Mower Blade Options

[WVMountainMan 6]

I was wondering what options are out there for mower blades other than the OE and where is a good place to get them. I am looking at replacing the blades on my 48 inch SD.

[Jim_M 179]

If you can find them Gator blades are really good blades.

[Dieselcowboy 211]

You can get gator blades from Maple Grove Distributing .  We use these commercially on almost 100 mowers here at work. Really good blades but will bend when you hit something solid. Factory blades are way more expensive but don't bend like gators.

[Hodge71 690]

You can get gator blades from Maple Grove Distributing .  We use these commercially on almost 100 mowers here at work. Really good blades but will bend when you hit something solid. Factory blades are way more expensive but don't bend like gators.

I beg to differ that factory blades dont bend. I just bought a 42" RD deck that had 2 bent blades and 1 that had the tip exploded right off of it...... Not sure what he hit but it wasn't going anywhere..... 

[leeave96 490]

I've never used gator blades so I can't comment on them other to say that I really haven't read anything bad about them.

 

I bought a used 48 SD a few months ago and the seller threw in a set of gator blades - which I haven't tried yet.

 

My first thought on gator blades is - how can they possibly give as much discharge force with the sliced wings at the rear of the blade as a normal blade.  It looks like to me it would be the same as waving your hand through the air with your fingers spread apart.

 

I'm anxious to try the gator blades I've got and would not - not recommend them based on my above thought due to the many positive reviews I have read on them.

 

Good luck!

Bill

[dsholler 54]

There was a toro document referenced in a discussion about gator blades from over a year ago, which I just can't find at the moment. The essence of it was that blades like the gators did a better job in very dry conditions and on dry leaves, but were less effective than the normal blades in moist conditions. This was commentary about Toro's own similar blades, so it was not intended as a knock against a competitor.