sharpening mower guards

Does anybody sharpen their mower guards? I sharpened mine today on one of the NH 488 and will see if it helps any,what do you use? My 4 inch grinder want go in there to good so I tried the die grinder with a round stone and it did fairly good took awhile to do it also took them off to sharpen,just wondering if anybody knows a easier way to do it.
 
I"ve did it to the guards on my 488. I think it helps quite a bit especially with some of the aftermarket guards out there now. I used a small 90 degree air grinder with 24 grit roloc discs.
 
I assume you are meaning squaring the edges back after they have become rounded???? I used to do it on sickle mower/conditioners with a full size 10 angle grinder. It does help the guard cut better.
 
I always start the season by making sure the guards (often called fingers in Australia) are shiny and the points fairly sharp. If the ledger plates look worn I replace them. If well maintained guards should last a very long time. I've never used after market guards, though have some on the shelf. The finish on them leaves a great deal to be desired. Usually the register, correct adjustment of the sections against the ledger plates and the edge on the sections counts for more than the sharpness of the guard points. My mower has a clover divider, which fits the outer shoe and is meant to help stop the end guard from choking - possibly one of the most useless attachments IHC ever manufactured.
SadFarmall
 
it might help you get by but if they are rounded off alot then they are worn out and need replacing, if at looking at them from the side they are not straight and flat then they are shot
 
I was referring to sharpening the points of the guards. NH haybine guards don't have ledger plates so if they get rounded I just replace them, but I no longer have a NH dealer close by so I have to deal with aftermarket guards and I have bought lots of those that do not have a good point on them and I have had grass wad up on them because they didn't have a good point to them.
 
My 477 has stub guards put on by previous owner and in the 8 or so years I have owned it, have never had a clog or issue with hay and undergrowth buildup. However, I mowed today with a friend's 478 which has regular guards and spent almost as much time clearing the clogs and build-ups as I did mowing. And the guards were all in excellent shape with sharp points.
 
Just had a good look at some of the aftermarket guards on my shelf. Quite right, they would need sharpening - they are not well finished at the factory.
SadFarmall
 

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