Keep it sharp with Toro’s rotary blades
Switch out the old and bring in the new. With grass growth fast and furious make sure you and your machines are ready for high season with Toro’s rotary blades and guarantee a beautiful finish.
Too often, we talk about how important it is to have a good quality mower and forget that, just as important as the mower, are the parts you put in it. Now, with grass growth at its peak, is the time to be vigilant and ensure rotary blades are sharp and ready to deliver the best cut possible.
Reesink Turfcare’s parts manager Michael Hampton says: “Spring sees greenkeepers tackle large areas of grass much more frequently than other times of the year; activity that can quickly dull rotary blades. Here we look at how to prevent unnecessary downtime and out-of-action machines, with proper maintenance and parts stock planning.”
Maintenance best practice includes checking all blades to ensure they are not twisted or bent as they require more horsepower to operate, damage the turf, create vibration and noise, and shorten spindle life.
Michael comments: “To stay on top of maintenance while mowers are being used more regularly, I highly recommend Toro customers stock up on replacement rotary blades now, rather than waiting until there is an issue. In order to prevent damage to your machine and ensure operator safety, when signs of wear are identified, the blade must be replaced immediately – making on-hand spares extremely useful.”
Choosing blades produced by the manufacturer of your machine is recommended, as is “choosing blades with a toughened steel microstructure to improve wear resistance”, says Michael. “Choosing a generic blade that is not precisely manufactured for the mower may result in poor quality of cut due to incorrect blade angle and height.”
Toro’s precisely engineered blades fit the cutting unit perfectly, but each is carefully crafted to specific turf needs. For example, the ‘No Sail’ (flat) blade is a good choice in high summer working well in very dry and dusty conditions and across areas that are not mowed as regularly, plus these blades make quick work of cutting down weeds.
The ‘High Sail’ is best used early in the spring season when the grass is still thin and wispy or prone to falling over a lot, or if you’re missing grass leaves with other rotary blades.
An ‘Angled’ blade is usually what is supplied as standard with the machine, giving the best all-round cut and the ‘Atomic Sail’ is what’s best later in the season, perfect for mulching up leaves or for use with a recycling deck to mulch the grass.
Genuine Toro rotary blades are designed to work harder for longer, reducing the risk of unexpected wear and breakages other non-genuine parts can suffer. They will not need replacing as often as ‘will-fit’ parts and mowers will deliver a sharper cut for a beautiful finish for longer.
