Should I sharpen new lawnmower blades? This is a common question brand new lawn mower owners have before heading out to cut their first patch of grass.
Well. The answer is simple; No, you don’t have to. Most lawnmower blades come sharpened. You don’t have to sharpen it further but you can if you want.
Some brands ship with a coat of paint over the cutting edge of the blade. You can sharpen it a bit to buff off the paint and expose the cutting edge.
Cut Some Bit of Grass and Inspect It
The best alternative for lawn mower blades is to try out your mower on an isolated section of your yard. If the grass blades are well cut, you don’t have to sharpen the blades. If you have some split or bluntly cut blades, you will have to sharpen the mower blades before using the lawnmower again.
How Often Should I sharpen My Lawn Mower Blades?
Experts recommend sharpening rotary motorized mower blades every 20 to 25 hours’ worth of mowing. If your lawn takes 30 minutes to mow, it means you should sharpen the blades after a maximum of 50 mowing sessions.
You can also check how your mower cuts the grass. If it’s not leaving cleanly cut blades and is giving you split ends, then it is time to sharpen those blades. A dull blade will also lift more debris increasing your chances of a mowing allergic reaction.
How to Tell if Lawn Mower Blades Need Sharpening
There are two things that can easily tell you if your lawnmower blades need sharpening
- If you have used the mower for more than the active hours we recommended above
- If your mower is leaving split or torn grass blade heads after mowing
How Much Does it Cost to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades?
Sharpening a lawn mower blade is simple if you have the right tools. All you need is a basic mower blade sharpener (you can grab my favorite here), the skill and some time.
If you’d rather have a professional sharpen the blades, you can have it done at a repair shop for as low as $5. The average cost sits around $10.
You can check this roundup we made for other grinders you can use to sharpen lawn mower blades.