Toro 30410 Operator's Manual page 56

Inspecting and Sharpening
the Cutter Blade(s)
A worn or damaged blade can break, and
a piece of the blade could be thrown into
the operator's or bystander's area, resulting
in serious personal injury or death. Trying
to repair a damaged blade may result in
discontinued safety certification of the
product.
• Inspect the blade periodically for wear
or damage.
• Never try to straighten a blade that is
bent or weld a broken or cracked blade.
• Replace a worn or damaged blade.
Two areas must be considered when checking and
servicing the cutter blade-the sail and the cutting
edge. Both cutting edges and the sail, which is
the turned up portion opposite the cutting edge,
contribute to a good quality-of-cut. The sail is
important because it lifts the grass up straight,
thereby producing an even cut. However, the sail
will gradually wear down during operation, and
this condition is normal. As the sail wears down,
the quality-of-cut will degrade somewhat, although
the cutting edges are sharp. The cutting edge of
the blade must be sharp so that the grass is cut
rather than torn. A dull cutting edge is evident
when the tips of the grass appear brown and
shredded. Sharpen the cutting edges to correct
this condition.
1. Position the machine on a level surface. Raise
the cutting unit, engage the parking brake,
put the traction pedal in neutral, put the PTO
lever in the Off position, stop the engine, and
remove the ignition key.
2. Examine the cutting ends of the blade carefully,
especially where the flat and curved parts of
the blade meet (Figure 93). Since sand and
abrasive material can wear away the metal that
connects the flat and curved parts of the blade,
check the blade before using the mower. If
wear is noticed (Figure 93), replace the blade.
Figure 93
1. Cutting Edge
2. Curved Area
3. Examine the cutting edges of all of the blades.
Sharpen the cutting edges if they are dull or
nicked. Sharpen only the top of the cutting
edge and maintain the original cutting angle to
make sure of sharpness (Figure 94). The blade
will remain balanced if the same amount of
metal is removed from both cutting edges.
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3. Wear/slot Forming
4. Crack