Well, I can tell you that the Atomic style blade made the standard Toro Recyler mulch better. I cannot understand how it is more difficult to sharpen either. What I can offer you is that 420463 is another option for your star blade. I may have both to compare, I'm not sure. They don't nestle together so I assume that the lift is different. 421176 hub w/ the 406713 blade may be able to replace your star hub /blade. You will have to be the judge of that. This is also an "all purpose" blade. Some aftermarket star blades my be configured differently as well. Fact is, over the years the EHP service blades have had number and shape changes. The old 3 hole will give you various blade configurations in OEP. I would also suggest putting a tach on this. Post back your results please.

DChall - they are actually more expensive than your standard rider. In my opinion they are so much nicer. I've only used commercial grade, (Scag, kubota, gravely) so not sure if it applies to home owner versions, but the blade speeds are so much higher allowing you to cut at a much faster pace without clumping or bogging the engine. They are also faster. You can make much tighter maneuvers around different landscaping shapes. In some areas I've used the ability to slide the side of the deck in unaccessible areas or under things. The biggest plus for me is the ability to run straight lines back and forth without having to use a brake and stop, change gears, back up, brake, change gears, forward, possible reverse again to line up, and then go back. With a zero turn, when you are at the end of your pass you spin around and keep going. ...I can probably cut a lawn in 1/4 the time than a typical lawn tractor, and get every last blade. That was my experience when I use to do real estate management. After using zero turns, I said I would NEVER use a regular mower again. ...here I am with a craftsman 42" lawn tractor. :-/ ..old owners left it in the deal when I bought the house. If & when I have the money though I'll get one.

I own a Craftsman LT3000 with a six-speed manual transmission. I've used this machine on one acre since the end of last summer without trouble. Here's the review I wrote last year... http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tractor/msg081107371197.html The one cylinder Briggs Intek Plus engine starts and runs easily. There's plenty of torque even at low RPM. It has no trouble pulling a cart full of soil or stones. The manual transmission is strong, you'll spin the wheels before slipping a belt. As mentioned before, you choose the gear you need with your foot on the brake or stopped. Shifting while moving will shorten the life of the manual transmission. Here's a quick "how to" for the gears... - Lower gears are for pulling a heavy load or mowing very heavy grass. - The middle gears are best for most mowing or pulling moderate loads. - High gears are for when you are merely driving it or pulling an empty cart. - it's best to ease off the brake/clutch at low engine RPM. This keeps you from taking off too quickly. There's no need to rev the engine if you're just driving. It goes fast enough in sixth gear at low throttle to get you where you want to go. You can even pull a decent load at low throttle. However, mowing demands high engine RPMs. Otherwise, you will bog or stall the engine. Your cut will stink, to boot. The good and the bad... GOOD: Strong engine. Strong transmission Strong frame Good on gas Tight steering Metal hood Nice cut quality Oil, air, and fuel filters easy to service Optional bagger works well BAD: LOUD engine at high RPM Dim headlights at low engine RPM Brake is a long reach for short people Seat switch cutout too sensitive for short people Optional canopy is junk I highly recommend the 12.5 cubic foot polycarbonite dump cart. It's strong and won't dent or rust. I've put 800 pounds of field stone in mine without damage. The metal cart is less expensive, yet has sharp corners that can pull clothing or cut skin. It has also a lot more metal to dent or rust. I use a leaf blower to clean my lawn tractor. Peace. Marco

What else would the "Deere Dealer"...say? He doesn't sell Gator blades, and is certainly "OEM ORIENTED". Since Deere "controls" what they will and won't pay for under warranty, I suppose they can...DO WHAT THEY WANT...as it pertains to that. I've used Gator blades for years on a Toro zero-turn mower, and have had very good success with them. Everyone has "THEIR VERSION" of mulching blades and systems, and as such, would ALWAYS PROMOTE....theirs vs. someone elses. If your Deere product is still UNDER WARRANTY....I'd surely recommend sticking with what he says....lest you have any problems you would EXPECT for him to fix. T-Man