If you are sure that the blade of the reel mower needs to be sharpened, there are several ways to do this. Which method you choose depends on your personal preferences. If you have good arm strength and your reel mower is very clean, then choose One Wheel Off Method. If the mower is dirty, use the two-wheel closure method to clean the part and relubricate the reel. If your body is not strong but convenient, you may want to try the Push Sharpening Method. Finally, if you set the drill bit and socket position, use the drill method.
All methods
First, you need to use a push mower, a flat-blade screwdriver and a sharpening kit.
You may wish to remove the handle of the mower, but we have found that placing it in the proper position allows us to be more stable when turning the reel. You may have to try two ways to determine which method is the easiest. Turn your lawn mower upside down. Pick up the screwdriver and slide it under the wheel cover to pry it open. This will show the axis or reel. The wheel is clamped to the shaft by an E-ring, sometimes referred to as a C-ring. The E ring has a flat position where you can insert the head of the screwdriver and then eject it.
Pull the wheel off the shaft. Remove the gear on the shaft inside the wheel. Slide the gear off the shaft and keep it in a safe place. Behind the gear you will find a small piece of metal, called a pawl, that can be loaded into the shaft. Please note that the pawl will not slip out without your attention, otherwise you may lose it. From here you can read or skip the sharpening method you like.
One round off method
Install the sharpening crank on the shaft and pawl. The abrasive compound is applied to the cutting edge of the blade. Apply a small amount or tend to flow down the cutting edge, but make sure all cutting surfaces are well covered. For all blades, turn the crank to rotate the reel as needed to expose all the blades. This time you will turn the reel backwards, or the way you trim it.
Once all of the cut surfaces are covered by the abrasive composite, turning the crank causes the spool to rotate backwards for about 7-8 minutes. In some cases, the abrasive compound will begin to change color. You want to see the cut edges are bright, shiny edges. This is very hard! At rest, Tom Sawyer asks your child for help, or try using a drill bit [more below] to turn the reel.
Once you think the blade is sharp, repeat the paper test to make sure all cutting surfaces are sharp. If the paper is cut cleanly, it is done. Adjust the blade if needed.
Replace gears, wheels, E-rings [which will be more difficult to retrieve than splitting] and side covers.
Two-wheel closing method
Turn the mower upside down and remove the wheel cover, E-ring, gear and pawl from the second side. Place the pawl on the first wheel. Remove any dirt as needed.
Install the sharpening crank on the shaft and pawl. The abrasive compound is applied to the cutting edge of the blade. Apply a small amount or tend to flow down the cutting edge, but make sure all cutting surfaces are covered. For all blades, turn the crank to rotate the reel as needed to expose all the blades. This time you will turn the reel backwards, or the way you trim it.
Once all of the cut surfaces are covered by the abrasive composite, turning the crank causes the spool to rotate backwards for about 7-8 minutes. In some cases, the abrasive compound will begin to change color. You want to see the cut edges are bright, shiny edges. This is very hard! At rest, Tom Sawyer asks your child for help, or try using a drill bit [more below] to turn the reel.
Once you think the blade is sharp, repeat the paper test to make sure all cutting surfaces are sharp. If the paper is cut cleanly, it is done. Adjust the blade if needed.
Replace the gears, the wheels, the E-ring [which will be harder to come back than the split] and the side cover of one wheel and then repeat the second wheel.
Push method
This approach initially seemed more complicated, but once we experienced the hard work of arm sharpening, the ease of pushing sharpening seemed to far exceed the length of the disassembly and reassembly.
We haven't tried this method ourselves, but we encountered this approach when reading reviews. His advice was to "remove the two wheels, remove and turn the ratchet from L to R, and vice versa, flip the pawl, use the compound and push the mower back for about 5 minutes." From the beginning of this article, we assume that he means placing the left gear and the pawl on the right side of the reel and vice versa. We also assume that you need to replace the wheel to push it back.
Once you think the blade is sharp, you need to disassemble the wheel and repeat the paper test to make sure all cutting surfaces are sharp. If the paper is cut cleanly, it is done. Adjust the blade if needed. Switch the gears and pawls back to the original side and replace the wheel. If we try this method to let you know how it works, we will update you. I think that once it's done, it doesn't seem to be confusing and easier than manual shaking.
Drill method
There are many references to rotating the reel with a drill bit. You will need to find a socket accessory that fits the reel; the 16 or 17 mm socket size is most often mentioned. When the bit rotates the shaft, we recommend removing the pawl as it may fly out. Disassembly instructions are in accordance with the single or double wheel method. If you remove two gears, we recommend that you remove the two pawls. Install the socket on the reel and let the drill work for you. No one seems to mention how long it will take, but we imagine it takes much less time than manual. After 3 or 4 minutes, visually check the sharpness of the blade. Reassemble the wheel as you did any other method.
Only! It may seem complicated, but after you become a pro game for the first time!
Orignal From: For a perfect cutting lawn - how to sharpen your reel lawn mower blades
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