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Lawnmower Blades

Curious if all mower blades are created equal? What makes a zero turn cut pretty lines but yet my riding mower doesn't? I bought our lawn tractor over 20 years ago and bought one extra set of blades for the 60 inch mower deck. I've sharpened and re-sharpened them so much to the point where I need to just get a new set. I am not easy on them though, if it's a stick that I can drive over that f'er will become mulch. Someone please educate me if I should be going original replacement or some other fancy kind of blades that are out there?
 
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Wasn't sure what high lift truly meant on blades til you guys mentioned them and I did some looking. Think the one's I've got are either low or medium lift, well I should correct that to No Lift as they are pretty worn out LOL!

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From what I read though it says high lift requires more horsepower?? I honestly think my tractor has lost HP over the years. Seems I recall it used to kick up in RPM's when I would engage the mower. But maybe I'm getting old and remembering things incorrectly.
 

hickslawns

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Decent video. I was wondering if he was going to keel over during it. Some heavy breathing for a guy just standing there. 🙁

We run high lift most of the year. Come fall we will change to the gator blades. Usually we only put the gator blade on the open end spindle or sometimes open end and middle spindle. Leaving high lift on closed end gives a little more "throw" to exit the deck.
 

Jackalope

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I run mulching blades but I cut the last ear off. The sandy soil here, which is really just sand, will cut that ear off in less than a season anyway and it keeps the deck from being blasted too much. As sand hits the blade it slides over the top and the ears hit it. As the sand runs down the bottom of the ears it cuts a groove along the last one and eventually shears it off. It's also hell decks. A stamped deck won't last three seasons here.
 
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hickslawns

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Well poop. Just ordered 6 sets of the high lifts. Maybe that will make you feel better about ordering a set or two? Picked up one set at the dealer today. $25/blade. Got online and ordered the next 6 sets for half that.
 
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Maybe I am thinking wrong but the only reason I didn't get mulching blades yet is because I use mine as a brush hog often, especially down on the farm. Getting clogs in the chute with all the tall grass and bogging down the mower was my concern. Don't care about leaving long cut grass trails behind, that doesn't concern me. Around the house I would definitely like a mulching set, maybe next summer after Allen is in college LOL! He's my tall grass rake for now!