Change & Sharpen Your Cub Cadet Mower Blades

Have you ever been so proud of your perfectly cut lawn to only being deflated after you find the grass turn brown a couple of days later? I once thought something terrible must have happened to make my lawn brown. Now I know it is most likely the result of dull lawn mower blades on my Cub Cadet lawn mower.

Dull Cub Cadet mower blades will beat up the grass blades instead of making a nice clean cut along each blade. This is the part that turns brown over time.

You can find Cub Cadet mower blades at your local Cub Cadet dealer or online.

Worn mower blade with chips in the blade edge

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Follow all safety instructions provided in your equipment operator’s manual before diagnosing, repairing, or operating. Consult a professional if you don’t have the skills, or knowledge or are not in the condition to perform the repair safely.

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How Often Should I Change My Cub Cadet Mower Blades?

Cub Cadet lawn mower blades need to be changed at least once a year. Mower blades should be changed more frequently if your yard includes sand, gravel, and rocks as these materials will prematurely dull and ding your blades.

It’s important to periodically check your mower blades for wear and damage. Each person’s mowing conditions are different. Some lawns have thick plush grass, while others are covered with light grass and exposing dirt that can wear blades quickly.

How Often Should I Sharpen My Cub Cadet Mower Blades?

Your blades should be sharpened every 25 hours or about two times a year for the average homeowner. Keep an eye on your blade condition to keep your blades sharp for a precisely cut lawn.

Mower Blade Design Can Cause Cub Cadet Blades to Wear Sooner

Cub Cadet mower blades, like most mower blades, are designed to rotate air at high speed and form a suction in the deck. This suction allows the grass to stand tall while the blade passes by and cuts the grass. The suction that is formed draws in grass, dirt, and other debris or objects that can cause wear or damage to your blades.

Items that Can Damage the Cub Cadet Mower Blade

I recommend you walk your yard before you mow to remove any objects that can cause damage to your Cub Cadet blades or mower deck.

Sticks, Rocks and Toys

Cub Cadet lawn mower blades spin very fast. Items, such as sticks, rocks, and toys, that the blade comes in contact with can cause damage to the deck or blades. A damaged blade must be replaced because it can result in a bad cut, spindle housing damage, or vibration in the mower.

Sand & Nature’s Debris

Lawns that include a lot of sand and dirt because they have not developed into a thick lawn can cause your blades to wear and become dull. You can’t do much to avoid coming into contact with these items. You just need to understand these conditions will wear your blades prematurely.

Lawn Chemicals

Some homeowners choose to use chemicals to treat their lawns. Depending on the types of chemicals you use, the chemicals can get on your mower deck and blades and begin to corrode these metal items.

Remove the blades frequently so the blades don’t form corrosion that will make them stuck on the deck. Removing the blades will make sure they don’t form a seal so tight you are unable to remove them.

How to Remove Cub Cadet Mower Blades

Here are some steps to remove your Cub Cadet Blades

Gather tools to remove blades

Ratchet
Work Gloves
Safety Glasses
Torque Wrench
Cordless Impact Gun (Optional)

Remove Cub Cadet Spark Plug Boot

Always remove the spark plug boots and the ignition key from your Cub Cadet mower. You do not want the mower to start with you under the mower deck. Stay safe by following these safety instructions.

Remove Cub Cadet Mower Blades

Use sockets and ratchets to remove the mower blades. You will want to move if they don’t come off easily, it may be helpful to use a cordless impact gun.

For very stubborn blade bolts that don’t want to budge, place a block of wood over the head of the bolt and hit that block with a hammer. This may loosen the bolt enough so you can remove it.

Inspect Cub Cadet Mower Blades for Damage

The wear you see on the top of the sail may look thinner at the ends than it does toward the center of the blade. This happens as normal wear and tear from sand and dirt that the blade sucks up during regular mowing.

If you find chips and dings in the blade, this is usually the result of hitting items in the yard. Most of the time these chips and dings can be removed by sharpening the mower blades. When large gouges exist in the blades, I recommend replacing them to maintain a good clean cut.

Inspect blades for any bends in the blade. If you are unsure whether a blade is bent, compare the old blade to a new blade. Blades need to be replaced if they are in this condition.

Never attempt to straighten them as this weakens the metal and can develop cracks that can break off.

Replace the Cub Cadet blade if you find a crack. Using a blade that is cracked can be extremely dangerous.

A cracked lawn mower blade has the potential to break off while mowing which can send flying metal through the air. This could injure a person or cause damage to the siding of a home.

How to Safely Sharpen Cub Cadet Lawn Mower Blades DIY

Sharpening your own blades can save you time and money if you already have the tools you need in your garage. Keep in mind, you do not want to sharpen the blade to a sharp pointed edge. This will cause the Cub Cadet blade to wear faster.

Gather the tools you will need

10″ flat metal file, drill-powered blade sharpener, or disc grinder
A vice to hold the blade in place
Blade balancer or nail on the wall
Rags
Wire Brush
Safety glasses
Work gloves

Put on Safety Glasses and Gloves

Clean Cub Cadet Blades with Rag to clean and remove debris.

Use a wire brush if dirt and debris aren’t easily removed with a rag.

Place the blade securely in the vice

After sharpening one side, you will flip the blade and secure it in the vice while you sharpen.

File or grind the blade to sharpen edge.

Sharpen with a metal file

Using a file, push the file at an angle equal to the slope of the blade in one direction along the blade.
Do not use a sawing motion when filing.
Once all of the rough spots and uneven edges are removed, flip the blade over, secure in the vice, and sharpen.

Sharpen with a drill-powered blade sharpener.

Power the drill with the blade sharpener attached.
Place the flat guide of the sharpener along the flat portion of the blade with the cutting edge slot into the bevel.
Move the sharpener up and down the length of the blade edge.
Once one side is sharpened without any rough spots or nicks, flop the blade over, secure in the vice, and sharpen using the same procedure.

Sharpen with an angle grinder or bench grinder

Hold the angle grinder perpendicular to the edge of the blade. Run the grinder along the length of the blade to level out any rough spots or nicks. Keep the grinder moving so it removes a little metal at a time and produces an even result.
Once one side is sharpened without any rough spots or nicks, flop the blade over, secure in the vice, and sharpen using the same procedure.

Make sure your Cub Cadet blade is balanced

Once your blade is sharpened, you will want to make sure it is balanced to reduce vibration and prevent damage to your mower deck. Us a blade balancer to check the balance of your blade. Shave more metal off the heavy side of the blade.

Another option to check the balance of your blade is using a nail on the wall. Place the center hole of the blade over the nail and watch to see if the blade hangs lower on the right or left-hand side of the blade.

You will need to remove more metal off the side that hangs lower until the blade sits level on the nail.

When You Should Seek a Professional Sharpening Service for Your Cub Cadet

I choose to have my mower blades sharpened by a professional because I always get a clean edge and a balanced blade. When I attempt to sharpen the blades by hand, I don’t quite get the edge I can get for my lawn mower repair shop.

You may choose to have a professional sharpen your blades because of one of the following.

It is a safer option to sharpen the blade yourself
Sharpening a blade is often less expensive than purchasing a blade
A professional can grind down mower blades to get rid of large nicks and gouges in the steel
The blade is properly balanced. This will reduce vibration and damage to your mower deck.