Lawn Mower Blade Sharpening Cost

Last Updated on December 27, 2023
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

Despite the fact that the blades of a lawnmower are made of high-quality steel, they need to be sharpened from time to time. Keeping your lawnmower in good shape is important because if the blade dulls, it will pull on grass rather than cut through smoothly. This can eventually damage the grass more instead of helping it grow. If you don’t sharpen your lawnmower blade, the time it takes to cut grass will be longer and there is a risk that the engine of your machine might overheat. Sharp blades also help improve the performance of parts like oil pumps or water pump impellers.

It is important that the blade that equips the mower is well sharpened and clean. An unsharpened blade does not cut the grass but breaks it so the grass will look untidy and the tips will dry out.

How much does lawn mower blade sharpening cost?

The amount of money you may spend on sharpening your lawnmower depends on the type and size of the blade and if you do it by yourself or ask for a professional. For example, sharpening your lawnmower blade yourself is one of the cheapest ways to achieve a new cutting edge as the sharpening tools can be purchased for $30 and up to $60 on Amazon and other online retailers.

For an average of $8 to $20 per blade, you can have the professional sharpen your lawnmower blades. However, if you’d prefer to save a few bucks simply remove each blade by yourself from its housing on the bottom side of your machine (some are more difficult than others) and bring it to them for a lower price of around $7 or less.

Usually, lawnmower services are priced around $18 per blade, according to Sharpeningshack.net.

Lawnmower blade sharpening details

There are two options when sharpening your lawn mower blade: you can either sharpen it yourself or bring the blade to a professional. When bringing the blade in, all they will ask for is that you remove it from underneath your riding lawnmower using an appropriately sized wrench. This only takes about 5 minutes.

To sharpen the blade of your lawnmower, you should place it against a grinder until sharp enough. You will then want to make sure that it looks just like how it used to look when you first purchased it before placing it back on the mower. Some people may also clean off any rust with a wire brush and re-balance their blades after they are done sharpening them for safety reasons.

You might also like our articles about the cost of a lawn sprinkler system, Scott’s lawn services, or lawn painting.

With a service like lawn mower repair, the workmanship should always come with a warranty.

What are the extra costs?

Some people choose to sharpen their own lawn mower blades because it is a more cost-effective choice. If you are going to do this by yourself take into consideration the price of a sharpener.

If your blade is overused, it may be time to invest in a new one. Blades can range anywhere from $20 to $35 depending on the type.

If the mechanic discovers other problems with your mower, you may have additional repairs to do, each coming with its own price.

Good to know

Because the mower blade is made of metal, it has a risk of corrosion. Therefore, we advise you to prevent the appearance of rust on the blade by doing this:

• once you have finished mowing the lawn, always clean and wipe the blade with a cloth;
• apply a product with multiple uses on the blade from time to time to protect it from rust;
• when storing the lawn mower during the winter, consider applying a layer of multi-purpose product to the blade and keep the lawnmower in a dry, moisture-free place.

If the blade is too sharp like a razor, it will cut you. It should only be as sharp as a butter knife

Sharpening your blades once a year is essential to make sure the grass clippings and debris won’t accumulate. Otherwise, you may have to buy new blades since sharpening them might not work.

How can I save money?

If you’re a first-timer sharpening your blades, it’s best to have them done in a professional shop. If that is not possible, research how to sharpen a blade yourself step by step and save money on the process. FamilyHandyMan.com has an easy-to-follow guide if you need help with this do-it-yourself project.

If possible, remove the blade before you bring it in for sharpening. The company will offer a discount if you do this ahead of time. If they have to take off and put it back on the lawnmower, then that’s an extra fee because more work will be needed.

Rather than purchasing your own grinder, ask to borrow someone else’s. You can also share one with a neighbor to save some money.

Make sure it’s worth it to buy a new blade. You may spend twice as much for a new blade than if you were to get it sharpened.