How to Tell the Top & Bottom of a Mulch Blade
Tip
Mark the blade with a permanent marker once the top is identified.
Warning
Use caution when handling mulch blades, and wear gloves to avoid being cut.
Mulched grass is double-cut grass that is reintroduced to the lawn between the blades of grass to form a protective weed barrier and a source of nutrient for the soil. To do this, the mulch blades are designed with a twist, which creates two wings that each have a cutting surface. When installing or sharpening a blade, it is necessary to tell the top and bottom of the mulch blade in relation to which side has the cutting surface, but also to identify the top and bottom of the sharpening area.
Remove the blade, if necessary, by holding the blade so it will not turn, and removing the center lock nut with a wrench.
Identify the top and bottom of both wings of the blade by finding the side that has the sharpened cutting edge. The blade will taper up from a thin edge into the body of the blade on the bottom side. The top side will not have a taper but be of an even thickness. The cutting edge may have what will appear like a strip on the edge that is a different color than the rest of the blade. The difference in color comes from the sheen of the sharpened metal.
Identify the top and bottom of the sharpened edge. The bottom of the sharpened area is the edge of the bottom of the blade. The top is the width of the area sharpened, usually an area that is evenly 1/4-inch wide when measured from the edge.
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Cassandra Tribe has worked in the construction field for over 17 years and has experience in a variety of mechanical, scientific, automotive and mathematical forms. She has been writing and editing for over 10 years. Her areas of interest include culture and society, automotive, computers, business, the Internet, science and structural engineering and implementation.
