[Keith]

I ordered up a couple more sets of notched Excaliburs for the Lazer a couple weeks back. Of course since we have no local dealer I had to find one who would actually place an order for me over the phone Found one, and as usual you have to get past their wanting to sell you aftermarket blades that cost more the OEM stuff. After a few days I get a call telling me my blades are in and then another telling me the computer goofed and listed aftermarket blades as being the Excaliburs. So they have to reorder over the phone. The good thing about having the Ex distributor in the same city as the dealer is you can have whatever you order in just under a week Oh well enough of that.

I did not notice any damage when I picked them up, but when I unstrapped them yesterday, I notice two of them look a little different. They have what appears to be heavy rust under the paint The others look fine, and they had these conveniently located between the others I guess rust ain't no big deal, but I look at the cutting edge on both of those and they have a wave in them What the hell happened to these two? A quick check with the Magna-Matic "bend checker thingy" show two other ones are out of whack by a fairly good bit end to end, but nothing like the two oddballs.

I tried to take pictures of them and you may or may not be able to see what I am talking about, but you will definitely have to look at them in the original resolution. If you choose to take a look, click on the individual pic then underneath there is a "view full size" link that will blow them up to 1600x1200. They are still not great quality with the fluorescent lights in the shop, but that's the best I could do. The first five pictures are of straight blades, they are just there for comparison. Beginning with the 6th picture (last pic, second row) is where the screwed up ones can be found.

http://community.webshots.com/album/84724020XKPapR

Anyone else purchased Excaliburs of questionable quality?

 

[TLS]

I have noticed that on numerous sets of blades, both aftermarket and OEM dealer blades. Its just poor QC after they bend the lift wing in. I find its more noticable in the solid foils then in the notched foils.

I tell my dealer to bring out about 8 blades, and I search through them for the best 3.

They will still operate fine, that is once you balance them. The first sharpening can take a while as you have to redefine the entire edge because of this wave in the bevel. The bevel is actually different angles about halfway through the edge. I beleive that the edge is put on first, then the notch is cut, then the lift wing is bent up. This could all be solved if they just did all this the opposite way.

Best quality blades I've seen are the OEM SCAG Marbain blades. They are works of art. Perfect in almost every way.

If Exmark would use whoever SCAG uses to manufacture its blades it would be GREAT!!!


Makes me wonder if there is a need for a custom blade manufacturer out there that can produce quality hardened blades.........Oh, nevermind, Roy M. has that covered already.



ON EDIT: As for the rust, I really wouldn't worry about it, but maybe you could use it as leverage to the shipping dealer. Tell them you WANT straight rust free blades, and see what he says.

 

[Keith]

Yeah, but as opposed to the solids that wave back toward the lift wing, these dip downward then back up at the end The lowest part of the edge on these are about 4 inches from the end of the blade. Looks like the were run over.

 

[TLS]

Just noticed that part Keith. Never saw it lift back up at the tip. Usually its just a slight bend toward the tip. With the tip cutting lower than the center of the blade.

I'd say you got a bad batch. Check center hole tolerance while your at it. I had one of the first sets of eXcaliburs and one had the center hole NOTCHED about 1/16" off center! Talk about a balancing nightmare. It wasn't until I put it on the Magna-Matic balancer and used the arm did I see how bad it was.


Maybe you need to inform Terry and Dustin over in the Exmark forum (or did you already and its in queue?) I think its a shame that we have the best mower out there with the possibility of some of the worst quality blades on it!


How many were good out of the batch?

 

[Keith]

I posted a question about it over on the Exmark forum yesterday, but got no reply. Honestly, I don't think they would no how to answer it. I was hoping some others would come over there and say they had gotten a few bad ones too.

I actually bought 7, two sets and one to replace a blade from a previous set that had some damage. Two had the wave kicking, those were the two rusty looking ones. Two others had almost a 1/4" difference from one end to the other. I'm not really worried about those though. I'd really like to call the dealer back and tell them, but I think they will be a heck of a lot less likely to order anymore of them. They like selling aftermarkets, they make more off of them.

I'll try to post smaller versions of the pictures, but it really is hard to tell with the shrunk version. Heck, I had to take about 50 pictures to get a few that were decent

Here goes. The wave reaches it's lowest point probably 3 inches from the end of the blade.

 

[Keith]

Here you can see the wave in the one second from the top. The other 3 are straight.

 

[Keith]

Another wavy one. The pics are too small though

 

[TLS]

It's gettin late!!!

Looks like your ruler is warped!!!!

LOL

I think Exmark CAN do something about this. They probably have NO idea that there is a QC problem with their blades.

You and I feel that there is, and if others checked, they probably get a bad (blade or batch) from time to time too.

Lets keep this active Keith. I'll reply on the Exmark side as well.

 

[AltaLawnCare]

Originally posted by TLS

Best quality blades I've seen are the OEM SCAG Marbain blades. They are works of art. Perfect in almost every way.

If Exmark would use whoever SCAG uses to manufacture its blades it would be GREAT!!!

Anyone know if 60" Scag blades will fit the Lazer?
Seems I remember someone using them, they were only tiny bit longer, and it improved the cut.

 

[AltaLawnCare]

Just checked the J. Thomas catalogue, the Scag blades are 1/2" longer.

I'll try to find the post where I saw it.

 

[AltaLawnCare]

uldn't find that post, but ran across a post that said Oregon supplies Exmark with its OEM blades.
Oregon

 

[Keith]

I use 21" aftermarket Scag blades on my Yazoo/Kees 61". I tried to fit them on the Lazer, they are too long.

 

[AltaLawnCare]

Thanks, Keith.
I had my doubts when I saw the Scag was a 61" cut.

 

[DennisF]

From the photos it looks like the cutting edge was ground before the foils were formed by heating and bending. That would explain the twist or wave in the cutting edge. No matter... I would return them and get a refund.

 

[Keith]

The manufacturer got in touch with me yesterday, thanks to Terry at Exmark. They want to have a look at them so I will be shipping them back to them next week. Better than taking them back to the dealer and having them wind up on someone elses mower...if you know what I mean.

 

[ULTIMATE LAWN]

No problem w/ the eXcaliburs but I got a Box of Gator Magnums from Jack's Small Engines that were Wildly Unbalanced likely From the Serrated edges.

 

[The Lawn Boy Pro]

Originally posted by ULTIMATE LAWN
No problem w/ the eXcaliburs but I got a Box of Gator Magnums from Jack's Small Engines that were Wildly Unbalanced likely From the Serrated edges.

You got a picture of those?

 

[ULTIMATE LAWN]

Yes Tattoo, I did take Some Pics of them to Send to Jack's.

 

[CMLLawnServices]

Originally posted by ULTIMATE LAWN
No problem w/ the eXcaliburs but I got a Box of Gator Magnums from Jack's Small Engines that were Wildly Unbalanced likely From the Serrated edges.

If you don`t want them I`ll take them.

 

[The Lawn Boy Pro]

Ya, well, did you take a pic of your rig while you were at it? NO!!!!!!!!! didnt think so. Figures.....