It's Saturday again and the lawn needs mowing. Last time you had a little problem with a few rocks and pieces of your blades came out from under the mower. So where do you get a new mower blade and what do you look for as far as a replacement?
First, you have to determine the size of the blade. The length of the blade is generally part of the model number or the name. This can be found on the top of the casing or near the motor. Most common sizes are 19" and 22" blades for the typical mower. Once you've found the size now you can determine the size of the shank. This is the part of the motor shaft underneath the mower that the blade attaches. This is important because if you get the wrong diameter hole in the center of the mower blade it won't fit. Using the mower type and the model number you can easily take this information to an authorized dealer or other mower outlet to find the right size.
Small Riding Lawn Mowers
Now, don't be surprised if your type and model of blade has at least a dozen other substitutes made by different manufacturers. This is common in the field and allows you a little more variety. Be sure not to buy any pot metal type of blades. These can be dangerous because they tend more to come apart and break against rocks or heavy sticks. You want to make sure your blade is made from hardened steel and can be sharpened several times. You can ascertain this information from the local dealer or lawn mower repair center in your area.
There are a number of mower blades available. The standard blade that comes with most mowers is a blade that has both ends slightly bent with the sharp edge only on one side. So when you are mowing the cutting edge is part of the bent edge and both are facing the way the blade turns. In most instances the blades turns clockwise looking from the top of the mower.
Choosing the right lawn mower blade can depend on a few things. Most mowers come with a cutting blade that lifts or suctions the grass cuttings into the mower bag or shoots it out the side as you mow. If you're just interested in cutting the lawn to a certain height this would be a perfectly proper blade to purchase. You can also purchase what is called an offset or super lift type of blade. This type of blade allows you to suction of the lawn quicker and gives you the opportunity to cut your lawn faster. This is easily discernable by the bend of the blade and heavier notches where the sharp edge is located. However, the drawback to this is that fact that you have to take a little less of a cut of grass with each swipe of the mower. Now, if you'd like to use that grass as mulch in your garden or feed it to your animals when it's been dried then you need a different blade.
The right lawn mower blade is available for lifting, mulching, and suctioning the cut grass into your bag. You can see a distinct difference in mulching mower blades and lifting and cutting blades. The mulching blade has a deeper and wider bend on both ends of the blades accompanied by a more extreme edge.
Choosing the right mower blade can be made simple by knowing what you want from your mower and what to look for in a lawn mower blade. Make your lawn look beautiful and clean by choosing the right lawn mower blade.