Glad you found something that works for you! Killing weeds is good for your soul.

Mr Roadbike sir.Never buy a part until the problem is identified. A bad crankshaft is too expensive to fix. Engines are cheaper. A crankshaft would only be done if you had a thing for the mower. A dedicated LB guy would replace the crank f'rinstance. Me, a hacker, would just find and fix up a good replacement mower. They are everywhere. Some better than others. I have rescued 3 mowers from Craigslist free stuff. I'm into my 5th season with a C'list free stuff 2 stroke LawnBoy. It is my favorite mower. I use a Toro 3 speed with a 4 stroke Suzuki for keeping back the under brush. All that one needed was a 5/16 shoulder bolt on a height adjuster. 2nd summer for it. Waiting on the shelf is a personal pace Lawngirl with a Tec OHV. I fixed that with 2 3/8 bolts I had in a can on the shelf. I got it running on the 1st pull. It mows fine and I stored it for the future.I haven't bought a mower in 20 yrs. I am doing better and better since I found this and a few other small engine sites. I sorta like fixing stuff and keeping it going, and I am spending more time mowing than I do fixing mowers. So I figure I'm ahead or at least even. When I see the stuff being sold for car money, my cars anyway, I 'm glad I can tinker my old stuff.

It'll probably keep coming back. It's a spreading grass (which is why it's called creeping bentgrass) so it'll spread if the area next to it is bare.

Oh no, Paul James the Gardener Guy's manual method, maybe I will buy a goat. Better yet, I will pay the neighborhood kids $10 a bushel for all the grass they can pull from the clumps. Will need to try watering before pulling. Anything has to be better. (Propane torch?, Nah.)