You never want your blades razor sharp... The most you want is a 25,000 radius... Most people don't realize that... The most you want to cut for height is a third of what your grass is talk... And also if your blade is not Bent any more than 1/8 of an inch it's perfectly fine to use... Remember if your blade is bent and it's not over a eight of a inch run out your perfectly fine to use it
I run gators nearly year round on all my mowers, only time I don't is early spring when grass is thin and weeds are bad, I run hi lift then in order to pick up the weeds and light grass. I run Hustler, John Deere and Toro.
Great piece and good info. Worth mentioning that my 2022 Scag TC II 61 I had equipped with the mulch kit and the blades with it are the Hurricane system mulch blade with a medium to high lift - and my deck does NOT get caked up with that set-up.....but my old Hustler and a couple other make models did with their mulch kits installed. Nice job.
Stens makes a 3" wide high lift gator style that works really well for grass discharge. The copperhead blade is a go to blade for us when stacking blades for mulching or doing leaves or even really thick grass we use them during bagging in leaf season with a high lift to go with it.
Copperhead blades bend the lift-teeth the other direction to improve throw-force out the chute. The "lift" on all these blades isn't about generating lift at all but rather throwing the clippings somewhere - for the in-turned 'lift' blades the clippings are thrown INward and spend more time under the deck bogging down the engine but also getting processed (mulched) further prior to discharge whereas the outward-turned teeth attempt to keep the center of the deck clear and throw the clippings out after a single pass so that only those that withstand the initial throw get chopped/processed further. The out-turned teeth produce less work for the engine (and better 'gas-mileage') and faster bagging/discharge but also less mulching of the clippings. If you're bagging and the grass isn't to heavy for the job, they're great. If you're mulching, not so much.
I have the Gator G3's and G5's and the Rotary Copperheads along with stock & high lift blades. The Rotary blades kick the grass out faster so it keeps the under deck cleaner and doesn't pack up the underside. They also stay sharper longer. The G3's cut tall thick stuff better than the G5's. The G5's keep the grass under the deck too long so you must travel slower for the same cut quality as the G3's. I'm thinking the extra weight plays a part in it. Yep, I've put all the blades on a scale. In normal grass they are fine. Extra tall/thick, just too much and slows the spin down or something. Yea, I'm that sob that have changed blades every 5-10 hours with fresh blades. That funky edge/coating on the back of the G5's aren't worth a crap. Those wavy mulch blades... you can have them. I bought a set. Horrible! - We do agree, sharp means sharp. Anyone that says it doesn't matter has never tried it. (Hustler 54")
Thats interesting about the copperheads keeping your deck cleaner, I will have to test that. The G5s having more lift are going to make them struggle more trying to move a large volume of grass (tall or thick stuff). Thanks for watching!
very interesting. thanks for the detailed response. the toro timemaster has issues with deck clogging with OEM blades. Ive got to look into those copperheads.
I have the predator Boyd on my John Deere X350 with a 48 inch deck bought it from John Deere with John Deere’s name on the Boyd. They work good for every other week mowing try to cut the grass as little as possible and they do fine. Hopefully they will do fine in the fall will see get back with me, and the fall will is the how they do with the leaves so far there good on a John Deere X350 with the 48 inch deck with the Kawasaki motor is a bad ass machine by one if you have the use for a lawn tractor
I have G6 blades on my 48” JD deck . I found that the aggressive lift created an extreme amount of turbulence under the deck . I made some modifications to the blades by cutting the about na 3/8” off the teeth . This decreased the turbulence significantly. Before I cut the blades the mower was very noisy and blew cuttings out from all around the deck . I prefer to use my deck in it’s closed mulching configuration.
I own a small engine shop. XHT is made by Fisher-Barton who makes the OEM blades for John Deere, Kubota,Scag,Snapper,Husqvarna and as of this year (2021) MTD Products. Also NEVER sharpen or "touch up" new blades as it can throw them off balance - grass is abrasive, first time the blades hit the grass going 15-19,000FPM - that paint is instantly stripped right off. As for what blade is best it all comes down to one thing - a lawn mower blade is a lawn mower blade and they all cut grass. Some mowers are incapable of running gator blades, as gator blades take more power to spin and smaller lower HP engines can't produce enough power to spin them fast enough. as an Oregon dealer - the G series Oregon blades can do all three - Mulch, bag & discharge, same as Stens & XHT, most high lift blades only have a 3/4 - 7/8" tall air lift, the G5 and G6 are capable of mulching when using a mulch kit, as for Rotary, their outward style teeth don't produce enough airflow to send clippings up into a bagger they are good for discharging and mulching.
Thanks for your input. I am also an Oregon dealer, as well as Stens, Rotary, Briggs, Kawasaki, Kohler, Hustler, Yamaha, DR, Husqvarna, Honda, Maruyama, ect.... Oregon blades are made by Blount International (who Oregon recently bought) who makes OEM blades for pretty much every other mower manufacturer that you didn't list. If you look in your Oregon book, you will see that MOST COMMONLY the G3 is listed as having a 3/4" lift while the G5 and G6s have a 1" lift...just as I stated in the video. Maybe I should have been more specific, but when I say I "touch up" the edge that also includes balancing them even better then what they come from the manufacturer. I don't do this on blades that I install on customers machines, just my personal mower. I figure since I own a $2500 blade sharpener my mower is gonna have razor sharp blades all the time, including when they are new. Yes I agree that G5 and G6 blades take more hp to run, but pretty much every mower manufacturer overpowers their machines nowadays anyways. It's not like it was 20 years ago when a 52" Dixon would come with a 12hp Briggs. So 99% of the time power isn't an issue. After having several customer complaints about G5 blades (that I sold them) not working well with a mulch kit, I decided to test it myself on my own lawn. After installing razor sharp G5 blades on my Hustler with a mulch kit I had to stop half way though my yard and put the wavy mulch blades back on. The G5s did a terrible job with the mulch kit in a nice turf type tall fescue lawn. They mulch the grass up too much and pack it up in the deck, then you get huge clumps that drop all at once. Never recommend someone to run a G5 or G6 with a mulch kit. Don't believe me? Test it yourself. They do work great for side or rear discharge and bagging. Not all blades are created equal. This video was meant to help give people the knowledge to pick what blades might be best for their mowing conditions. I've spent years testing different blades to find what works best for me and my customers in their given situation. I am fortunate enough to have all different types of grass to test mow (every grass that grows in Kansas anyways) in different conditions and can see how the different blades perform. I am in the process of making another video to show all these blades in action.
@@PowerEquipmentMan Very informative response! i personally have never had a problem with new blades being unbalanced, i have had defective blades from Oregon in the past (bent,warped,not sharpened etc..) I have noticed more and more OEM blades looking like they were made by Blount, use to Fisher-Barton was the king of OEM blades. I have personally ran the G6's on my 48in Gravely commercial mower and have no problems side-discharging and never had problems with grass collecting under the deck, i did one time try a set of G5's on a 42" Poulan and it did not like them, created way too much airflow, i have never mulched with the G5's or G6 but have ran the G3's on a mulch kit on several mowers with no problems, but i find the traditional wavy of 3in1 blades mulch the best, the G3's work great in the fall and spring on leaves, i tend to stick to brands i have ran in the past on my own equipment, my go to's are Rotary and Oregon as well as OEM's.
Hi. You've got 5 blades at 0::50 time. The second one, from the left, is a mulching blade, HIGH LIFT; 3rd one is lower lift, and 4th is regular lift. 5th is flat lift, NOT FOR BAGGING .
Secured in a bench vise, I get my blades so sharp (Dremmel rotary tool with mower blade angle attachment/grinding stone 923, and hand file to knock off the burrs from the flat side). Run a finger over the dull blade in a perpendicular manner before starting and should move smoothly, when done sharpening, do it again very lightly, and finger should drag across the edge - very carefully!!! Once, when installing a blade on the deck, the wrench slipped off the mounting spindle nut, my hand grazed the blade at the base of my thumb - 5 internal cut stitches, 8 external closing stitches... Now, I handle whilst wearing leather gloves Yeah, you can swing one and cut the head off a zombie like using a razor-sharp machette!!! And, after sharpening, I wipe general purpose grease on the sharpened bare metal - carefully with a rag or paper towel.
I have been running Copper head blades since 2013. Back when I ran Fixie Chopper. During the season. I would change twice a week. I had a A neighbor sharpening them and helping me replace them most of the time. there were a few times when the mall was in the shop for service that I had one of the technicians in the shop sharpen them, and the edge on the blades is unbelievably sharp. You could tell the difference based on who sharpened them. When it came to the end, result of how the grass looked when it was cut. I would actually charge more if the technician was the one that sharpened them. Since then, I’ve always run copperhead blades. even on my little 21 inch mower, and edger blades copperhead.
GREAT VIDEO, I MAY GO BACK TO THE GATOR AFTER THIS VIDEO,I HAVE THIS YEAR SWITCHED TO THE COPPERHEAD,HAS A VERY GOOD LIFT THROUGHS OUT WELL.I WAS TOLD IF USING GATOR DOES BETTER IF WEEKLY CUT,WHAT YOU THINK ,AGAIN THANKS FOR EXPLAINING IN VIDEO.
I don’t need to mulch grass. I need to mulch leaves.I have a chute blocker. What blade is reccomended? The stock Exmark blade creates so much lift(?) that it turns into a dust bowl.
I run G5's exclusively but the one thing that bothers me with them and all the rest of the "extended" cutting edge blades is they almost never use the extra cutting length. The first 3 inches are going to be about the only area that actually cuts anything. What do you think of the Ballard blades?
Ballard blades are brand new to the market and I have heard good and bad about them. Once we get a little more long term data on them we will see how they do.
What would you recommend to replace this blade ? 17 1/2 Inch (444mm) Length 5/8 Inch (16mm) Center Hole Diameter 2 1/4 Inch (57mm) Width 1/4 inch (6.5mm ) can only get 5mm blades here in Australia.
Opinion: Copperhead, is 'including' the cutting edges on the LIFT PORTION, which is designed to not only LIFT, but, to MULCH AND DISCHARGE QUICKER.. so, in closing, the Copperhead, you are holding, literally has, 4 cutting edges, on EACH END.. thus, the claim. My opinion
I went to my local dealer for my new to me gravely older 36” walk behind. I told him I was looking for blades that would fit it and maybe even gator ones. I showed him a picture of my mower and gave me some 18 inch stens gator blades. I came home and finally had a free day today (prob 3 weeks later). Are used a flat wheel on a angle grinder to take the heavy black coating off and make sure they were sharp and ready to go. I go to put them on my mower and they are too wide to fit onto spindle “ bracket”. Being that I already altered the blades, is this my fault or his fault? $37 of useless metal to me right now.
great all my questions answered. .I really wanted to know if you could run them all year or if you had to change them. you said yes, and if they worked better with the kit. you said no because it clogs . thanks
You missed a blade for those who have a Husqvarna mower. Husqvarna doesn't have a round hole in the center of the blade. I've been looking for a mulching blade for my Husqvarna mower, what do you recommend? Richard
All of the blades that we discussed in this video are available in many different sizes and with the correct hole options to fit Husqvarna or almost any other machine. I would recommend visiting your local dealer/repair shop so they can determine which blades you need.
I have over 3 acres so that is why i have always used 2 mowers and decided to upgrade and buy a 46 inch cub cadet and sold one of my 42 inch mowers and kept one 42 inch and bought the new cub cadet 46 inch mower tis pst spring and did not change the blade that came with the mower until i did fall mantinance on my mowers and I was shocked when I started the mower blades up and kept hearing the banging sound and then saw th damage the blades did to the underside of the deck . Raw metal cuts the blades made in the deck . I have no sandy soil and never had a problem with my 42 inch mowers with the gator blades
It sounds like you are talking about using all of these blades in a side discharge mode. What about in a true mulching mode where the discharge port is closed off and maybe there is a mulching baffle kit installed? What is going to be the best of these blades for that application?
I would not recommend running any gator style blades with a mulch kit installed. The gator blades just have too much lift for a mulch kit with the discharge chute blocked. I would recommend running the wavy mulch blades that come with most mulch kits.
I have heard good and bad about ballards new blades. They are brand new so there is no long term data on them yet. I will wait a couple years to get some more data on them before I decide if they are a product I will promote or not.
So I have a Gravely ZTXL 52 with the factory mulch blades and mulch kit installed, I was wondering if I installed the G5 on my mower and took off the Mulch kit how much less performance for real mulching will be evident ? I mean is it even close to running a dedicated mulch kit? I live Montana and have non dirt/sand and just regular grass on 1 acre.
For me the carbide is useless, carbide is brittle and once a rock chips it how are you going to sharpen the blade?? The only way is going to be with silicone carbide belts or a diamond blade grinder.
Bought name brand Gator blades for my small rider (Craftsman/Kohler engine) but haven't had them put on yet. My .55 acre yard has a variety of grasses and weeds due to decades of previous owner abuse and neglect. It's coming around, but am wondering if I can 1. Use these with bagging 2. Still mow at 3.5" 3. Are they recommended for Zoysia lawns (which I am trying to get started an area at a time)
Yes gator blades usually work decent for bagging and you shouldn't have any issues mowing at 3.5". Unfortunately I don't have any info on the zoysia grass as we don't have that type of grass in our region. Try asking your local mower shop what they think. Thanks for watching
Nice video. The township uses some kind of fine grit on the snow and ends up in my yard Would the Gator 5 blade you talked about suck the grit up like sand and ruin the blade? I hate the sound of the grit ricocheting under the deck!
Yes I would guess that G5 blades would just suck up the grit just like sand. You might be able to run the G3 or predator blades that have less lift. Good luck and thanks for watching!
i have a toro 30 inch deck, two blade system. i keep the deck closed, no discharge to mulch the grass. would the oregon blade work well without discharging?
I would not recommend running a G5 or G6 blade with a mulch kit, as they have too much lift for mulching. You may be able to run a G3 for mulching. Oregon most likely also makes an actual mulch blade to fit your machine as well.
I have a John Deere 54" deck with the mulching kit installed (they are steel baffles that isolate each of the 3 blades so that each blade is sitting in it's own cocoon, similar to a push mower). So, besides the factory John Deer mulching blade (which is designed to give some additional lift), what aftermarket blade would be best?
There is no set number of hours that you should change your blades at. It all depends on your conditions and how fast the blades get worn down. Personally, I sharpen blades every 10 hours or so. You only need to replace them once the lift wing gets worn off the back of the blade or if they can not be sharpened anymore.
On the Gator G6 I have read elsewhere that some guys grind off the black coating on the cutting part of the blade before install, does anyone else have feedback on that?
I have the 30" Toro Timemaster. Do you think the G5/G6 blades would be too big/heavy for that mower? What about the G3 blades? I guess my concern is getting grass build-up in the deck. I always run on mulch setting. If you do not think these blade would be a good fit for that mower, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated as the stock ones that came with the mower are junk. Thanks for your time.
I just bought them for my Timemaster so I'll know for sure this season, but just like you, I mulch pretty much exclusively, except for leaf season. Generally I mow the lush spring grass with a low lift Atomic blade as it seems to reduce the packing of grass up under the deck. As the grass dries out a bit in mid May I normally switch to the high lift Atomic blades as packing is less of a problem. This season I will probably follow the same pattern except using the G5 instead of the high lift Atomics at the end of Spring. HIGH LIFT + TALL/LUSH/WET GRASS = PACKED DECK ON TIMEMASTER. Mow more often to help reduce this problem.
@@harryharry3193 I tried the Gator G5 blades and while they cut well they may be better suited for bagging or side discharge on the Timemaster deck. They have so much blade sail creating lift that they tend to blow leaves and other material out from under my deck. They are also much wider and heavier than stock blades. I think the G3 blades might be a better choice but I'm having a hard time finding them. Have not tried the Copperheads but I've heard mixed reviews. They do not have as much lift as the Gator blades but that may work better when mulching with the TM, as it may reduce the packing of the deck. However, as long as my grass is dry I can use almost any blade without fear of packing the deck. That's the key to mulching success ...mow often and when dry whenever possible. Otherwise bag or side discharge.
The OEM blades on my Ariens Ikon XD 52 are 2.5 inches wide, but these gator g6 blades are 3 inches wide. Will they still work without any issues? Can't seem to find any compatibility info for my mower.
They'll work fine, the G6 blades are a heavier duty version of their G5 blades which are a bit less heavy due to being narrower, more closely matching the OEM blade width. If you are mowing any heavier areas, and hitting dirt, or in sandy conditions a G6 blade will last longer. The G5 blades would work fine, as will a G6 but requires more power to keep them spinning at the proper speed of course.
I just bought a ZD1211 Kubota. It took me 3 months to get the damn thing in. I don’t mow a manicured lawn I run a farm and have about 10 acres that I regularly mow with a brush hog and that’s the part this mower is for, it’s quite a bit of behia grass. I was actually shopping for the biggest zero turn on the market, why the heck they don’t make one that can mow pastures with larger front tires is beyond me. If Kubota ever makes one for ranches I’ll trade this sucker in, anyway what’s the largest heaviest blade I can run? I’m looking to swap out these little things that come on it.
@@georgesimpson3113 I have this situation under control and it uses 4 gallons of diesel to mow more like 8.5 acres. I wouldn’t own a gas more if my life depended on it.
@@ea32da32 i hear you... I have a diesel tractor (and pickup) and its night and day. Diesel z-turns are just so over priced. I wish i had one. Manufacturers only seen to make them for lg comerical guys, none for homeowners. (Cutting 6-10 acres here)
@@georgesimpson3113 there’s an old preacher here that owns a small engine repair shop. I stopped by one day just to visit and told him of my idea to get the diesel. He said it would last 30+ years. That sealed my decision. It weighs 1800lbs and built like my tractor it’s true. I keep lots of diesel on hand, easy to store, so it was the right fit to me. I did swap out the front tires from solid to soft and it’s the only model that has a front suspension. Here in NE Texas it’s hilly, not like Tennessee hills but 30 or 40ft high rolling hills. This model doesn’t even slow down going up these hills. It’s true it was a bit pricy but should last a long time. I overkill on grease and maintenance with everything I have so I’m hoping I do get many years service from it.
You said you don't want your blades super sharp, then in the next few sentences, you said you touch up a brand new blade to get it super sharp before you install ??? :/
I'm not sure what your referring to? I never say anything in this video about not having a sharp blade. We keep blades razor sharp on all of our machines.
There should be some mention as to blade balance with respect to wear this guy doesn't really seem to have any in depth knowledge of what he is addressing here. This sounds more like a promo video for Gator.
It sounds like you're a mower blade expert? I just checked your youtube channel and didn't see any videos. Feel free to share a link here to your video as soon as you post it.
why did the gator blades I put on my new 46 inch cub cadet mower hit the bellys in my deck underneath and cause damage to the deck . I put the blades on and started to mow and heard bang , bang and stopped the mower took the deck off and sure enough the gator blades dug into raw metal in my deck . I have gator blades on my 42 inch cub cadet and no problems for the over 6 years . But the new cub cadet has 2 bellys in the deck where the blades were hitting and left cuts in the underside of the deck where they hit . I can send pics to prove it also . I love gator blades but they do not like my new 46 inch cub cadet .
@@PowerEquipmentMan The blades are to straight on the outside an the blades I have on my 42 inch cub cadet have a curve that is clipped on the edge instead of straight out .
![Дон ДОН, Алаудинов и СБЕЖАВШИЕ из под Курска ахматовцы 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dEfCf5IK26Q/mqdefault.jpg)
I run G5 gator blades on both of my gravely mowers year round and they work excellent!!!
Thanks for watching!
You never want your blades razor sharp... The most you want is a 25,000 radius... Most people don't realize that... The most you want to cut for height is a third of what your grass is talk... And also if your blade is not Bent any more than 1/8 of an inch it's perfectly fine to use... Remember if your blade is bent and it's not over a eight of a inch run out your perfectly fine to use it
I run gators nearly year round on all my mowers, only time I don't is early spring when grass is thin and weeds are bad, I run hi lift then in order to pick up the weeds and light grass. I run Hustler, John Deere and Toro.
Thanks for watching
Great piece and good info. Worth mentioning that my 2022 Scag TC II 61 I had equipped with the mulch kit and the blades with it are the Hurricane system mulch blade with a medium to high lift - and my deck does NOT get caked up with that set-up.....but my old Hustler and a couple other make models did with their mulch kits installed. Nice job.
Thanks for watching!
Stens makes a 3" wide high lift gator style that works really well for grass discharge. The copperhead blade is a go to blade for us when stacking blades for mulching or doing leaves or even really thick grass we use them during bagging in leaf season with a high lift to go with it.
Thanks for watching
Very informative video. Thank you. I was sharpening the blades on my rider and noticed the wings were pretty wore down. It's time for some new blades.
Thanks for watching!
Copperhead blades bend the lift-teeth the other direction to improve throw-force out the chute. The "lift" on all these blades isn't about generating lift at all but rather throwing the clippings somewhere - for the in-turned 'lift' blades the clippings are thrown INward and spend more time under the deck bogging down the engine but also getting processed (mulched) further prior to discharge whereas the outward-turned teeth attempt to keep the center of the deck clear and throw the clippings out after a single pass so that only those that withstand the initial throw get chopped/processed further. The out-turned teeth produce less work for the engine (and better 'gas-mileage') and faster bagging/discharge but also less mulching of the clippings. If you're bagging and the grass isn't to heavy for the job, they're great. If you're mulching, not so much.
Thanks for watching
I love the Oregon Gator blades on my Dixon. I get 2 seasons out of a set!
Awesome. Thanks for watching
Oregon gator G6 blades are a game changer. Match them with another G6 set for an X blade set up and pure dominaton.
Thanks for watching!
I have the Gator G3's and G5's and the Rotary Copperheads along with stock & high lift blades. The Rotary blades kick the grass out faster so it keeps the under deck cleaner and doesn't pack up the underside. They also stay sharper longer. The G3's cut tall thick stuff better than the G5's. The G5's keep the grass under the deck too long so you must travel slower for the same cut quality as the G3's. I'm thinking the extra weight plays a part in it. Yep, I've put all the blades on a scale. In normal grass they are fine. Extra tall/thick, just too much and slows the spin down or something. Yea, I'm that sob that have changed blades every 5-10 hours with fresh blades. That funky edge/coating on the back of the G5's aren't worth a crap. Those wavy mulch blades... you can have them. I bought a set. Horrible! - We do agree, sharp means sharp. Anyone that says it doesn't matter has never tried it. (Hustler 54")
Thats interesting about the copperheads keeping your deck cleaner, I will have to test that. The G5s having more lift are going to make them struggle more trying to move a large volume of grass (tall or thick stuff). Thanks for watching!
+1 - you nailed it 2 months before i commented just now, well typed!
so what blades are the best? Rotary Copperheads or Gator G3's ?
@@AC313_ go with the copperheads.
very interesting. thanks for the detailed response.
the toro timemaster has issues with deck clogging with OEM blades. Ive got to look into those copperheads.
I have the predator Boyd on my John Deere X350 with a 48 inch deck bought it from John Deere with John Deere’s name on the Boyd. They work good for every other week mowing try to cut the grass as little as possible and they do fine. Hopefully they will do fine in the fall will see get back with me, and the fall will is the how they do with the leaves so far there good on a John Deere X350 with the 48 inch deck with the Kawasaki motor is a bad ass machine by one if you have the use for a lawn tractor
I have G6 blades on my 48” JD deck . I found that the aggressive lift created an extreme amount of turbulence under the deck . I made some modifications to the blades by cutting the about na 3/8” off the teeth . This decreased the turbulence significantly. Before I cut the blades the mower was very noisy and blew cuttings out from all around the deck . I prefer to use my deck in it’s closed mulching configuration.
If the G6 blades have too much lift for you, try a G3 blade next time. They have a lot less lift.
I own a small engine shop. XHT is made by Fisher-Barton who makes the OEM blades for John Deere, Kubota,Scag,Snapper,Husqvarna and as of this year (2021) MTD Products. Also NEVER sharpen or "touch up" new blades as it can throw them off balance - grass is abrasive, first time the blades hit the grass going 15-19,000FPM - that paint is instantly stripped right off. As for what blade is best it all comes down to one thing - a lawn mower blade is a lawn mower blade and they all cut grass. Some mowers are incapable of running gator blades, as gator blades take more power to spin and smaller lower HP engines can't produce enough power to spin them fast enough. as an Oregon dealer - the G series Oregon blades can do all three - Mulch, bag & discharge, same as Stens & XHT, most high lift blades only have a 3/4 - 7/8" tall air lift, the G5 and G6 are capable of mulching when using a mulch kit, as for Rotary, their outward style teeth don't produce enough airflow to send clippings up into a bagger they are good for discharging and mulching.
Thanks for your input. I am also an Oregon dealer, as well as Stens, Rotary, Briggs, Kawasaki, Kohler, Hustler, Yamaha, DR, Husqvarna, Honda, Maruyama, ect.... Oregon blades are made by Blount International (who Oregon recently bought) who makes OEM blades for pretty much every other mower manufacturer that you didn't list. If you look in your Oregon book, you will see that MOST COMMONLY the G3 is listed as having a 3/4" lift while the G5 and G6s have a 1" lift...just as I stated in the video.
Maybe I should have been more specific, but when I say I "touch up" the edge that also includes balancing them even better then what they come from the manufacturer. I don't do this on blades that I install on customers machines, just my personal mower. I figure since I own a $2500 blade sharpener my mower is gonna have razor sharp blades all the time, including when they are new. Yes I agree that G5 and G6 blades take more hp to run, but pretty much every mower manufacturer overpowers their machines nowadays anyways. It's not like it was 20 years ago when a 52" Dixon would come with a 12hp Briggs. So 99% of the time power isn't an issue.
After having several customer complaints about G5 blades (that I sold them) not working well with a mulch kit, I decided to test it myself on my own lawn. After installing razor sharp G5 blades on my Hustler with a mulch kit I had to stop half way though my yard and put the wavy mulch blades back on. The G5s did a terrible job with the mulch kit in a nice turf type tall fescue lawn. They mulch the grass up too much and pack it up in the deck, then you get huge clumps that drop all at once. Never recommend someone to run a G5 or G6 with a mulch kit. Don't believe me? Test it yourself. They do work great for side or rear discharge and bagging.
Not all blades are created equal. This video was meant to help give people the knowledge to pick what blades might be best for their mowing conditions. I've spent years testing different blades to find what works best for me and my customers in their given situation. I am fortunate enough to have all different types of grass to test mow (every grass that grows in Kansas anyways) in different conditions and can see how the different blades perform. I am in the process of making another video to show all these blades in action.
@@PowerEquipmentMan Very informative response! i personally have never had a problem with new blades being unbalanced, i have had defective blades from Oregon in the past (bent,warped,not sharpened etc..) I have noticed more and more OEM blades looking like they were made by Blount, use to Fisher-Barton was the king of OEM blades. I have personally ran the G6's on my 48in Gravely commercial mower and have no problems side-discharging and never had problems with grass collecting under the deck, i did one time try a set of G5's on a 42" Poulan and it did not like them, created way too much airflow, i have never mulched with the G5's or G6 but have ran the G3's on a mulch kit on several mowers with no problems, but i find the traditional wavy of 3in1 blades mulch the best, the G3's work great in the fall and spring on leaves, i tend to stick to brands i have ran in the past on my own equipment, my go to's are Rotary and Oregon as well as OEM's.
@@PowerEquipmentMan Hi I have a cub cadet xt1 42 in deck and I intend to only mulch, which blade do you recommend?
I have 8TEN LawnRasor high lift Blades on my Craftsman T240.. incredible blades!
Nice. Thanks for watching
Hi. You've got 5 blades at 0::50 time. The second one, from the left, is a mulching blade, HIGH LIFT; 3rd one is lower lift, and 4th is regular lift. 5th is flat lift, NOT FOR BAGGING .
Scag makes a nice mulch blade that bump in it, but also the teeth on the end. I get best results with the Scag mulch blade.
Thanks for watching!
Secured in a bench vise, I get my blades so sharp (Dremmel rotary tool with mower blade angle attachment/grinding stone 923, and hand file to knock off the burrs from the flat side). Run a finger over the dull blade in a perpendicular manner before starting and should move smoothly, when done sharpening, do it again very lightly, and finger should drag across the edge - very carefully!!!
Once, when installing a blade on the deck, the wrench slipped off the mounting spindle nut, my hand grazed the blade at the base of my thumb - 5 internal cut stitches, 8 external closing stitches...
Now, I handle whilst wearing leather gloves
Yeah, you can swing one and cut the head off a zombie like using a razor-sharp machette!!!
And, after sharpening, I wipe general purpose grease on the sharpened bare metal - carefully with a rag or paper towel.
I have been running Copper head blades since 2013. Back when I ran Fixie Chopper. During the season. I would change twice a week. I had a A neighbor sharpening them and helping me replace them most of the time. there were a few times when the mall was in the shop for service that I had one of the technicians in the shop sharpen them, and the edge on the blades is unbelievably sharp. You could tell the difference based on who sharpened them. When it came to the end, result of how the grass looked when it was cut. I would actually charge more if the technician was the one that sharpened them. Since then, I’ve always run copperhead blades. even on my little 21 inch mower, and edger blades copperhead.
Thank you, sir! Very well presented. I am shopping for my first set of new blades and this really helped with that.
Thanks for watching.
GREAT VIDEO, I MAY GO BACK TO THE GATOR AFTER THIS VIDEO,I HAVE THIS YEAR SWITCHED TO THE COPPERHEAD,HAS A VERY GOOD LIFT THROUGHS OUT WELL.I WAS TOLD IF USING GATOR DOES BETTER IF WEEKLY CUT,WHAT YOU THINK ,AGAIN THANKS FOR EXPLAINING IN VIDEO.
Yes they are going to do a better job if you are mowing more often. Thanks for watching.
CFC cc rz. I’m
I don’t need to mulch grass. I need to mulch leaves.I have a chute blocker. What blade is reccomended? The stock Exmark blade creates so much lift(?) that it turns into a dust bowl.
I don't know of any blades that can mulch leaves well without causing a dust bowl. The Gator G5s do a great job on leaves.
@@PowerEquipmentMan thanks ! I’ll try them.
I run G5's exclusively but the one thing that bothers me with them and all the rest of the "extended" cutting edge blades is they almost never use the extra cutting length. The first 3 inches are going to be about the only area that actually cuts anything. What do you think of the Ballard blades?
Ballard blades are brand new to the market and I have heard good and bad about them. Once we get a little more long term data on them we will see how they do.
What would you recommend to replace this blade ?
17 1/2 Inch (444mm) Length
5/8 Inch (16mm) Center Hole Diameter
2 1/4 Inch (57mm) Width
1/4 inch (6.5mm )
can only get 5mm blades here in Australia.
Amazon sells Oregon Gator blades for less than Jacks.
6:23 they put that coating on there so you don't cut yourself when you pick it up and blame them for it. The coating is supposed to wear off.
Opinion: Copperhead, is 'including' the cutting edges on the LIFT PORTION, which is designed to not only LIFT, but, to MULCH AND DISCHARGE QUICKER.. so, in closing, the Copperhead, you are holding, literally has, 4 cutting edges, on EACH END.. thus, the claim. My opinion
I went to my local dealer for my new to me gravely older 36” walk behind. I told him I was looking for blades that would fit it and maybe even gator ones. I showed him a picture of my mower and gave me some 18 inch stens gator blades. I came home and finally had a free day today (prob 3 weeks later). Are used a flat wheel on a angle grinder to take the heavy black coating off and make sure they were sharp and ready to go. I go to put them on my mower and they are too wide to fit onto spindle “ bracket”. Being that I already altered the blades, is this my fault or his fault? $37 of useless metal to me right now.
That’ll be your fault for grinding them before confirming figment. Good luck.
great all my questions answered. .I really wanted to know if you could run them all year or if you had to change them. you said yes, and if they worked better with the kit. you said no because it clogs . thanks
Thanks for watching!
Good clear video. I have the G5 gator blades. They perform very good 👍. Thanks, good job on video.
Thanks for watching
Great presentation! you know your stuff. Best I've seen on youtube.
Thanks for watching!
You missed a blade for those who have a Husqvarna mower. Husqvarna doesn't have a round hole in the center of the blade. I've been looking for a mulching blade for my Husqvarna mower, what do you recommend? Richard
All of the blades that we discussed in this video are available in many different sizes and with the correct hole options to fit Husqvarna or almost any other machine. I would recommend visiting your local dealer/repair shop so they can determine which blades you need.
I have over 3 acres so that is why i have always used 2 mowers and decided to upgrade and buy a 46 inch cub cadet and sold one of my 42 inch mowers and kept one 42 inch and bought the new cub cadet 46 inch mower tis pst spring and did not change the blade that came with the mower until i did fall mantinance on my mowers and I was shocked when I started the mower blades up and kept hearing the banging sound and then saw th damage the blades did to the underside of the deck . Raw metal cuts the blades made in the deck . I have no sandy soil and never had a problem with my 42 inch mowers with the gator blades
I've been having great luck with the copperhead blades, I tried the gator originals on 2 mowers and went threw spindle bearings every 2 yrs
Good feedback. Thanks for watching!
It sounds like you are talking about using all of these blades in a side discharge mode. What about in a true mulching mode where the discharge port is closed off and maybe there is a mulching baffle kit installed? What is going to be the best of these blades for that application?
I would not recommend running any gator style blades with a mulch kit installed. The gator blades just have too much lift for a mulch kit with the discharge chute blocked. I would recommend running the wavy mulch blades that come with most mulch kits.
Ballard ripper blades imo are the best ones on the market
I have heard good and bad about ballards new blades. They are brand new so there is no long term data on them yet. I will wait a couple years to get some more data on them before I decide if they are a product I will promote or not.
@@PowerEquipmentMan I'm surprised you haven't bought a set to try out.
Why would one care about it being wider? How does that benefit? Seems like a negative due to extra weight.
My experience with a gator blade (original or replicate?) is that it worked well when new but wore out quick
The Oregon g5 and g6’s are tungsten carbide blades and should last a lot longer. Which brand did you buy?
So I have a Gravely ZTXL 52 with the factory mulch blades and mulch kit installed, I was wondering if I installed the G5 on my mower and took off the Mulch kit how much less performance for real mulching will be evident ? I mean is it even close to running a dedicated mulch kit? I live Montana and have non dirt/sand and just regular grass on 1 acre.
I just mulch my weeds ever and it looks good 👍
I saw somebody say use 2 hi lifts and a mulch blade on the discharge so you get a clean cut but mulch it so it don't slow you down. Thoughts?
I have not heard of that before. Not sure how well it would work.
For me the carbide is useless, carbide is brittle and once a rock chips it how are you going to sharpen the blade?? The only way is going to be with silicone carbide belts or a diamond blade grinder.
Bought name brand Gator blades for my small rider (Craftsman/Kohler engine) but haven't had them put on yet. My .55 acre yard has a variety of grasses and weeds due to decades of previous owner abuse and neglect.
It's coming around, but am wondering if I can
1. Use these with bagging
2. Still mow at 3.5"
3. Are they recommended for Zoysia lawns (which I am trying to get started an area at a time)
Yes gator blades usually work decent for bagging and you shouldn't have any issues mowing at 3.5". Unfortunately I don't have any info on the zoysia grass as we don't have that type of grass in our region. Try asking your local mower shop what they think. Thanks for watching
Excellent video! Does anyone happen to know if one of these companies makes blades for the Ego 21" mower? The standard blades from Ego are not great.
Nice video. The township uses some kind of fine grit on the snow and ends up in my yard Would the Gator 5 blade you talked about suck the grit up like sand and ruin the blade? I hate the sound of the grit ricocheting under the deck!
Yes I would guess that G5 blades would just suck up the grit just like sand. You might be able to run the G3 or predator blades that have less lift. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Hey Jonas, do these high lift blades add noise to the mowing process, like a jet airline taking off?
Yes, a blade with more lift is going to be moving more air which will cause it to be louder.
Can I get those blades for a Bad boy zero turn 42 inch mower?
Not sure. Visit the Jack's link in the description. Thanks for watching.
i have a toro 30 inch deck, two blade system. i keep the deck closed, no discharge to mulch the grass. would the oregon blade work well without discharging?
I would not recommend running a G5 or G6 blade with a mulch kit, as they have too much lift for mulching. You may be able to run a G3 for mulching. Oregon most likely also makes an actual mulch blade to fit your machine as well.
I have a John Deere 54" deck with the mulching kit installed (they are steel baffles that isolate each of the 3 blades so that each blade is sitting in it's own cocoon, similar to a push mower). So, besides the factory John Deer mulching blade (which is designed to give some additional lift), what aftermarket blade would be best?
That’s what I’m wondering
I've got a set of G6 Gator Blades on my 54" JD deck. They work great imo. The do bog the engine down some so I had to slow down a little
I recommend you uninstall the john deere mulching kit the steel baffles and run the gator blades with no mulch kit.
How often should the blades be changed on a residential mower?
There is no set number of hours that you should change your blades at. It all depends on your conditions and how fast the blades get worn down. Personally, I sharpen blades every 10 hours or so. You only need to replace them once the lift wing gets worn off the back of the blade or if they can not be sharpened anymore.
@@PowerEquipmentMan ok Thanks
On the Gator G6 I have read elsewhere that some guys grind off the black coating on the cutting part of the blade before install, does anyone else have feedback on that?
No matter what brand of blade it is, I always sharpen and balance brand new blades before I install them.
I am currently using a Kubota , 724, with 54" deck. I'd like to get the G6 blades. Where would get them?
The link is in the description above for the best place I have found to get them.
Will these type of blades work on a 3 blade lawn tractor.
These types of blades are made for all different types of mowers. You will just have to see if they are available for your machine.
@@PowerEquipmentMan thanks
I have a Toro Titan Max, how do I find which gator blade fits?
Use the link in the video description.
very helpful, thanks!
Thanks for watching!
I have the 30" Toro Timemaster. Do you think the G5/G6 blades would be too big/heavy for that mower? What about the G3 blades? I guess my concern is getting grass build-up in the deck. I always run on mulch setting. If you do not think these blade would be a good fit for that mower, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated as the stock ones that came with the mower are junk. Thanks for your time.
I don't have any experience with those mowers so I can't tell you for sure. I would probably go with the G3.
I think the stock blades are made by Oregon, if I’m not mistaken.
I just bought them for my Timemaster so I'll know for sure this season, but just like you, I mulch pretty much exclusively, except for leaf season. Generally I mow the lush spring grass with a low lift Atomic blade as it seems to reduce the packing of grass up under the deck. As the grass dries out a bit in mid May I normally switch to the high lift Atomic blades as packing is less of a problem. This season I will probably follow the same pattern except using the G5 instead of the high lift Atomics at the end of Spring.
HIGH LIFT + TALL/LUSH/WET GRASS = PACKED DECK ON TIMEMASTER. Mow more often to help reduce this problem.
@@mellowjammer have you changed your opinion on any blades? tried the copperhead? one guy says they pack the deck less on his 54"
@@harryharry3193 I tried the Gator G5 blades and while they cut well they may be better suited for bagging or side discharge on the Timemaster deck. They have so much blade sail creating lift that they tend to blow leaves and other material out from under my deck. They are also much wider and heavier than stock blades. I think the G3 blades might be a better choice but I'm having a hard time finding them. Have not tried the Copperheads but I've heard mixed reviews. They do not have as much lift as the Gator blades but that may work better when mulching with the TM, as it may reduce the packing of the deck. However, as long as my grass is dry I can use almost any blade without fear of packing the deck. That's the key to mulching success ...mow often and when dry whenever possible. Otherwise bag or side discharge.
how about 2023 update.. What about Ballard blades?
The OEM blades on my Ariens Ikon XD 52 are 2.5 inches wide, but these gator g6 blades are 3 inches wide. Will they still work without any issues? Can't seem to find any compatibility info for my mower.
G6 blades are all 3 inches wide. As long as the center hole and length are the same as your OEM blade they will work fine.
@@PowerEquipmentMan okay thank you for the info.
They'll work fine, the G6 blades are a heavier duty version of their G5 blades which are a bit less heavy due to being narrower, more closely matching the OEM blade width. If you are mowing any heavier areas, and hitting dirt, or in sandy conditions a G6 blade will last longer. The G5 blades would work fine, as will a G6 but requires more power to keep them spinning at the proper speed of course.
Gene Metz
Help! I want a better blade to replace the blade on my new 2021 80v 21" Kobalt mower. Can you advise me?
Please visit the link in the video description above to see what blades are available for you machine.
@@PowerEquipmentMan - Zero result on Kobalt mower blades. Unless I'm doing something wrong.
what's the best type of blade for a 21" closed mulching deck push mower?
You could use a standard mulching blade or a G3 if you can get it. Thanks for watching!
Very cool so like if you mow a yard that don't have no sand just grass what blade should I use in plus a baled theres sand
I just bought a ZD1211 Kubota. It took me 3 months to get the damn thing in. I don’t mow a manicured lawn I run a farm and have about 10 acres that I regularly mow with a brush hog and that’s the part this mower is for, it’s quite a bit of behia grass. I was actually shopping for the biggest zero turn on the market, why the heck they don’t make one that can mow pastures with larger front tires is beyond me. If Kubota ever makes one for ranches I’ll trade this sucker in, anyway what’s the largest heaviest blade I can run? I’m looking to swap out these little things that come on it.
Hustler has a 104" for you...
@@georgesimpson3113 I have this situation under control and it uses 4 gallons of diesel to mow more like 8.5 acres. I wouldn’t own a gas more if my life depended on it.
@@ea32da32 i hear you... I have a diesel tractor (and pickup) and its night and day. Diesel z-turns are just so over priced. I wish i had one. Manufacturers only seen to make them for lg comerical guys, none for homeowners. (Cutting 6-10 acres here)
@@georgesimpson3113 there’s an old preacher here that owns a small engine repair shop. I stopped by one day just to visit and told him of my idea to get the diesel. He said it would last 30+ years. That sealed my decision. It weighs 1800lbs and built like my tractor it’s true. I keep lots of diesel on hand, easy to store, so it was the right fit to me. I did swap out the front tires from solid to soft and it’s the only model that has a front suspension. Here in NE Texas it’s hilly, not like Tennessee hills but 30 or 40ft high rolling hills. This model doesn’t even slow down going up these hills. It’s true it was a bit pricy but should last a long time. I overkill on grease and maintenance with everything I have so I’m hoping I do get many years service from it.
What’s the difference between the Gator G5 and G6?
As I said in the video, not much. Get which ever one is available for your machine.
Troy, G6 is a slight bit thicker
@@jimscott4552 it’s also a much heavier blade.
The G5 thickness is .203 and the G6 is .250. I read somewhere that the G6's are for higher horsepower machines as in 35 horsepower and up.
I have a gator blade from Oregon it's so noisy compared to original
Its like a airplane engine turbine
Yes, any blade with more lift is going to create more noise.
You said you don't want your blades super sharp, then in the next few sentences, you said you touch up a brand new blade to get it super sharp before you install ??? :/
I'm not sure what your referring to? I never say anything in this video about not having a sharp blade. We keep blades razor sharp on all of our machines.
I watch vids at 1.5x speed and it sounds like you're just talking normal speed -- slowed down????
No, I guess I just like to talk slow and clearly! I never was much for a fast talker. Thanks for watching
There should be some mention as to blade balance with respect to wear this guy doesn't really seem to have any in depth knowledge of what he is addressing here. This sounds more like a promo video for Gator.
It sounds like you're a mower blade expert? I just checked your youtube channel and didn't see any videos. Feel free to share a link here to your video as soon as you post it.
why did the gator blades I put on my new 46 inch cub cadet mower hit the bellys in my deck underneath and cause damage to the deck . I put the blades on and started to mow and heard bang , bang and stopped the mower took the deck off and sure enough the gator blades dug into raw metal in my deck . I have gator blades on my 42 inch cub cadet and no problems for the over 6 years . But the new cub cadet has 2 bellys in the deck where the blades were hitting and left cuts in the underside of the deck where they hit . I can send pics to prove it also . I love gator blades but they do not like my new 46 inch cub cadet .
I would recommend taking it to your dealer to see what the issue is. Thanks for watching!
@@PowerEquipmentMan The blades are to straight on the outside an the blades I have on my 42 inch cub cadet have a curve that is clipped on the edge instead of straight out .