What’s The Best File For Sharpening Lawn Mower Blades?

Do you feel like mowing the lawn takes forever and leaves your yard looking less than perfect? We've been there, and we get it.

Dull mower blades are the silent culprits behind a tedious mowing experience. But what if sharpening those blades could transform your lawn care routine?

Imagine gliding through your yard effortlessly, cutting grass like a pro, and finishing the job in record time. The secret lies in having the right tool: a bastard cut mill file.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to use this simple yet effective tool to sharpen your mower blades. Plus, we’ll share tips on maintaining that sharp edge so mowing becomes a breeze rather than a chore.

What's The Best File For Sharpening Lawn Mower Blades?

Generally speaking, it is very important to sharpen your lawn mower blades regularly so that they cut your grass nicely.

Normally, you should sharpen them after every 25 hours of use or twice each season. You should also sharpen your lawn mower blades if you hit rocks while mowing.

Sharp lawn mower blades are crucial because blunt blades can cut grass unevenly and discourage plant growth. The tips of your grass will become brown and jagged, making it more susceptible to disease.

By sharpening your own lawn mower blades, you can keep your lawn perfectly lush and green.

The best file for sharpening lawn mower blades is a bastard cut mill file. This 10—to 12-inch file can be used to sharpen lawn mower blades and other garden and lawn tools. 

What Is The Best Way To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades?

Lawn mower blades can be sharpened using manual files and electric grinders. Manual files require a little extra elbow grease to ensure that the blades are sharp enough to cut the grass.

Electric grinders, on the other hand, are a lot faster, but they are a lot more expensive, and you will need to have enough space at home to add the grinder as one of your tools.

Many homeowners prefer to use manual files for their lawn mower blades, so sharpening doesn't have to be done all the time.

A good file requires only about half a dozen to a dozen strokes, and you'll get lawn mower blades that are sharp enough to cut grass. Manual files are also much cheaper and easier to store. 

Aside from the bastard cut mill file, you can also find several garden tool multi-sharpeners that can sharpen your lawn mower blades, hedge shears, axes, and other tools.

It's great to have a multi-use sharpener, especially if you're not used to using a regular mill file yet.

For heavy users of lawn mowers, the best choice would ultimately be to use an electric grinder.

It will definitely make the job a lot easier, plus you can choose the kind of grinding wheel to use depending on the blades of your lawn mower.

A common tool that a lot of homeowners have is an angle grinder. This grinder can also be used to sharpen lawn mower blades effortlessly, and the discs can easily be found if they need replacement.

You can also get a specific lawn mower sharpener that does the job perfectly each time.

How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

A lawn mower blade should be aggressively sharp but not as precise as a razor's edge. A good basis for the sharpness of the lawn mower blade is that you can touch it with your hand without getting cut.

A lot of people have a misconception that razor-sharp lawn mower blades will cut the grass better. Unfortunately, blades that are too sharp tend to roll over the grass and chip the tips off, making the grass' edge look ragged. 

Sharpening lawn mower blades is important, and you can do it either with a manual file or an electric grinder.

Depending on the tool that you'd like to use, make sure that you don't over-sharpen your blades. Here's how you can do the task:

Sharpening Using a Manual File

1. Remove the lawn mower blade according to your manual. Make sure to mark the blade's correct side so you can put it back in the right position after sharpening.
2. Using a vise, clamp the lawn mower blade securely. 
3. Hold the mill file at the same cutting angle as the blade. Start by filing from the inside of the blade, moving towards the outside. Remember to keep following the blade's cutting edge.
4. Make sure to smoothen out any rough spots or nicks on your blade. Your blade should be about as sharp as a butter knife's edge.
5. After sharpening, make sure to use a blade balancer to check your lawn mower blade before putting it back. 

Sharpening Using an Electric Grinder

1. Follow your manual and remove the lawn mower blade properly from your machine. Make sure to mark your blade to ensure that you can put it back correctly after sharpening.
2. Clamp the lawn mower blade securely using a vise. When using electric tools like the grinder, wear the appropriate safety gear to prepare for sharpening.
3. Before starting, hold your electric grinder against the lawn mower blade. Tip the grinder up and down until you feel that the disc is aligned with the angle of the blade. 
4. Hold your electric grinder at this angle and move it across the metal using light pressure. Don't overheat the blade, as this will cause it to become brittle. Do not grind away too much metal, as this will cause the blade to become unbalanced.
5. Make several passes on your blade with your grinder, occasionally checking for sharpness. To remove the nicks from your blade, hold the grinder at a right angle and make a few passes until the nicks are gone.
6. Balance your blade using a precision balancer. If one side tips lower over the other, make a few more passes until the blade passes the balance test. Put the blade back onto your machine, and you can now mow your lawn.

In Closing

Mowing a lawn is hard, but it is the only way to keep the house looking neat and clean.

It can be made easy with perfectly sharpened lawn mower blades, which not only make the grass look greener but also make the job a whole lot faster.

Remember to maintain your lawnmowers, and you'll find this task much more manageable each week!

Are you looking for more information on how to care for your lawn mower? We've got a couple of articles that are perfect for you:

Can I Leave My Lawn Mower Outside In The Rain?

Which Side Of The Lawn Mower Blade Is Up?