paulinkansas Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 Someone (my old dad) borrowed my riding mower and returned it with the blade tips severely bent. Instead of the blades being horizontal, the the tips now curl downwards at a 30~45 degree angle. I have an oxy/acet torch. Can I heat up the tips and straighten out the blade without weakening the tip? I also happen to have a 5 gallon bucket of used oil sitting next to the table vice that I'd use to hold the blade while it's being straightened. Should I quench the hot straight blade in the oil after working on it? Thanks, I know very very little about blacksmithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 Paul; Replace the blades with new ones! Even if you were an expert smith (which you admit you are NOT) such a repair is too risky for a blade that revolves at very high speeds. The blades might already be cracked and ready to fly off and cause injury (even if you can't see any cracks). You could give the old blades to a smith like me for recycling but they should NOT be used for mowing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 Blades are a consumable item. They are intentionally soft so they will bend and deform if they impact something other than grass. It is a safety feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Roy Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 Are you sure he bent them? Some of these blades in mulching movers have peculiar shapes to begin with. Of course I know what I have done to my mower. I did make a knife once from a lawnmower blade. It seemed like pretty good steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukellos Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 I have to agree with the others. Replacement cost shouldn't be that great, especially if you weigh it against the cost of damage caused by the breaking of a poorly tempered blade. I've got a Saxon spear I forged out of a lawn mower blade over 20 years ago. I just let it air harden and it is somewhat springy. Old mower blades are great raw material for knives, spears and such. Buy new ones and have some fun with the old ones. GOOD LUCK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southernforge Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 Had a blade come apart while spinning after straightening. Don't try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 If the blades rotate freely and still cut then the most important point is to make sure that they are balanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquamanlr Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 paulinkansas I would replace the blade, because usless you get it perfectly in balance it could cause enouph viberation to ruin the bearings on the shaft to fail. Just m2cents. LeeRoy aquamanlr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 My mower is not just a mower.. its a chipper I can push.... yes I know its a bad idea... save the safety speeches.. I was taking back my yard from bushes.. I cut them down and mowed over the stubs... I also found all the rocks in the grass... that being said, a new generic blade for most mowers is between 20 and 30 dollars... a new leg prosthesis is about $30,000... a trip to the ER is at least $500.. I have replaced 3 bent blades on my mower... don't take chances with bent blade... Its also worth mentioning I live in New England, where we get 3 crops of rocks a year... simple economics no? but an old lawnmower bade could be a new hoe blade.... or pocket knife ... or J hook . or ..the sky is the limit... just my thoughts and experiences Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Its also worth mentioning I live in New England, where we get 3 crops of rocks a year... Don`t know where in NE you are but here on the Maine coast it`s not so much mowin` the lawn as it is trimmin` the ledge,chummy. Yes,that`s an L as in granite ledge. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 And out here in the SW we just wait till the wind is blowing the right direction and light a match...(How I've done it the last 5 years) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukellos Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 Hey Tom! Just make sure the wind isn't from the East. We can't afford any more brush fires here in AZ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 Mainely, Bob, Grew up in a place called Rockport, now I live in CT. And yes I have gone ledge trimming too, after a couple of years they have beautiful smooth contours.. just takes patience ... and a couple of blades... Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 Mainely, Bob, Grew up in a place called Rockport, now I live in CT. And yes I have gone ledge trimming too, after a couple of years they have beautiful smooth contours.. just takes patience ... and a couple of blades... Cliff I sometimes help out at Peter Korn`s place up in Rockport,right next to Rockland(do you folks see the pattern here?). You`d probably not recognize the place anymore.The ledge trimmers have been hard at work and have it almost looking like Kansas now. Maine,God`s country!Where even the snow blowers are rigged to handle rocks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 I sometimes help out at Peter Korn`s place up in Rockport,right next to Rockland(do you folks see the pattern here?). You`d probably not recognize the place anymore.The ledge trimmers have been hard at work and have it almost looking like Kansas now. Maine,God`s country!Where even the snow blowers are rigged to handle rocks! If you ever wondered why the build snowblowers that fit on payloaders// is because of the rocks... not the snow.. they come up during the winter too.. and get... well.. .. ... .. its hard to explain... ornery would be a good way to put it.. in winter you can find rocks with a snowplow.. that you can't find with a lawnmower during the summer... At least with wasn't Limerock... ever been to Jonesport? Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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