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At first I didn't really care for this sharpener. Works very nicely doing for straight blades when used like that. I had a difficult time running the tool over the shovel or mower blade. Now I gently secure the dremel in a vice and then pull the blade along the stationary dremel. I have much better luck running the dremel at high RPM for this. I'll still use a file for curved shovels and trowels though.
It's a 20" Sears mower with a 'mulching' blade. For under $10, I figured there was no harm in trying this tool. The problem I had with the tool is that it's very hard to slide across the blade; perhaps the blade on my lawnmower was too thick for the tool or the small amount of grass on the blade provided too much friction.After struggling quite a bit to get the tool to move across the blade, I eventually got the blade slightly sharp, but the sharpening stone is already quite warn. It *looks* like a great idea and simple to use, however, it didn't work very well for me. I have a push mower and a riding mower, so I started with the push mower's blade first. there's no way I'll be able to do the three blades on my riding mower.I was hoping to avoid using the good 'old file method to sharpen the blades, but I think that might actually be the easier method. The tool is well made and easy to install, but it's a little harder to use than one might think.
The housing may work on flatter blades but it binds on the curves in my mulching blade (from a Black and Decker electric mower). However, the stone worked fine freehand.
It takes a little while to get used to so I recommend to learn on the less important tools like a shovel you rarely use or don't care if you knick it.The grinding stone can bur into you edge if you aren't careful. If you have a Dremel tool and any kind of metal tools with an edge then you need this. I was skeptical, but found it works really well. And it's kind of hard to turn around the angles of a blade. But this sucker will sharpen every tool you have from the lawnmower blade to the axe to the sling blade (some people call it a keiser blade).
This tool loks great but it does not grind or sharpen as I thought it would.
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