Garden machinery such as lawnmowers and strimmers are a must for the garden and last for many years if they are looked after correctly. Regular servicing of your mower will lead to better results in the garden.
One of the most common maintenance jobs with the rotary mower is lawn mower blade sharpening. It is important that the rest of the mower is serviced but the blade will determine how well the grass is cut. The sharper the blade, the better the cut.
Sharpening the blade is a simple task and one that doesn't take that long once you know what you are doing. First of all, turn the mower over. If you have a gas mower, check first that it is OK to turn it over (some have regulators while others don't). For full safety, remove the spark plug to ensure the mower cannot, under any circumstances, start accidentally. Wedge a block of wood, or something similar to stop the blade from turning and use a suitably sized wrench to remove the blade.
Clean off any mud and grass and clamp the blade into a vice on a bench or suitable work surface. Lightly oil the blade and run the file across the beveled edge in smooth strokes from the centre of the blade outwards and away from your body. If there are any larger nicks in the blade, you may need to use a larger, more coarse file, to file them out.
The skill in filing a mower blade is to use the same number of strokes on each side of the blade and apply the same amount of pressure to create a well balanced blade. The easiest and quickest way to sharpen the blade is with an electric bench grinder but not many of us are lucky enough to own, or have the space for one of these. Care also needs to be taken using an electric grinder as you can file too much of the blade off by mistake. Remember to always wear safety goggles and gloves when using all machinery.
If lawn mower blade sharpening or servicing the mower leaves you feeling out of your depth there are many companies that offer this type of maintenance as a service so have a look around your local area.
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