Got a suffolk punch cylinder mower – blade needs some tlc.

Do the kits with the crank handle reel and paste actually work or am i best off looking for a local company ofering to sharpen it?

Afaik its never been sharpened.

Does the kit grind the bottom blade flat? If it doesn’t, there’s little point sharpening the cylinder without a perfectly flat bottom blade as it’ll produce a weird cut.

I used to get the cylinder and bottom blade ground as a matched pair by the local lawnmower place for not much money. I ended up going rotary + roller as the blackbirds were forever flicking gravel up that would catch between the blades and bend the bottom one out of alignment.

I havnt the foggiest. Tis why im asking. Sounds like i need to make some local phone calls. It winter service time anyway 🙂

The flymo blade just gets a skim with the grinder in the spring 🙂 – shame its throws grass everywhere. Good for the roadside though

I did mine – carefully! – with a whetstone. Not exactly thorough, but a big improvement on before.

[ex lawnmower fettler]
You’ll need to get the cylinder and bottom blade ground up properly to get a decent cut.
Strip the cyclinder and bb out yourself and it’ll be a load cheaper.
Dead easy to adjust back up with a freshly ground cylinder.
[/ex lawnmower fettler]

Adjusting? PofP. Tighten just enough to cut copier paper when each blade passes over the bottom blade. Do this at each end and the middle and you’ll confirm the straightness of the bottom blade and the roundness of the cyclinder.

I’ve used carborundum paste to some effect just make sure you wash it all off when done.

*7 years gang mowing experience.