Your Lawn Mower Blades Can Do A Lot More Than Cut Grass

It may be in the name, but your lawn mower blades are more than just sharp objects designed to cut grass. Well, maybe not intentionally, but that's never stopped crafters, hackers, and DIYers. If it's time to replace your lawn mower blades, you don't need to throw them out. Instead, you can repurpose them in a myriad of practical and artistic ways, as they can be turned into kitchen knives, garden decor, and more. Some repurposing projects may require special tools, so take stock of your equipment before starting. However, don't worry if you don't have a welding torch or other tools; there are still more straightforward ways to repurpose your lawn mower blades.

Before you start pulling out your lawn mower blades to turn them into scrap metal statues or kitchen knives, there are a few important things to cover. Make sure the lawn mower is completely off, and disconnect the spark plug and ignition wire prior to removing the blades. The last thing you want is for your mower to accidentally turn on while you're removing them. Even after they've been removed, you should handle them carefully. They're called blades for a reason, and you won't want to cut yourself on them or accidentally drop them on your foot. Once they're safely out, use a dedicated scraper tool or putty knife to remove caked grass before rinsing with water and repeating as needed. If they're rusted, you can remove rust from metal using vinegar and steel wool. It may not be enough to completely revert it to its shiny, new state, but it should help significantly. Dry the blades completely after washing them to avoid new rust forming.

If you want your lawn mower blades to stay functional, consider similar items that they might fill in for. People have successfully turned them into knives by cutting the blades and attaching a handle. You can either sharpen your lawn mower blade edge to make your knife functional or dull the edge if you want it to be decorative. Additionally, consider making smaller knives by cutting or grinding the blade down further. If knives aren't your thing, you can use a similar technique to make garden tools like a trowel. Depending on the project, cutting mower blades may require specialized metalworking experience and tools such as an angle grinder.

Alternatively, keep things simple by rounding off sharp mower blade edges and using them as door stops or garden stakes. Consider combining a lawn mower blade garden stake with this DIY bundt pan bird bath to create a cute repurposed garden feature. If you want something more involved, lawn mower blades can be welded or bolted together for scrap metal art. Some artists use them to create intricate statues, but items like these can take quite a few blades to complete. Another option is to cut blades into individual petals and create a flower, with other metal such as a rod and large bolt serving as the stem and flower center, respectively. Certain options like making a waterwheel are impractical since the blade metal will rust.