The Best Lawn Mower Blade Sharpeners of 2024 for a Healthier Lawn, Tested
Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about The Best Lawn Mower Blade Sharpeners of 2024 for a Healthier Lawn, Tested and hope the blog can help you.
Let this guide on lawn mower blade sharpeners and how to choose them hone your knowledge of these edgy tools.
A dull mower blade cuts poorly and makes it harder to mow, but a lawn mower blade sharpener can fix that problem. For best results, users will want to sharpen mower blades every 20 to 25 hours of mowing. The good news is that sharpening mower blades is an easy DIY maintenance project if you have the right equipment—and there are a wide variety of tools from which to choose, including manual files, power grinders, various jigs, and more. In our search for the best options, we tested eight vastly different lawn mower blade sharpeners on 16 dull lawn mower blades.
Our favorite product is the Crescent Nicholson 12″ Flat Double-Cut Bastard File. This is a simple, inexpensive, and highly effective tool that renews a worn mower blade with just a few strokes. It is easy to store when not in use, and you’ll likely find it also serves other purposes around the home and workshop. We also have recommendations for shoppers who value speed and precision over affordability. Read on to learn more about our product reviews and additional considerations to help you select the best lawn mower blade sharpener for your workshop or tool box.
- BEST OVERALL: Crescent Nicholson 12″ Flat Double-Cut Bastard File
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Smith’s Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener
↓ Jump to Review - BEST DRILL ATTACHMENT: Ankda Double-Layer Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FILE: Crescent Nicholson 14″ Mill Single-Cut Bastard File
↓ Jump to Review - BEST ANGLE GRINDER DISC: DeWalt 4½” by ⅝” 24G Type 29 HP Flap Disc
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BENCH GRINDER: Wen 8″ 5-Amp Variable-Speed Bench Grinder
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BELT GRINDER: Grizzly Industrial Horizontal/Vertical Belt Sander
↓ Jump to Review - BEST SYSTEM: All American Sharpener Model 5005 Gen 2 Kit
↓ Jump to Review
How We Tested the Best Lawn Mower Blade Sharpeners
To assess these mower blade sharpeners, we considered speed, precision, versatility, the sharpened blade’s finish, and price. We also wanted to replicate different usage patterns, so we sharpened two types of blades with each tool. The first type of blade was like that of a serious lawn enthusiast who maintains a pristine lawn. This blade becomes dull but never pitted or chipped from contact with hard obstacles. The second type of blade was that of a casual owner who just keeps the grass at an acceptable length. This blade receives dents and nicks from encounters with sticks, rocks, roots, obscured toys, and maybe an occasional hidden stepping stone.
After a half day of lawn mower blade sharpening, we recorded our observations and scored each mower blade sharpener on a rubric. Then, considering our assessment objectives and user-type avatars, we awarded a title to each product that best represented its strengths.
| Testing Stats | |
| Products tested | 8 |
| Time spent testing | 6 hours |
| Tests performed | 4 |
| Price range | $13 to $306 |
Our Top Picks
The best mower blade sharpener for your situation depends on numerous factors, such as average mowing conditions, frequency of sharpening, and personal preferences, including budget. Our top picks feature a wide range of tools that will perform well in a variety of settings. Whether you value power, precision, speed, or portability, one of these options could be the lawn mower blade sharpener you’ve been looking for.
Best Overall
Crescent Nicholson 12" Flat Double-Cut Bastard
Photo: The Home Depot
Our Ratings: Setup 5/5; Ease of Use 4.8/5; Sharpening 5/5; Quality 5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Type: Manual
- Sharpener material: Steel
- Versatility: Most cutting and digging tools
What We Like
- High quality and very affordable
- Compact, lightweight, easy to store and carry
- Fastest of all the manual sharpeners we tested
- Suitable for a variety of tool sharpening needs
What We Don’t Like
- Fast for a file but slower than electric sharpeners
- The file is less precise without a jig
Maintaining your lawn mower doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. If you appreciate the simplicity and quiet satisfaction of working with manual tools, then the Crescent Nicholson 12-inch flat double-cut bastard file is a great option. The aggressive double-cut teeth remove material fast with moderate pressure, making it possibly the best file for sharpening lawn mower blades. The 12-inch length accommodates two-handed operation, and it easily fits in a tool box.
We spent 30 minutes sharpening two mower blades with this file. With the blade clamped in a bench vice, we followed the established blade angle with long file strokes. Applying moderate pressure, the file removed a lot of material quickly. It only took 10 strokes on each end to sharpen the first blade, which was dull from a full season’s usage but had no nicks or chips. The second blade, which had a few deep gouges from encounters with hidden rocks, needed about twice as many strokes to renew the edge and rebalance the blade.
We chose this product as our Best Overall pick because it is inexpensive, versatile, and very effective. We could work with any blade angle to accommodate various mower blade types—or other edged tools for that matter. We also adjusted downward pressure as needed for more or less material removal per stroke. The finish was fairly smooth, but some users may want to hone it with a medium file or sharpening stone. It takes a little practice to perfect the process, and the total sharpening time was less than 15 minutes per mower blade.
Get the Crescent Nicholson 12-inch lawn mower blade sharpener at The Home Depot, ToolUp.com, or IndustrialSafety.com.
Best Bang for the Buck
Smith's Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Setup 5/5; Ease of Use 5/5; Sharpening 4/5; Quality 4/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Type: Manual
- Sharpener material: Carbide
- Versatility: Lawn mower only
What We Like
- Mower-specific design for working quickly
- Built-in brush for cleaning mower blade
- Oversize handle to protect hands
- Compact and lightweight; fits in a tool box
What We Don’t Like
- Only compatible with standard mower blades
- Not able to rebalance a damaged blade
Manual lawn mower sharpening can be tricky, but with a tool specifically designed for lawn mower blades like this model from Smith’s, precise results can happen quickly. This handheld manual blade sharpener features a carbide bar and a preset angle with a guide, which are both ideal for standard mower blades. The design removes the guesswork and provides quick and easy honing, making it the best mower blade sharpening tool that is not a file or power grinder.
Unlike basic garden sharpeners, Smith’s lawn mower blade sharpener offers a large, robust design with an oversize blade guard. This makes handling the tool with gloved hands easy while also keeping fingers clear of the blade. A built-in wire brush is effective for cleaning caked-on debris from the blade before sharpening. Keep in mind that the mower blade-specific single-bevel design does limit this tool’s versatility, preventing it from sharpening other tools effectively.
We selected a mildly worn blade and a deeply nicked blade to test this sharpener. It did a good job resetting the edge on the first blade after a dozen strokes on each end. The second blade presented a bit more of a challenge. After 24 strokes on each end, the undamaged portions of the blade were sharp, but the lower edges of the nicked areas were rounded over, and the blade was out of balance. We resorted to using a file to correct these issues. This sharpener is inexpensive and extremely easy to use, but may not be adequate for lawns with rocks, shallow tree roots, or other damaging obstacles present.
Get the Smith’s lawn mower blade sharpener at Amazon, Menard’s, or Scheels.
Best Drill Attachment
Ankda Double-Layer Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Type: Drill attachment
- Sharpener material: Corundum
- Versatility: Lawn mower blades
What We Like
- Simple setup with repeatable results
- Affordable price point
- Includes 3 sets of stones
What We Don’t Like
- Somewhat awkward to hold
- Only useful for lawn mowers
For users who want the sharpening speed of an electric grinder without the expense and storage requirements, a grindstone on a drill bit might make sense. This Ankda double-layer corundum lawn mower blade sharpener could be the ideal product. This kit includes three sets of grinding stones—each with a preset 40-degree angled sharpening guide for a sharp and durable blade angle—and a blade balance.
We found the kit to be easy to set up and use. Simply tighten the grinder wheel’s shaft in the drill chuck, register the blue guide on the mower blade, activate the drill, and guide the stone across the mower blade. The preset angles allow for repeatable results; however, they’re only useful for lawn mowers.
In our tests, these bits did a tolerable job. They worked fast, but we found it difficult to hold the drill at the precise angle all the way through the stroke. Ultimately, both of the test blades ended up in better shape than before, so we considered it a success. If you already own a drill but not a grinder, this could be the next best thing with a little practice.
Get the Ankda lawn mower blade sharpener at Amazon.
Best File
Crescent Nicholson 14" Mill Single-Cut Bastard File
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Setup 5/5; Ease of Use 5/5; Sharpening 4/5; Quality 5/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Type: Manual
- Sharpener material: Steel
- Versatility: Most cutting and digging tools
What We Like
- Leaves a finer finish than other sharpeners we tested
- Versatile; sharpens a variety of edged tools
- Lightweight and compact; fits in a tool box
What We Don’t Like
- Not as fast as a double-cut file
- Requires practice to achieve great results
For a more refined hand-sharpened finish, a single-cut file can be a great choice. The Crescent Nicholson 14-inch single-cut bastard file cuts less aggressively than a double-cut file, and the extra length allows a longer, more efficient two-handed stroke. This is the best file for the smoothest, cleanest cutting edge.
Two things became apparent as we tested this model. First, it creates a superior finish compared to the double-cut file or the manual lawn mower sharpener. Second, it does so slowly. Sharpening our test blades required nearly twice as many strokes with this file—18 on the mildly worn blade and 39 on the nicked blade—compared to our Best Overall pick. However, the edge was extra smooth when we finished, with few visible tool marks.
This file might be a favorite of users who prefer to hone their blades after every 10 to 15 hours of mowing before they become severely worn. This tool is also excellent for refining the cutting edge after power grinding or filing with a double-cut file.
Get the Crescent Nicholson 14-inch lawn mower blade sharpener at Amazon, Travers Tool, All Industrial Tool Supply, or Hayes Instrument Co.
Our Ratings: Setup 4/5; Ease of Use 4/5; Sharpening 4/5; Quality 4/5; Value 4/5
Best Angle Grinder Disc
DeWalt 4½" by ⅝" 24G Type 29 HP Flap Disc
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Setup 4/5; Ease of Use 5/5; Sharpening 5/5; Quality 5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Type: Electric grinder attachment
- Sharpener material: Zirconia
- Versatility: Most cutting and digging tools
What We Like
- Coarse synthetic grit removes material quickly
- Works with most 4- to 5-inch handheld angle grinders
- Lowest cost option, if you already own the grinder
- Many other uses in metalwork beyond sharpening
What We Don’t Like
- Requires an expensive handheld grinder
- Imprecise way to sharpen without a jig
If you already own a handheld angle grinder, why not put it to use? The DeWalt DW8311 flap disc is the perfect attachment for sharpening lawn mower blades and can also assist with other grinding, sharpening, rust removal, and finishing projects. The wheel is embedded with 36-grit zirconia for fast material removal that can quickly repair rolled edges and nicks in the blade.
One of the risks that comes with power grinding a mower blade is the buildup of heat in the blade that can make the cutting edge brittle. The aggressive abrasive material embedded in this flap disc counters that risk by working fast, removing material quickly before heat buildup becomes an issue.
In our tests, we were able to move the grinder quickly along the blades and achieved a like-new edge in just six passes on the moderately worn edges and 13 passes on the deeply pitted edges. This product also did a great job when it came time to rebalance after sharpening.
Get the DeWalt lawn mower blade sharpener at Amazon, Ace Hardware, or Grainger.
Best Bench Grinder
Wen 8" 5-Amp Variable-Speed Bench Grinder
Photo: Amazon