Brushhog/Rotary Mower Blade Sharpness?

[Parks 788]

Finally picked up my Rhino 60" brush hog for my Kubota tractor last weekend and cut about two total acres of field/pasture. The cut was OK and seemed to cut well but almost thrashed the grasses and brush into submission more than cutting it. Some of the larger stems of the brush (1/4" - 1" stems) are all splintered instead of more of a cut. I understand it probably wasn't designed to cut like my zero turn mower but was expecting better. I know Rhino Ag has a good reputation for their equipment. I checked the blades and they are not so much sharp as they are more blunt. Almost think my ceiling fan blades have a better leading edge on them than the mower.

I've check a fair amount online and videos are showing people sharpening them to a fairly fine edge. Not like an axe or anything but darn near as sharp as a lawn mower blade. How sharp do you all grind your brush hog blades? I think my blades are 1/2" thick so to sharpen them up could take quite a bit amount of time. What do you say? How sharp of an edge?

 

[Jon3830]

are you running high enough RPM and not driving to fast? we mainly use a big batwing mower and when we sharpen the blades on it they are nowhere near actually sharp I normally clean up the cutting edge where it is about 1/4" rounded. on our 7 foot rhino I dont think those blades have been touched in years.

 

[dennishoddy]

Your experience of thrashing small woody brush is the same as anyone else. If you put a razor edge on a brush hog blade it won’t last ten minutes unless your mowing a manicured golf course.
Part of the issue is that your not mowing low to the ground. Those stobbs are likely 3-4” high so they get a lot of flex when those blades whip them which results in a not so fine cut.

 

[JEVapa]

Finally picked up my Rhino 60" brush hog for my Kubota tractor last weekend and cut about two total acres of field/pasture. The cut was OK and seemed to cut well but almost thrashed the grasses and brush into submission more than cutting it. Some of the larger stems of the brush (1/4" - 1" stems) are all splintered instead of more of a cut. I understand it probably wasn't designed to cut like my zero turn mower but was expecting better. I know Rhino Ag has a good reputation for their equipment. I checked the blades and they are not so much sharp as they are more blunt. Almost think my ceiling fan blades have a better leading edge on them than the mower.

I've check a fair amount online and videos are showing people sharpening them to a fairly fine edge. Not like an axe or anything but darn near as sharp as a lawn mower blade. How sharp do you all grind your brush hog blades? I think my blades are 1/2" thick so to sharpen them up could take quite a bit amount of time. What do you say? How sharp of an edge?

View attachment 266168

I'm just amazed at how clean and tidy your barn is. I can't stop marveling at it.

 

[swampratt]

I crawled under my buddies brush hog and sharpened his blades with an angle grinder and it took maybe 8 minutes.
Took longer to get it up off the ground and secured.

I put about a 50° angle on the blade as it was rounded and fat like an AAA battery.
It was not cutting well at all and leaving a lot of stuff just mushed over.

The edge really helped it out.
Cutting briars high field grasses and blackberries and small cedars with it.

 

[Buzzdraw]

Three big things about a rotary cutter (brush hog to most of us). It was designed to run at a certain RPM; don't try to cheat on the slower side of that. Next make sure it's not down on the skids while mowing and has the tail slightly taller than the front. Last don't expect a manicured cut from it.

Don't remember the last time I sharpened 'hog blades. Now a different story on a grooming mower.

 

[rickm]

I know everyone does it but their not really intended to cut grass with they are made to cut something that has a woody stem like weeds,brairs and small trees they will cut grass but unless you keep it cut short it wont work like a regular mower will.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

What the other guys said... A brush hog is not a mower. It's meant to do exactly what you described.

 

[SoonerP226]

What these guys said. Brush hogs are for knocking down brush and tall, heavy grasses; for a lawn, you want a finish mower (and you definitely do not want to use one of those to do a brush hog's job). Beating it into submission is pretty much what they do.

About the only brush hog I've ever used that had a decent cut is a 7' drag-behind Bush Hog, but my dad kept it sharp and only used it on grass hay.

 

[AKguy1985]

My grandpa never sharpened his, neither did my great uncle.