Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,841 Likes: 13
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,841 Likes: 13 |
You don't need to sharpen you blades that often, and if you think they need sharpening, just run them up to a local hardware store or mower repair shop. They will do a correct job in sharpening the blades. I've got the same Zero Turn Commercial mower for about 7-8 yrs now, and have only had to sharpen them 4-5 times. Push mowers are pretty cheap, you might just get a new one.
M80s VP180 4xM22ow 4xM3ic EP600 2xEP350 AnthemAVM60 Outlaw7700 EmoA500 Epson5040UB FluanceRT85
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Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210 |
I let my lawn guy worry about keeping his lawnmower blades sharp, I use my Harbor Freight vise and cheap Task Force bench grinder for stuff I actually enjoy messing around with. If you are going to have a work bench a vise is great tool to have, you'll probably use it more then you may initially think. The bench grinder, not so much.
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Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,444 Likes: 16
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,444 Likes: 16 |
Wilton is the staple for bench vises (metal type). Wood working is a different animal altogether. There is a very good knife sharpening system that uses a wheel on a bench grinder, and different compounds along with a polishing wheel. I tried it and it works amazingly. Kinda spooky to use though. I'd probably look for a system with a holder, verse the type where you hold the knife by hand.
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Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
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OP
shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
I just bought a 4.5" vise from Home Despot. Cheap, but it'll do the job for now.
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
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Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
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OP
shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
Oh irony of ironies.
After I spent that time sharpening the blade and cleaning the mower and changing the oil, etc, etc, I was mowing the strop near the street, slipped off the curb, and bent the blade.
Talent.
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
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Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786 |
Consider it practice for the next blade. The sharpening part, not the bending part.
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
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OP
shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
Yeah, I couldn't help but notice that the blade I bought was substantially less sharp than the one I bent.
I'm not touching it.
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
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Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458 |
I end up sharpening every new blade before I put it on the mower.
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: Vises and bench grinders?
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955 |
Hey Ken,
You will find your vice super handy for tons of things. Nothing like having a third arm sometimes.
Here are some other good things to know when you tackle sharpening a lawn mower blade. I learned at least one of them the hard way so I thought I would share.
If you are just honing the fine edge, I personally think a large hand file is a better tool. It's easier to not change the correct angle and easier to keep things in balance. If you can hand file it twice a season or at least every season, you may never need to go back to the extra steel stealing of a grinder. It doesn't actually take much longer either if you have a good file. It's really amazing what a good file can do.
Angle. Be careful to keep the same angle when using a grinder. It's easy to change the angle when you can take off so much steel so quickly. My push and tractor are 40 and 45 degrees respectively. A flatter angle might seem better but it will chip easier. Also, remember your grinding disk is round. You need to keep things even or the roundness will give you too thin an edge which may be sharper but is more prone to chipping.
Balance. The other easy thing to do with a grinder is to remove a bit more on one side or the other. If the blade is not balanced, you will get bad vibrations. I know, I've done it.
Heat. Don't press down hard with the grinder or use it too long without giving the metal time to cool. If you heat the metal too much, it will lose it's temper and will chip and wear faster. If it changes colour, you created too much heat.
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