Gator Blades, like them Y / N

[JoeM 7,871]

I haven't use Gator Blades for a while. Used them on a custom 48 mulcher in the past. Never really used them in grass season, just in the fall leaf season. 

 

Put a old set on about a month ago and they cut pretty nice. The deck was an old untreated beater, and after cutting 4 times, which included some wet grass, I took a look under the deck and it was surprisingly clean.

 

I really never looked up differences in mower blade design, wow! Mulching, high lift, standard discharge, combination and there is more.

 

I found this statement interesting. I always thought their claim to fame was finer clippings. 

Unlike other mulching blades that push the grass down, the high lift on a gator blade draws the grass up which in turn gives you a clean, even cut. This high lift also makes using Gator Blades in bagging operations a great choice. ... The angle of the teeth is what produces those clean-cut mulching results

 

Maybe mythbusters will bite on that one.

 

I think there is something to it and I'm leaning to Y!

 

[ri702bill 8,294]

Joe:

I use a Gator 21" blade on my Honda HR214 walk behind mower. Great lift and cut - I swear it could suck the worms out of the ground!!

Bill

[Skwerl58 702]

I have used Gator blades on my Wheel Horse for 3 years and they do a great job. They did such a good job that I got a set for my Swisher pull behind trail mower. The cut is smoother and the grass doesn't  clump up as much with the Gator blades. I got mine from online suppliers during the winter at reduced prices so they were no higher priced than regular blades.

[WHX?? 48,799]

I' ve got a set of Oregons on my vertical horse. Had read somewhere they do better in my sand country. I do notice the deck is abit cleaner. They seem to have nice lift but have yet to try them on the missus's bagger. 

[Lee1977 6,648]

I just used them for leaf mulching and pick up with my vacuum. That is unless I forget to take them off. I think regular style blades cut better then the gators. I have two sets of gators I have had at east 25 years.

It's tome to sharping a set and put them on, leafs just starting to fall around here.

[rjg854 11,353]

I had a set of gator blades on my deck but I don't think they did as good a job as the high lift regular blades

[71_Bronco 1,072]

I use a gator on my Husqvarna 21" push mower. Leaves, long grass, small sticks, you name it, it all gets chopped up. Doesn't clump and leaves a nice finish.

 

When doing heavier cutting, I tend to do about a 50% overlap, so that may help in my cutting. But when it isn't heavy, or not a lot of leaves, I push it a little more aggressively without issue.

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

I looked into the Gators for my 48" SD but it appears that the 'lift' edge would strike the rear apron of the deck, the blade being as I recall, 1-1/2" tall.  

[kpinnc 11,934]

I've used them on a 42SD, and liked them alot. Less clippings, and a nice cut.

 

Just remember sharpening is much more than the leading edge. Those teeth or fingers or whatever those trailing edge blades are called, need periodic filing as well. Not as much as the leading edge, but once in a while. Otherwise they don't work.