Question about Lawn Mower Blades

[blume357]

My church has one of those high end zero turn lawn mowers with 3 blades.... belt drive broke last week and it went to the repair shop... shop says there is a problem with the blades and replaces them... below is a picture of the end of one of the blades... all three and both ends looked the same... here is the problem... the damaged part is on the back side of the blade. How does that part get damaged? Anybody got any ideas?

 

[mjpchief]

Was the mower purchased new? Are those the original blades? Looks like it had the wrong blades. Too long.

 

[Pierow]

If all three blades were installed incorrectly the fronts would become the backs?

I'd call the shop who repaired it to see if they have an idea or maybe you did already and they didn't know?

That's all I got for you Blume. Let us know the cause if you get it figured out.

Pierow

 

[JohnBoy]

Looks like you've been mowing on gravel! I'm no engineer but that surface is going to take the most abuse - flairing up as it does - lots of deflection. If you have a fair amount of abrasive material being lifted up, that area will bead-blast itself pretty thin and finally break off.

 

[tsubaki]

Those are the lifts and that is normal, especially seeing the wear on the cutting portion of the blade.

 

[Bull Barrel]

Whatcha gonna do with that lawnmower blade, Karl?

 

[Bob Wright]

Old lawnmower and edger blades make up into good tools. I've made a small drawknife and a 1/8" wood chisel from such parts. Keep all scrap steel of useable size!

Bob Wright

 

[powder smoke]

Those are the lifts and that is normal, especially seeing the wear on the cutting portion of the blade.

Yup I agree, I use similar blades go thru a couple sets a season.
The blade ends do all the extraction of clippings and dirt which is very abrasives.
I wear those wings off in rather short time frame. ps

 

[737tdi]

Dang Karl, did they tell y'all that they were going to replace the blades? The reason I ask is I replaced all of my mower blades with Gator blades, they are a bit more expensive but well worth it. They do a much better cut then the OEM blades. As said above, the trailing edges of mower blades take a lot of abuse and will eventually break off.

http://www.gatorblade.com/

Karl

 

[tookalisten]

I have about 4 acres I cut with a zero turn and replace my blades once a year. I have seen that wear and worse. I take great care of what and where I cut; so those blades do take a lot of abuse with normal cutting.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Dang Karl, did they tell y'all that they were going to replace the blades? The reason I ask is I replaced all of my mower blades with Gator blades, they are a bit more expensive but well worth it. They do a much better cut then the OEM blades. As said above, the trailing edges of mower blades take a lot of abuse and will eventually break off.

http://www.gatorblade.com/

Karl

WOW That is quite a video of their blade making. Who would have thought of Robots being used in mower blades.

 

[graygun]

I sharpen and balance blades but have not seen that much wear on a trailing edge. Try not to cut so many rocks. :lol:

 

[tsubaki]

There are differing blade designs for different situations but most people can't tell the difference when using them.
A high lift design is great for thick heavy grass but if the grass is thin or sparse it will create a dusty situation and sand blast the mower deck and blades causing premature wear.
A standard lift blade might last longer in sparse grass but won't cut the thick grass without having to run over it several times.

 

[finesse_r]

Sandy soil can do that to mower blades. I can't say it would just eat up the back but if the blade gets into that sand often enough it will eat off the ends like that.