29
Servicing the Blade
To ensure a superior quality of cut, keep the blade sharp.
For convenient sharpening and replacement, keep an extra
blade.
Danger
A worn or damaged blade can break and a piece of
the blade could be thrown into the operator’s or
bystander’s area, resulting in serious personal
injury or death.
•
Inspect the blade periodically for wear or
damage.
•
Replace a worn or damaged blade.
Inspecting the Blade
1. Remove the mower; refer to Removing the Mower on
page 30.
2. Inspect the cutting edges (Fig. 28). If the edges are not
sharp or have nicks, remove the blade and sharpen
them; refer to Sharpening the Blade on page 29.
m-151
1
2
3
Figure 28
1.
Cutting edge
2.
Curved area
3.
Wear/slot forming
3. Inspect the blade, especially the curved area (Fig. 28). If
you notice any damage, wear, or a slot forming in this
area (Fig. 28), immediately install a new blade.
Removing the Blade
1. Remove the mower; refer to Removing the Mower on
page 30.
2. Carefully tip the mower over.
3. Remove the bolt (5/8 in. wrench), curved washer,
retainer, and blade (Fig. 29). Use a block of wood as a
wedge between the blade and the mower to lock the
blade when you are removing the bolt.
m-1886
1
2
3
4
5
Figure 29
1.
Bolt
2.
Retainer
3.
Blade
4.
Spindle
5.
Curved washer
4. Inspect all parts; replace any parts that are damaged.
Sharpening the Blade
1. Use a file to sharpen the cutting edge at both ends of the
blade (Fig. 30). Maintain the original angle. The blade
retains its balance if you remove the same amount of
material from both cutting edges.
m-1854
1
Figure 30
1.
Sharpen at original angle
