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It can be a challenge nowadays to determine whether an online product is worth your time, or if it’s just another bit of marketing gimmickry. The SHARPAL 103N All-in-1 Knife Garden Tool Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener, available on Amazon for $21.99, claims to be the former and provide some significant value. It features four different sharpening sections around the handle, made from ceramic and tungsten carbide, and promises to crisp up the edges of knives, pruners, hatchets, and even lawn mower blades.
When cutting your grass, sharp mower blades provide not only a better-looking yard, but help maintain the health of your turf. Dull blades make the job take longer and rip at the grass tips instead of cleanly slicing through them. Ideally, you should sharpen your mower blades every 25 engine hours, or at least two times during the mowing season. Typically, sharpening your lawn mower blades involves securing them and using a metal file to shape the edges.
In the case of the SHARPAL product, the piece that extends beyond the handle a few inches includes a tungsten carbide abrasive at a preset angle designed to accept mower blades. The instructions ask that users orient the blade with the beveled edge against the sharpener and avoid matching directly up with the metal stop.
What reviews are saying
In terms of overall review score, the product is sitting at a 4.4 out of 5 stars. While several customers focus their feedback on how the SHARPAL product works on their garden tools, there are those who recount their experience using it on mower blades. For instance, one reviewer on Amazon stated, “I usually spent money taking my lawnmower blade to a Family Hardware store to be sharpened & have to wait so many days or weeks to get the blade back.” However, after receiving the SHARPAL product and using it on the mower blades, they explained it worked “pretty good,” with the sharpened blades making quick work of his yard. Others echoed the positive sentiment, confirming that the product performed well with mower blades.
However, some described a different experience with more lackluster results when it came to sharpening their mower blade. One reviewer lamented that the tool functioned alright, but not when it came to mower blades. Even worse, one customer pulled in by the positive reviews and seeking a lawn mower sharpening solution, wrote after using the SHARPAL, “On the 4th edge (2nd blade), the very small carbide tip broke off. I definitely do NOT recommend this if you want something to sharpen lawn mower blades.” Probably not the ringing endorsement anyone looking for an inexpensive sharpener wanted to hear.
It’s challenging for a single product to be good at multiple tasks
It’s always intriguing when a product promises to solve multiple problems. Especially when it’s under $25, making it a purchase that’s potentially packed with value. However, the reality is that all of these different tools the SHARPAL aims to sharpen have different blade geometry and often utilize stand alone solutions for sharpening that include several levels of grit.
Knives, for example, are made much sharper than mower blades and utilize kits that include diamond abrasives and whetstones for finer edge refinement. A mower blade isn’t meant to be especially sharp to the touch, prioritizing durability, and use tools like angle grinders and drill attachments, among others, to achieve results. So, tools like the SHARPAL must account for these differences all in the same product, which isn’t always easy.
While all-in-1 tools may do an adequate job, it’s hard to argue they work better than traditional, more focused options. Among the best tools for sharpening dull lawn mower blades, the simple metal file remains an inexpensive and easy choice. It’s also required if your mower blade has any deformation as a result of contact with yard debris, like rocks. A simple swiping sharpener may not be up to the task if there are nicks or burrs on the blade, which will make a smooth sharpening motion a challenge.
Products like the 8-inch Flat Hand Metal File, which is on Amazon for $6.29, is made from high carbon steel and has reviewers touting how well it sharpens both garden tools and mower blades. That makes it a compelling alternative to the SHARPAL product.