help you to file your mowers blades correctly if you are a beginner.

• Step one – First of all, you want to make sure that the spark plug of your lawnmower is removed to prevent any accidental start-ups, make sure you are wearing goggles and gloves as well as having the right tools on hand such as; water, a flat-file, an angle grinder, steel brush and a wooden block.
• Step two – Put a plastic bag over the gas tank in your mower and replace the lid, tilt the mower to access the underside of the blades and place a wooden block underneath to make it more stable.
• Step three – Use your steel brush and water to clean any dirt or debris off the blade.
• Step four – Now file your lawnmower’s blades at a 45-degree angle and ensure that both sides are evenly sharpened.
• Step five – Unseal your mowers gas tank and re-attach the spark, then you are good to go!

Tips For Sharpening Your Mowers Blades

Our step by step guide above tells you how to sharpen your lawnmower’s blades without having to remove them, however, there are some tips and tricks you should be following to carry this out safely and smoothly.

• Replace when needed – If your mowers blades are dull and damaged then you might be better off replacing them rather than trying to sharpen them, sharpening them will only make them weaker over time and can even cause them to snap.
• Keep on top of maintenance – Examine your blades often and check for any issues, letting them become very dull can damage them over time and be more work for you when the time comes for sharpening.
• Make sure the gas is empty when sharpening – To prevent any gas spills or issues it might be best to empty the gas tank of your mower before sharpening.
• Iron out any bumps – On the rough side of your blade always give it one or two pass-overs to ensure that any uneven edges are ironed out as this can affect the performance of your blade.
• Keep it balanced – When sharpening use a blade balancer to make sure that you are sharpening both sides of your blade evenly.

Last Words

Overall, you should not sharpen both sides of your lawnmower’s blades as this can lead them to become dull quickly, instead of one side should be left rough while the other is sharpened at a 45-degree angle for effective cutting. Always ensure you are sharpening your blades regularly and check when they need replacing.