Blade Sharpener Question

[#1Pappy]

Been using a bench grinder since the beginning of time to sharpen all my mower blades. I started searching for a legitimate sharpener, and I just can't justify the prices for a Magna-Matic, and the only other makes I can find are Oregon and BG. Our Exmark and big JD both use a flat blade, but our little Deere uses those wierd bent blades, which the Oregon and BG don't seem to support.
Anyone know of any other makes/models out there that are worth a darn?
Thanx :dizzy:

[Mowbizz]

Been using a bench grinder since the beginning of time to sharpen all my mower blades. I started searching for a legitimate sharpener, and I just can't justify the prices for a Magna-Matic, and the only other makes I can find are Oregon and BG. Our Exmark and big JD both use a flat blade, but our little Deere uses those wierd bent blades, which the Oregon and BG don't seem to support.
Anyone know of any other makes/models out there that are worth a darn?
Thanx :dizzy:

You should try an angle grinder...just went over to one this season (from bench grinder) and there's no looking back. Pick up the whole setup under $100. Mine is a DeWalt 4.5 inch and I use the "flap discs" in the coarsest grit I can find.
You won't believe the speed and ease of this setup. Use gloves though, as I have "dinged" my fingers a couple of times and believe me, that wheel DIGS IN! (You will need a bench vise as well to hold the blade)

[txgrassguy]

Foley makes a grinder much like the RBG.
With a bit of intelligent practice you can effectively grind and kind of blade regardless of shape. I even sharpen my bush hog blades on my Foley.
Check ebay, they should be available used for $100-$150 or so.
Invest in the Magna-matic balancer - well worth the $$

[#1Pappy]

Mowbizz, I appreciate the respnse, but I have a hard time believing that a flap-disk can grind down the thick blades from the ExMark. besides I'm sure those flap-disks wouldn't last very long as I service my blades weekly. I do use a 4.5" angle grinder to sharpen the brush-hog blades with a regular grinding disk and that seems to take 4-EVER!
The bench grinder takes me 3 - 6 minutes per blade if they aren't too badly nicked up, (not counting balancing time). One of my "Customers" is an old Cemetery with over 500 graves (some from the 1700's) and it grows rocks, if ya know what I mean, which plays havoc on the blades.

[#1Pappy]

Txgrassguy,
Thanx. No Foley's on ebay right now. Can't open foleys.com either.
Will keep on keepin-on!

[CkLandscapingOrlando]

I my blades with an angle grinder with a grinding blade. Takes about 5-7 min for 5 blades twice a week

[lilweeds]

The magna matic is worth every penny, shame you missed on on the big group sale! I was thinking the same thing till I figured out how much I was paying to sharpen blades every week. It does pay for itself and now my machines get sharp blades every 8-12 hours and my customers can really tell the difference.

[topsites]

I have an RBG...
Trust me, a handheld angle grinder's just as good, other than the angle of the edge can be a bit of a pita to maintain.

Yes granted the RBG is faster and delivers a better edge every time.
Until the &%^*'n grinding wheel gets out of round, and this happens to me more than I'd care to think about.
Once it's out of round?
The whole thing starts to vibrating and it only keeps getting worse.
Why, I haven't a clue, but you then get to spend money on a tool, and time truing it back into shape.
Sure it's cheap, and plan on replacing those little truing wheels (or since it's cheap, the whole tool) a lot, too.

[Mowbizz]

Mowbizz, I appreciate the respnse, but I have a hard time believing that a flap-disk can grind down the thick blades from the ExMark. besides I'm sure those flap-disks wouldn't last very long as I service my blades weekly. I do use a 4.5" angle grinder to sharpen the brush-hog blades with a regular grinding disk and that seems to take 4-EVER!
The bench grinder takes me 3 - 6 minutes per blade if they aren't too badly nicked up, (not counting balancing time). One of my "Customers" is an old Cemetery with over 500 graves (some from the 1700's) and it grows rocks, if ya know what I mean, which plays havoc on the blades.

I hear you... but if you keep after the blades and change them often they don't dull as much, especially if you give them that 1/32 edge and not make them razor sharp...touching them up is an easy task with the angle grinder.
I showed a friend who's been using a bench grinder for 20 years and he was amazed at the job they did. All grinding wheels wear out over time but the flap discs are pretty cheapo at the depot...:drinkup: Yeah...rocks vs blades the rocks win every time...

[fastbs]

+1 for the 4.5" hand held

[rlitman]

On the angle grinder note, I've got a suggestion you might like more than a flap wheel.
There are wheels that allow you to see through them.
I've got two types, one is a sanding disc, with holes in it, which is ok, and the other is a grinding wheel, with a few large "U" shapes removed from its perimeter (Norton AVOS). That one is awesome. You get the faster cutting of a real grinding wheel, and can actually see the surface as its being cut. With a little practice and a steady hand you can actually sharpen an axe with one of these (from heavy grinding to find the edge, to light finishing to leave a nearly razor sharp surface).

I don't know what you mean about the 4.5" grinder being slow. My angle grinder has about as much power as my 6" bench grinder, and can remove metal faster. I can put a nice 45 degree bevel on a torch cut foot long strip of 1/4" steel in a couple of minutes. Your mower blades can't be much more than that.

[Two Seasons]

On the angle grinder note, I've got a suggestion you might like more than a flap wheel.
There are wheels that allow you to see through them.
I've got two types, one is a sanding disc, with holes in it, which is ok, and the other is a grinding wheel, with a few large "U" shapes removed from its perimeter (Norton AVOS). That one is awesome. You get the faster cutting of a real grinding wheel, and can actually see the surface as its being cut. With a little practice and a steady hand you can actually sharpen an axe with one of these (from heavy grinding to find the edge, to light finishing to leave a nearly razor sharp surface).

I don't know what you mean about the 4.5" grinder being slow. My angle grinder has about as much power as my 6" bench grinder, and can remove metal faster. I can put a nice 45 degree bevel on a torch cut foot long strip of 1/4" steel in a couple of minutes. Your mower blades can't be much more than that.

Therein lies the problem...45 degrees :laugh:...blades cut best and last longest at 30 degrees...you won't be able to maintain the proper angle over time :hammerhead:

Our customers always tell us how nice their grass looks these days. Been using the Magna-Matic setup, including the stand, for over a year now. I watched the bench grinder setup down at the dealer. Bring a really dinged up blade to them at it was $12---for one blade! As often as we sharpen, we'd have spent more at this point to have them serviced than we spent on the Magna-Matic setup. Worth every penny! :)

[weve]

I've had my Magna-Matic for six years now. Before that I used an RGB. Some like the Fireball by Brandlein Machine.

[rlitman]

Therein lies the problem...45 degrees :laugh:...blades cut best and last longest at 30 degrees...you won't be able to maintain the proper angle over time :hammerhead:

Our customers always tell us how nice their grass looks these days. Been using the Magna-Matic setup, including the stand, for over a year now. I watched the bench grinder setup down at the dealer. Bring a really dinged up blade to them at it was $12---for one blade! As often as we sharpen, we'd have spent more at this point to have them serviced than we spent on the Magna-Matic setup. Worth every penny! :)

I'm not going to knock a dedicated sharpening system. My suggestions were only meant for people who use a flap wheel or bench grinder to sharpen right now. The view-through discs are great, and FAR superior to flap discs in my opinion, but when time=money, and you haven't got the time, a handheld grinder isn't for you.

As for the 45 degree comment. I was in NO way implying that was a good angle for sharpening a blade. That would be funny. I was just talking about the rate of removing metal from a square edged blank. That all comes down to the amount of power your motor can deliver to the wheel, and that's where the belt driven magna-matic can excel. With a Baldor 1HP motor, not much can grind faster.

[Two Seasons]

I'm not going to knock a dedicated sharpening system. My suggestions were only meant for people who use a flap wheel or bench grinder to sharpen right now. The view-through discs are great, and FAR superior to flap discs in my opinion, but when time=money, and you haven't got the time, a handheld grinder isn't for you.

As for the 45 degree comment. I was in NO way implying that was a good angle for sharpening a blade. That would be funny. I was just talking about the rate of removing metal from a square edged blank. That all comes down to the amount of power your motor can deliver to the wheel, and that's where the belt driven magna-matic can excel. With a Baldor 1HP motor, not much can grind faster.

We have the 1hp Mag-8000 and you can't slow it down. Best bang for the buck, but I must admit we do very few mulching blades. I thought I might get into the blade business for others, but judging from my neigbor's blades :hammerhead:, I'd be hard pressed to do 20 blades per hour :walking:

[CkLandscapingOrlando]

The sharpening machine is better for the blade. Better edge, angle, and less metal removed. But my angle grinder works for now