How to Make a Craftsman Lawn Mower Cut Better

A lawn mower.

The large range of Craftsman lawn mowers on the market today includes reel mowers, commercial riding tractors and everything in between. Most Craftsman lawn mower models perform very well and cut grass quite efficiently. There's always room for improvement, though. Looking to make your Craftsman lawn mower cut better? There are several steps you can take to get your Craftsman cutting better.

Things You'll Need

• Basic Tools Replacement blades

Instructions

1. Sharpen the blades often. Even if your Craftsman lawn mower is brand new, it'll cut better if you simply sharpen the blades. The sharper the blades are, the better the mower will cut. You should have your cutting blades sharpened, for optimal performance, at least once a year, though twice a year is better for reel mower models.

2. Replace the cutting blades after their term of service. Craftsman lawn mowers generally come with high-quality blades that ought to last at least 5 to 7 years. Depending on the size of your lawn and the frequency with which you mow it, though, the cutting blades will eventually start to wear out and need to be replaced instead of resharpened. For optimal performance it's best to simply replace the blades once every 5 years or so, just to be safe.

3. Keep the engine well maintained. Nothing will hurt the cutting ability of your Craftsman lawn mower worse than poor engine maintenance. Make sure you check and change the oil regularly, don't overwork the engine, and use the right fuel type--most Craftsman models use regular gasoline, not two-stroke engine fuel). Also, take your Craftsman in for professional tuning and maintenance every 5 years or so.

4. Adjust the height each time you mow. For the best cutting results, it's important that you keep your Craftsman lawn mower adjusted to the proper height; the method of adjustment varies from model to model. If your grass is unusually high, set your mower to its highest setting. Do the opposite if your grass is short. By doing so you'll guarantee the best possible cut.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose the right Craftsman lawn mower for the job. Before you can make your Craftsman lawn mower cut better, you need to understand how it cuts. Reel mower models actually slice the blades of grass, cutting them neatly. Other models, on the other hand, simply strike the blades at high speeds and essentially rip them. Because of this, for optimal cutting, you'll need to choose a reel Craftsman mower. Sears is a good best place to take your mower for service because of the store's familiarity with Craftsman models.

• Don't expect an optimal cut out of your Craftsman lawn mower if your grass has grown too high since the last mowing. Even though Craftsman lawn mowers are high quality products, they can't offer a great cut if the grass is too long.

Resources

• The Craftsman Website