Best mulching blade

[brycez28]

What is the best mulching blade? I have a Brute self-propelled mower, 21" blade, 163cc (about 5hp) engine. The original blade cut nicely, but got chewed up on some pieces of concrete I didn't see in tall grass. I replaced it with a new MTD 3 in 1 blade and it doesn't cut all the grass blades the first time around (http://www.menards.com/main/outdoor...wn-mowers/21-3-in-1-mower-blade/p-2087106.htm).

I don't have time to go around the yard a second time each week, I don't mind spending more money on a high end blade, but I just don't know what is good or not.

It is even missing blades of grass that are 2-3" tall in the section of my yard that sparsely has grass growing

 

[Blownchevelle68]

Gator mulching blades work well however a high lift blade without the mulching ends, will have a nicer cut VS mulching blade.

I only run mulching blades the first 2-3 mowings, then last 2 each year for my customers, and even then, unless you have baffle that blocks the chute and makes it a true mulching deck, they only work fair.

 

[manwithtools]

Second positive vote on the Gator blades. I run them year round on my Kubota front deck diesel mower. I don't have the prettiest yard and don't look for manicured cut appearance. I will say they cut every blade of grass and leave a good finish for my needs. They wok especially well on the leaves this time of year.

 

[Finky198]

A Sharp one

 

[Milton Shaw]

Sounds dumb, but have you got the blade on with the cutting edge going in the right direction? I have seen several put on upside down and they don't cut worth a flip when they are that way.

 

[stihlntime]

Gator Blades

 

[Kaizen]

like Milton says check blade orientation. very easy to do.
mulching on a push mower needs air movement. if you mow in deep stuff like you indicated it will be wet and stick to the deck. deck should be virtually clean on the underside to allow air to move and grass to stay suspended and cut a couple times.
also increase your mower deck height to 3 or more inches. most grass likes to be at that height so it is less to take off. if its at that height and you're cutting it down to 2 inches you'll get the woody part that won't mulch or decompose.

 

[brycez28]

Sounds dumb, but have you got the blade on with the cutting edge going in the right direction? I have seen several put on upside down and they don't cut worth a flip when they are that way.

I've been double guessing myself....after I took the old one off I realized I didn't pay attention to which way it was going. I'll check on that, I thought it would cut worse that it is if it was backwards.

 

[thammel]

gator - G5

 

[BillK]

The original blade cut nicely

You just answered your own question. If the original blade worked well, why would you buy something else to replace it ???

 

[redmondjp]

Good mulching performance is determined by a number of factors, with the type of blade being only one of them. Probably even more important is the deck design - many mowers are only average mulchers no matter what blade is installed. Based upon the pictures of Brute mowers that I saw on Google, I would put yours in the average category.

Probably one of the best mulching mowers is a Toro Super Recycler (the original alloy-deck model), or a 1980s Jacobsen/Homelite purpose-built mulcher (they had no illusions about using the same deck for bagging and mulching back then), which had twin cutting blades long before Honda started using that feature.

If you really want to dig into this topic, try the walk-behind mower forum at mytractorforum.com, and also lawnmowerforum.com and mylawnmowerforum.com. Plenty of reading over there on this.

 

[ishiboo]

Another vote for the Gator blades... they have a ton of lift and are well made.

 

[PassnThru]

It all depends on the deck design. I have a set of Gators that I bought on my 2003 Home Depot Deere (L110) right now. Honestly - the stock blades are right up there with them. I actually have a little more trouble with the Gators because they do seem to generate more lift under the deck which translates into more leaves being blown out from under the deck before they get mulched. They do seem to do a better job than the stock blades on just grass though although I only mulch grass at the end of the season. Honestly - don't look for big gains from a different blade.
BTW - the aforementioned L110 just broke 500 hours mowing today. No major repairs so far

 

[My Old Tools]

Gators work until the tips crack and break off. I have been through several sets. All of the high lift blades also break at the wing. Gators don't bag as well as high lift.

 

[CNGsaves]

Best mulching blade is on my 2 stroke LawnBoy !!

Seriously, I've never had mower compare to lift that offset wheel old school LawnBoys have . . . . neighbor let me borrow his JohnDeere mower one time and I hated the thing as never could get a clean cut.

+1 that OP put blade on upside down. Remove, sharpen & re-install properly !!

 

[ishiboo]

Best mulching blade is on my 2 stroke LawnBoy !!

Seriously, I've never had mower compare to lift that offset wheel old school LawnBoys have . . . . neighbor let me borrow his JohnDeere mower one time and I hated the thing as never could get a clean cut.

+1 that OP put blade on upside down. Remove, sharpen & re-install properly !!

Pfft.

My Deere push mowers will run circles around any LawnBoy POS. The 14SB/14SZ are considered some of the best.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ I'll take that challenge in tall wet grass trying to bag.

JohnDeere won't have a chance. LawnBoy gets grass airborne better and immediately out the chute.

Not to mention the JD would be bogging down !!

 

[nti06]

I have good performance out of any blade I use after sharpening them on the Edge Pro clone.

 

[ishiboo]

I have good performance out of any blade I use after sharpening them on the Edge Pro clone.

Mulching requires a blade that generates lift and keeps the grass in the deck as long as necessary. Simply sharpening a blade would not really help.

 

[redmondjp]

Pfft.

My Deere push mowers will run circles around any LawnBoy POS. The 14SB/14SZ are considered some of the best.

I have several 14-series Deeres and they are very good. However, I just resurrected an early 1990s Jacobsen/Homelite 21" Super Bagger and have been using that for the past few weeks. It is lighter, has better suction, and has at least a 50% larger bag. So far, the best mower that I have ever used (for bagging). Too bad they don't make them any longer!

But this is a thread about mulching . . .

I modified a 1960s MTD about fifteen years ago, by blocking the side exit chute and using a mulching blade. It works very well, but since having kids that run around in the yard, I have not been mulching for the past several years.

 

[turfgnome]

After being in the outdoor power equipment industry for 25 years I have concluded that what works for one customer might not work for another. This includes people with the same mower. Your quality of cut from a blade depends on your grass type, your soil, your deck, your engine, and even your cutting speed. What works for someone else might not work for you, I suggest asking a local equipment dealer what works well for his customers(he would get closer to your soil and grass types) or just try out what works for some of your friends.

As for blades the G6 gator blade has the best lift of any of the gator blades, but they do not make them for all of the mowers.