Compared to any other edged tool in your house, your lawn mower's blade lives a pretty grueling life. Granted, it only cuts grass, but over time friction, heat and the occasional branch or rock will wear it down.

How do you tell if the blade is as dull as your Uncle Dave?

For one, the tips of your freshly cut grass will turn brown and be shredded, not neatly sliced. Not only is this unsightly, but it makes your lawn an easier target for disease.

To remedy this, you can:

• Take the blade off and go to work with a file or grinding wheel (if you're comfortable sharpening tools yourself)
• Take it in to your local hardware store for them to sharpen if the blade is pretty beat up, just buy a new one.

One major point if you're going to do the sharpening: The blade must stay balanced, so try to sharpen both sides evenly. Afterward, test it by placing a large nail through the blade's center hole. Hold the nail's shaft horizontally to see if the blade hangs parallel to the floor. If not, you need to file down the heavier end (the one that hangs closest to the floor), until it is balanced again.