How to Sharpen a Reel Mower

Sharpening a reel mower looks easy. It's just a series of blades, right? While some people find success sharpening reel mower blades with a basic grinder, this method can be difficult, time-consuming, and ultimately complicated when it comes to reassembling the parts of the reel mower that must be dis-assembled for the grinding technique. Sharpening kits for reel mowers, on the other hand, are relatively inexpensive, can be used by the average person, and take a fairly short amount of time. Sharpening your reel mower using either method is effective.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Reel mower
• Reel mower sharpening kit
• Wrench
• Rag

1. Use the wrench to remove the bolt on the left side of the reel mower, facing the reel mower. This may take considerable strength, and even a second pair of hands to hold the nut in place with a second wrench as the first person removes the bolt. Most reel mowers are older, and unless you've sharpened it regularly, the nut and bolt will be difficult to separate.

2. Remove the outer cover of the wheel, and look for a small metal piece that sticks out from the reel mower about 3/4 inch. It has another tiny, microchip-sized piece of metal in a hole in it.

3. Slip the hand crank from the sharpening kit over this metal piece, taking care that the microchip-sized piece of metal is equally distributed on both sides of the hole. This allows you to slip the crank handle on and lock in place.

4. Rotate the handle counter clockwise to make sure that it works.

5. Take the paintbrush and sharpening solution from the sharpening kit. Paint the blades with the sharpening solution. Paint each one, rotating carefully, and apply the solution liberally.

6. Turn the hand crank counterclockwise for at least 10 minutes. At first, the reel mower will make loud grinding noises. Over time, you should start to see shiny sections on the blades as the blades sharpen.

7. Apply a second coat of sharpening solution and repeat Steps 5 and 6.

8. Wipe off remaining sharpening solution and reassemble the reel mower. Lubricate the bolt and nut and other bolts and nuts to maintain the reel mower.

9. Test the sharpening and mow a section of lawn.

Tips & Warnings

• If the blades still aren't sharp enough, you may have to find a place that sharpens reel mowers with a grinding stone.
• Never turn the blades and stick fingers, hands or body parts near the blade assembly.