Hit 47 lawnmower blades sharpened this spring before I finally bought a proper jig

I broke two files trying to freehand sharpen mower blades over the last 3 years, and after doing the math on the cost of replacements, that $25 jig paid for itself in one weekend. Anybody else keep track of how many sharpenings they get out of a single blade before it's done?

3 comments

3 Comments

flores.emma3d ago

Oh man, "staring at the pieces" like 'well, that's $8 down the drain' - that hit home. I've done that exact same thing, except with one file I actually tried to tape it back together like a fool (it didn't work). The worst part is when you're doing a neighbor's blade and it's got that crusty rust and you're thinking "this is costing me more in files than the ten bucks they're gonna give me." I'm totally with you on the sharpening way more than needed too - I've got a little push mower that cuts maybe four inches of grass and I still sharpen it twice a season because the jig makes it so satisfying. Broke my last file on a bolt I didn't see sticking out of the blade, and that's when I learned to really clean em off first.

eva_moore3d ago

Same here, Ive literally got a spreadsheet tracking how many blades Ive sharpened vs files lost to the cause. My neighbors think Im obsessed but honestly the jig makes it way too fun to stop at just one or two.

samrodriguez3d ago

Dude, I feel this so hard. Broke a file on a rusty blade last month and just sat there staring at the pieces like 'well, that's $8 down the drain.' The jig is a game changer though, I got one and now I feel like a kid with a new toy. Probably sharpened 20 blades this season for neighbors and family, and I lost count of how many times I've said 'I could've bought a new mower for what I've spent on files.' My lawn is barely three feet tall but I sharpen blades like I'm prepping for a professional tournament or something lol.