Sure, it's an easy home job. You will need a wrench or socket, a good sized single or double cut file and a blade balancer. Just remove the blade assembly and remember the order and alignment of all parts. Keeping the same angle, simply file the cutting edge on each side until each is straight. Then place the blade on the balancer and file metal from the side that dips down until the blade is balanced. Just reinstall.

Or pay your local lawnmower shop to do a complete spring maintenance which would go a lot further than a blade sharpening.

You'll need a vise to hold the blade while working on it, or at least a clamp or two to clamp it to a table top. You can tilt the mower up on it's wheels, with the air filter/carburetor side up (always) to get to the blades. Take a short piece of 2x4 and block the blade so it can't turn. Take the wire off the spark plug to be double-safe. Don't remove the center bolt - it holds the blade driver on the crankshaft. Remove the two adjacent bolts and take both blades off. If you don't want to tackle the sharpening/balance, just take the blades to any mower shop and they'll do them while you wait for just a few bucks. Always handle sharp blades with sturdy gloves. Replace the blades, making sure the 'scissor'-edge one is on top and both blades' cutting edges face the direction of rotation. Tighten bolts firmly, using the wood block again in the other direction. Set the mower down, replace the plug wire and you should be done.

Saxman, not really sure what you mean with scissors edge. May be better to describe the blade on top or nearest engine as the one with a smaller lift on the trailing edge. Good proceedure though.

BTW, once you remove the blade, it's not too hard to take it somewhere for sharpening. No need to take the whole mower (unless you get the service, which does make sense).

IF you sharpen the blade yourself, remove metal from the top side ONLY.
I use a belt sander on mine, but a good file works.

Nevada: It's been awhile since I had the Honda, but I seem to remember the top blade cutting edges were tapered like a scissor - maybe not.

Thank you for the advice on sharpening the blades....

just curious, what does "spring maintenance" consist of?

A friend of mine took his Snapper to the dealer religiously each year to have the "Summer special" done on his mower. The blades, oil, air filter, grease fittings...oh wait they were suppose to do the grease fittings. He was mowing and when the front wheel collapsed due to the front axle wearing through because of a lack of grease he learned to do it. You dont always get what you pay for. I think for the times he was taking it to them they were getting him for about $150.00 each time. I dont believe they replace the axel without attaching a hefty fee..

I was thinking the same thing as zoomie while reading the terms "Spring maintenance" and "trained mechanics" in the above posts.

This post was edited by howecollc on Fri, May 10, 13 at 4:18

'Saxman, not really sure what you mean with scissors edge. May be better to describe the blade on top or nearest engine as the one with a smaller lift on the trailing edge. Good proceedure though.'

Yes, the top blade on the Honda has a longer tapered cutting edge - reminds one of a scissors blade.