Flail Mower Blades

[Deleted]

My flail mower (BCS Blade Runner) has seen a bit of abuse, and a few of the blades are notched.  The manual is terrible, barely English and not much of it.  It implies that the blades should be replaced rather than sharpened.  Is there any reason why I can't sharpen them?  I know rotary mower blades have to be balanced after sharpening, and that isn't really possible with the flail, but does it matter that much?  If I replace some blades with new they'll be slightly heavier than the slightly worn ones, so you'd have the same imbalance issue.

[Deleted]

This guy claims you should keep the old blades until things are bad enough to replace the entire set:

www.fwi.co.uk/community/topic/flail-mower-stupid-question-972009/

Which is not at all what my manual says, it says to replace dull or damaged blades only.

This places provides directions for sharpening a different brand of flail, doesn't say anything about balance:
www.alamo-industrial.com/ProductManuals/Manuals/197_shd_flail_bltns_man_01-04.pdf

This place suggest that the blades are surface hardened and it doesn't take many sharpenings to be into softer metal that's not as good: www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=toolt&th=316308

I mentioned that to hubby and he suddenly got ideas about building a forge to re-harden the blades...

Here's the manual for my device:
www.bcsamerica.com/uploads/2014/01/OpMan.att_.Bladerunner.pdf
"Inspect the blades frequently, they must be sharp and without notches or cracks."
"Also check the sharpness of the blades. In the case of damage, substitution is required."

[Deleted]

IF 2 rows opposite, change both with new ones. I always kept the old ones to match up with another used one. Otherwise we changed them all when worn bad. Can they be reversed, sharp on both sides?

....James

[Deleted]

There are three rows, all offset, so no balancing pairs, maybe trios.

probably reversable, but that trick only works once.

[Bear Foot Farm]

I'd sharpen them and not worry too much about balance or hardness.
I'd look for replacements here: www.agrisupply.com/

[Awnry Abe]

I don't think they mention sharpening because of where flail mowers are generally used. (And abused). I have most often seen them referred to as hammer blades, because they pound and pulverize more than cut.

[Deleted]

We mostly use our flail to clean up pastures after we take the sheep off, and the lawn, (it's no finish mower, but finish mower is down at the moment, and it does a better job than the sickle bar) but we have very stony soil and hit rocks now and then, plus the tomato basket incident... Sharper blades should cut more efficiently with less gass spent, and manage heavier brush.

[Deleted]

I can look at agri supply, but a lot of BCS parts are custom. If I replace the full set at once I could use a different blade of the same length?