Editorial Product Review:Amazon.com Item Description:The American Lawn Mower Company reel mower sharpening kit is an easy way to keep reel blades in top cutting form. This do-it-yourself kit allows users to sharpen their own mowers at home. The kit contains everything you need for safe and effective sharpening, including a detailed instruction manual, grinding compound, application brush, and a special back-lapping crank. The kits is designed for use with 1705-16 and 1815-18 push mowers. Cutting down on mowing time, this sharpening kits gives you an environmentally-friendly, perfectly cut lawn.
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Buyer Reviews
Average Buyer Rating:
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Convenient kit - traditional approach made simple
This kit is essentially what anyone can do on their own but it is conveniently packaged. The goop everyone is referring to is essentially the same as automotive valve grinding compound (which you can get at most auto parts stores). I like the idea of using a power drill to turn the reel while it sharpens - so here's an alternative for anyone who feels like taking a DIY approach:
1. Prop up the lawn mower so you can turn the reel by twirling the wheels.
2. Check the blades for nicks and burrs. If you find any, remove them with a file (hold file flat against blade and push away from spindle). I use a sharpening stone that fits my power drill but that's b/c I'm lazy.
3. Check your bar alignment, it'll be obvious if it's off - it will hit the guide bar. If alignment is off, you need to fix the alignment with the screws at the end of the bar but hopefully it's fine (if it turns with that cool whispy sound, then you're fine).
4. Spread a thin & even coat of auto valve-grinding compound.
5. Take off a wheel and affix your power drill so that the blade turns and the grinding compound squeezes between the blades and the cutting bar. Go a few dozen times.
6. I reapply the grinding compound and do it again.
7. Check out the blades, which should be sharper then rinse the valve compound off the blades.
This is EASY and quick. I really like how the kit makes it a no brainer exercise and if you're going to use a reel mower, use one with sharp blades.
Customer Rating: 
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Crank sharpener for manual reel mowers.
I only gave it three stars and perhaps I'm not being fair but here's why I'm not pleased with it: I bought the Gilmour 20" reel mower from Amazon.com and at the time of my purchase, they suggested I buy the sharpening kit too. Well, the hand crank from the sharpening kit does not fit the Gilmour mower. I'm sure it fits all the rest and probably works fine but I'm a bit ticked off at Amazon suggesting that I buy it. PS: The Gilmour did a great job for 15 - 20 cuts and then since then it seems like it needs to be sharpened because it's missing too much of the grass.
Customer Rating: -
great product
did what it was suppose to mdo really worked well on sharping the blades on out reel mower
Customer Rating: 
-
same as grinding compound
Go to your auto parts store and get some grinding compound for a fraction of the cost.
Also, for a much quicker sharpening session, remove both wheels, swap the gears so that the reel turns backwards, apply the compound, and walk the mower up and down the driveway. The backwards operation provides the backlapping to sharpen the reel and blade. Clean up the excess, and swap the gears back. Total time: less than 10 minutes.