Operator's Manual

16
Maintaining the Blade
A straight, sharp blade provides the best cutting
performance. Regularly inspect and sharpen the blade.
The blade is sharp; contacting the blade can result
in serious personal injury.
Wear gloves or wrap the sharp edges of the blade
with a rag.
Warning
1. Stop the engine and wait for all moving parts to stop.
2. Disconnect the wire from the spark plug (Fig. 7).
Tipping the lawn mower may cause the fuel to leak
from the carburetor or the fuel tank. Gasoline is
extremely flammable, highly explosive and under
certain conditions can cause personal injury or
property damage.
Avoid fuel spills by running the engine dry or
removing gasoline with a hand pump; never
siphon.
Warning
3. Drain the gasoline from the fuel tank; refer to steps 3
and 4 of Emptying the Fuel Tank on page 18.
4. Tip the lawn mower on its left side (air filter up)
(Fig. 16).
757
Figure 16
Important Move the blade as little as possible to avoid
future staring problems.
Inspecting the Blade
Carefully examine the blade for sharpness and wear,
especially where the flat and the curved parts meet
(Fig. 17A). Because sand and abrasive material can wear
away the metal that connects the flat and curved parts of the
blade, check the blade before using the lawn mower. If you
notice a slot or wear (Figs. 17B and 17C), replace the
blade; refer to Removing the Blade on page 17.
270
1
1
1
2
3
4
A
B
C
Figure 17
1. Sail
2. Flat part of blade
3. Wear
4. Slot formed
Note: For the best performance, install a new blade before
the cutting season begins. During the year, file down any
small nicks to maintain the cutting edge.
Danger
A worn or damaged blade can break, and a piece
of the blade could be thrown into the operator’s or
bystander’s area, resulting in serious personal
injury or death.
• Inspect the blade periodically for wear or
damage.
• Replace a worn or damaged blade.