Sharpening bush hog blades?

[Boll Weevil]

While you'd be hard pressed to find a rock anywhere on my place other than in the creek bed, I have used my bush hog on some pretty big brush/saplings over the years. No big dings or chunks out of the blades but thinking a touch up might make for a little faster mowing and maybe save some fuel?

Do you periodically sharpen your bush hog blades or not?

 

[nitro27]

I sharpen mine, otherwise you are beating/ripping the grass/brush instead of cutting it. Look at a new blade to get angle, don't sharpen blade like a lawn mower to a sharp/fine edge. Edge will be blunt.

 

[JFK52]

I keep my old pair on for early work on my farm like cutting down a standing corn field in April. Then I put on my good set of blades for the rest of the years mowing. So yes, I do sharpen my blades on a yearly basis. I might add that I have LOTS of rocks on my farm and seem to find each and every one of them with the brush hog as I like to mow close to the ground.

 

[Don'tWorryIHuggedItFirst]

We sharpen ours yearly.

 

[ncnat]

Sharpen mine couple times a year.

 

[Bill]

I sharpen every year and I hate that job. 10 foot mower that I have yet to remove the blades from. I put Jack stands under it and crawl under there with a hand held grinder.

 

[Boll Weevil]

I put Jack stands under it and crawl under there with a hand held grinder.

This is the route I'm going...hopefully it won't take too awful long but I haven't sharpened them in 5 years. Might be more of a job than anticipated.

 

[Bill]

Might be more of a job than anticipated.

Just don't wait until August when it's 90 degrees and humid. Seems like that's always when I need it sharper.

 

[BC Buck]

I sharpen every year and I hate that job. 10 foot mower that I have yet to remove the blades from. I put Jack stands under it and crawl under there with a hand held grinder.

4 1/2" angle grinder done Bills way is faster than trying to remove them.

 

[Buckly]

I think it's much faster and easier to just remove them. it only takes a minute, although you will need a 3/4 inch ratchet set.

 

[JFK52]

I remove mine for sharpening. As I do it on a yearly basis, it is not that bad to take off the blades. I always soak the nut in penetrating oil a couple of days before attempting to take them off. I use a long handled wrench with a pipe attached to it for extra leverage.

 

[Tap]

Is it important to balance them like lawn mower blades? Seems to me that if 1 blade is heavier than the other, it would wear on the bearings.