The brush cutter blade is one of the most important parts of a brush cutter. You need to keep it sharp in order for it to get through tough, thick grass and weeds.
Sharpening your blades will prolong their life and make them more efficient at cutting through grasses as well as reduce the amount of power needed from your engine.
Here are nine steps you can take today to sharpen your blades!
Contents
Step 1: Clean the Blade
The first step is to clear away any excess grass or weeds from your brush cutter blade. Clean off any dirt or debris that may have accumulated over time. You want to have a clear view of the edge and metal parts on both sides.
Remove any dirt, dust, or debris that may be on the brush cutter blades with a soft cloth and/or compressed air.
You need to make sure that they are clean before you start working on them, otherwise, you will end up with a mix of dirt and grass all over your hands!
Step 2: Find the Bevel
The second step to sharpening your blade is finding the angle of your blades. The best way to do this is by using a protractor and holding it against one of your cutting teeth.
If you have any problems with measuring angles, there are many online calculators that can help as well. Once you find where the bevel is, use a file to remove some of the metal on your blade.
Step 3: Oil the Blade
The third step before you start sharpening any brush cutter blade is to apply a light coating of motor oil.
The goal here is to keep dirt and debris from accumulating on your blade while you are sharpening it so that the next time you go out in the field, they will be clean.
Step 4: Add a Masking Tape
Put masking tape at each end of the cutting line where you will be sharpening the blade so that it won’t extend beyond that point when you sharpen it.
Step 5: Sharpen the Blade with a File
This is where the fun really begins! You can use any number of different files for this procedure but it’s best to use a flat-file. With the blade sitting upright, hold it at an angle and then move up from one tooth to another in slow continuous strokes.
Take a file and hold it at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees to the cutting edge of your blade, filing from the inside out (away from you).
Keep your arms loose and use medium pressure as this will keep more metal on the blade. Avoid using too much force or else you risk thinning the metal.
Continue filing until you reach your masking tape and continue to file from this point outwards for about another quarter inch, or more if needed.
Step 6: Clean Excess Filings
Hold a toothbrush in one hand and use it to brush off any excess filings that might be on the blade while running over it with your fingers.
Step 7: Sharpen Blades with Sandpaper
This step is optional but can be very useful if you’re not satisfied with how your second step turned out. This step involves sanding down your blades with some heavy-duty sandpaper to create an even bevel on all of them.
Step 8: Remove the Masking Tape
Take off masking tape from both ends and brush away filings with a toothbrush as before or use compressed air if available.
Step 9: Regular Maintenance
You should also sharpen your blades every few months, especially if it cuts through thick grass and weeds or hard surfaces regularly! This will help reduce wear-and-tear on the blades and prolong their life.
