Are Lawn Mower Blades Universal? Find Out Here

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People owning a lawn will put in their mind about cleaning their yard as much as possible. Of course, you will need a lawnmower, but do you think you have enough knowledge about a mower and its components?

For the mower to work, it needs blades to cut grass on your lawn.

Having a lawnmower is a significant deal-breaker when it comes to making a big difference in your lawn’s health. Owners would like to know if blades are universal, and you just went to the right article.

To know whether or not blades are universal, you better finish reading this article.

Are Lawn Mower Blades Universal?

Are Lawn Mower Blades universal

The most straightforward answer is no. Manufacturers make lawnmower blades according to different specifications, which means each lawn mower model has its customized blade.

As much as you want lawn mower blades to be universal, sadly, they are not made general to every lawn mower present in every home.

Even when mower blades are not universal, you can still replace your lawnmower blade with another manufacturer’s blade, so long as the blade matches the required width, thickness, and much more specific customization that your original blade has.

Lawn mower blades are mower-specific, so if you think of replacing them with a new blade brand, ensure it’s the perfect fit for your mower to keep you away from danger while in use.

Types and Uses of Lawn Mower Blades

Reel blades

The reel blades, also known as cylinder blades, comprise seven helical blades that create cutting action like scissors. These blades are used in reel or cylindrical mowers, and they require sharpening tools if ever blades become rusty or dull.

Reel blades move in the opposite direction of the bed knife, which gathers the grass and cuts them as it moves across the bed knife cutting edge.

Mulching blades

From the name itself, these blades mulch the grass on your lawn. The mulching blade has a more distinct design than the other blades since it does more work.

This blade is known as an all-purpose blade because it features a curved or bent surface that allows the mower to work in three different ways: either lift, mow or mulch the grass, which operates the way people want to work.

The middle part of the mulching blade has a weird cut, but this cut allows your mower to deliver fine cut and nutrient-rich clippings back to the surface of your lawn to feed the soil healthily.

Deck blades

Deck blades are also known as the standard blades, and these blades probably get the most uses when it comes to lawn mowing.

These blades are referred to as straight blades because they do not cause strain on the engine during use.

The front cutting blade remains flat in view, and the back portion has a slight bend or curve that contributes to the suck and cut action of the mower.

Lifting blades

Lifting blades have a slightly curved surface creating a vertical upward airflow, which contributes to lifting the grass, allowing you to cut them depending on which type of lifting blade you want.

These blades render a more neat and polished result in cutting grasses than any other blade type.

There are three different types of lifting blades: low-lift, medium-lift, and high-lift blades.

  • Low-lift blades

A lifting blade with just enough power in providing lift to cut your grass is the low-lift blade.

These blades have just the right amount of cutting ability, but these do not suit thick grass on your lawn.

They won’t do as much trimming or cutting thick grass, but they won’t kick up as much dust.

This is a low-powered lifting blade that can be your friend if you only want a gentle movement to cut your grass.

  • Medium-lift blades

The medium-lift blades are medium-powered blades that provide the right suction amount compared to the low-lift blades.

These are much less mild than the low-lift blades, which means you can have this lifting blade if you want a bit more power when cutting the grass.

The medium-lift blades use less horsepower than the higher ones, and they can help you cut thick grass on your lawn.

  • High-lift blades

The high-lift blades provide the highest power of suction compared to the other lifting blades.

These blades offer more climactic upturn when suctioning before cutting the grass, producing much more lift. These blades can be your best help if you deal with thick grass as this makes the job a lot easier and time-saving. 

This blade is the best for tall grass and fits bagging up clippings.

Types of lawn mower blades

Pros and Cons of Each Type of Blade

Now that you have known the different types of blades, it is now time to see every blade’s strengths and weaknesses regarding lawn mowing.

Reel blades

Pros
  • Reel blades are used in both cylindrical and reel mowers.
  • It is composed of seven screw-like blades that provide a scissor-like cutting action while dealing with grass.
  • The motion these blades exert does not damage any part of the soil and can help improve soil state after use.
  • The blades last you long without even becoming dull or rusty, which can help you spend lesser time maintaining the sharpness of the blade.
Cons
  • Although the blades last longer in sharpness and work, users cannot replace reel blades from the mower.
  • If the reel blades are already broken and cannot be better even after using a sharpening kit, it requires replacing the entire lawn mower.

Mulching blades

Pros
  • These mulching blades can recycle clippings around the deck, which gets the grass chopped even more.
  • Mulching blades can provide faster work cutting grass.
  • Since the middle part of the mulching blade has a different cut compared to other blades, it is made to send nutrient-rich clippings back to the lawn surface, feeding the soil with healthy benefits.
  • Mulching blades can still bag or side discharge and can perform a lot better in maintenance cuts.
Cons
  • Since blades are for mulching, it does not provide much lift, even compared to the standard or deck blades.

Deck blades

Pros
  • The deck blades cause lesser strain upon the engine because the blades possess an aerodynamic design for the most part.
  • They provide transcendent lift in one direction that does not give pressure on the soil.
  • If you plan to work for a more extended period on your lawn, the deck blades can give you that service since the engine does not absorb so much pressure while on the move.
Cons
  • Since it is a deck blade, it does not give much extra work from cutting your grass and remains with the straight blades while cutting.

Lifting blades

Pros
  • Lifting blades have three different types, and you can choose whether which blade to use for cutting grass, depending on the amount of power you want to deal with.
  • Low-lift blades are easier on fuel consumption.
  • Low-lift blades are far from dealing with wear and tear on your engine despite the number of uses.
  • Lifting blades can have high airflow, which prevents clogging, even when mowing wet grass.
  • These blades have good results with better cuts in dealing with different types of grasses.
Cons
  • To utilize high-lift blades needs a powerful engine to work at its maximum ability.
  • High fuel consumption is also an issue for high-lift blades since its amount is exhausting for the mower.

Final Words

Now that you know about lawn mower blades not being a “universal” use, it is safe to say that you are now aware of what type your blades are and which blades fit for your mower.

Each blade is made uniquely specified for the mowers, so never attempt to use blades of different sizes and specifications on your chosen lawn mower.

Yes, some blades have your desirable blade type, but you’d instead choose the most suitable blade for your mower over something you only want, personally.

If you change your lawnmower blades with those still suited for their size and work, you will achieve the best results in keeping your lawn clean and grass healthy.

About Tom Reynolds

My name is Tom Reynolds, and I like lawn mowing. When I was a kid, I used to help my dad in cutting grass using a reel mower, now, I have my own 6 different lawn mowers. Keeping my lawn healthy and beautiful gives me satisfaction, and I still enjoy working in my lawn.