Operator's Manual

InspectingandSharpeningthe

MowerBlade(s)

Twoareasmustbeconsideredwhencheckingandservicing

themowerblade—thesailandthecuttingedge.Bothcutting

edgesandthesail,whichistheturned-upportionopposite

ofthecuttingedge,contributetoagoodqualityofcut.The

sailisimportantbecauseitliftsthegrassupstraight,thereby

producinganevencut.However,thesailgraduallywears

downduringoperation.Asthesailwearsdown,thequality

ofcutdegrades,althoughthecuttingedgesaresharp.The

cuttingedgeoftheblademustbesharpsothatthegrassis

cutratherthantorn.Adullcuttingedgeisevidentwhenthe

tipsofthegrassappearbrownandshredded.Sharpenthe

cuttingedgestocorrectthiscondition.

1.Parkthemachineonalevelsurface,raisethemower

decks,engagetheparkingbrake,putthetractionpedal

inNEUTRAL,putthePTOleverintheOFFposition,

shutofftheengine,andremovethekey.

2.Examinethecuttingendsofthebladecarefully,

especiallywheretheatandcurvedpartsoftheblade

meet(Figure77).

Note:Becausesandandabrasivematerialcanwear

awaythemetalthatconnectstheatandcurvedparts

oftheblade,checkthebladebeforeusingthemower.

Ifwearisnoticed(Figure77),replacetheblade.

g004653

Figure77

1.Cuttingedge3.Wear/slotforming

2.Curvedarea4.Crack

3.Examinethecuttingedgesofallofthebladesand

sharpenthecuttingedgesiftheyaredullornicked

(Figure77).

Note:Sharpenonlythetopofthecuttingedgeand

maintaintheoriginalcuttingangletoensuresharpness

(Figure78).Thebladeremainsbalancedifthesame

amountofmetalisremovedfrombothcuttingedges.

g000276

Figure78

1.Sharpenattheoriginalangle.