# Do you guys flip your cutting edges?



## PapaSnowPlow (Mar 7, 2011)

I have three older western blades that look like they need replacing. the holes are not near the center of the cutting edge so this is why Im wondering if they can be flipped? If the holes were near the middle it would seem like flipping would be a great option. However, I dont want to make new holes because Im worried it will cut the strength of the edge down and I don't want to break the edge. Have you ever flipped your edge? did it work out?


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

Nope, don't think you really can.

If you do, you'll end up wearing into the trip edge more than you would like.

I had a shop make me a cutting edge that I could flip, but end up having to cut it down as the welds and skin on my moldboard wasn't going to allow the trip edge to come back to normal position.

EDIT: OOOPS. I thought you were talking about a fisher for some reason. If it's a western then take measurements and just make sure when you flip it, you won't be eating into the moldboard. 

...


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

we have taken a worn out cutting edge and welded it on to another wore edge to get extra life out of them..rather than throwing out 2 worn edges...works fine if you can weld good,
Steve


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## blee1ash (Mar 22, 2006)

It's not worth the hassle - put a new one on.


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

Don't you have less or very close to the same amount of material (if you wore your edge way down) above the bolts?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

All the ones I have ever seen were not able to be flipped. Agree with blee, new edge


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

For your next cutting edge you could always have a local machine shop make you a cutting edge that you can flip around and get more life out of it, and usually at the same cost as buying an OEM cutting edge.

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## OC&D (Dec 2, 2009)

xtreem3d;1389026 said:


> we have taken a worn out cutting edge and welded it on to another wore edge to get extra life out of them..rather than throwing out 2 worn edges...works fine if you can weld good,
> Steve


This just occurred to me a few months back so I'm going to do this on my 810. I don't know why I didn't think of this years ago.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Me either,,,, but gunna save the old ones from now on after reading this


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

White Gardens;1389528 said:


> For your next cutting edge you could always have a local machine shop make you a cutting edge that you can flip around and get more life out of it, and usually at the same cost as buying an OEM cutting edge.
> 
> ...


Skip the flipping part have the machine shop make you one out of 5/8x 8'' will be cheaper then the OEM cutting edge


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

Antlerart06;1389552 said:


> Skip the flipping part have the machine shop make you one out of 5/8x 8'' will be cheaper then the OEM cutting edge


Agreed. You could also have them make and extra plate on the ends (basically like curb guards) for pennies extra. When I had my cutting edge cut, I had them go 1/2 past the ends. Next time I'll have them go at least 1.25" past the end of the moldboard.

But, I will it's nice to get that nice strait new edge by flipping it. Sometimes the edge wears so much on the end that you don't get a good scrape at no angle.

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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

White Gardens;1389564 said:


> Agreed. You could also have them make and extra plate on the ends (basically like curb guards) for pennies extra. When I had my cutting edge cut, I had them go 1/2 past the ends. Next time I'll have them go at least 1.25" past the end of the moldboard.
> 
> But, I will it's nice to get that nice strait new edge by flipping it. Sometimes the edge wears so much on the end that you don't get a good scrape at no angle.
> 
> ....


Have to watch how much you add the old western plows pump couldnt handle alot of weight
One way to fix it if your western cant lift the extra weight of the edge Put in a snatch block and cable It will double the lifting power


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

Fisher mc plow edges are flipable. Got my moneys worth out of this setThumbs Up


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

Antlerart06;1389575 said:


> Have to watch how much you add the old western plows pump couldnt handle alot of weight
> One way to fix it if your western cant lift the extra weight of the edge Put in a snatch block and cable It will double the lifting power


Ya, I guess I'm pretty spoiled having central hydros on my truck. Lifting power isn't an issue. If anything it's too much. If I don't feather the valves when angling the plow, it will slam it side to side.

....


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Lucky you


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

leigh;1389581 said:


> Fisher mc plow edges are flipable. Got my moneys worth out of this setThumbs Up


Now take the old edges and weld them right below the bolt holes on the new edge


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

NICHOLS LANDSCA;1389595 said:


> Now take the old edges and weld them right below the bolt holes on the new edge


If we don't get some snow soon you might see them in the shopping cart i'm pushing, 
picking up scrap metal and bottles and cans


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

leigh;1389834 said:


> If we don't get some snow soon you might see them in the shopping cart i'm pushing,
> picking up scrap metal and bottles and cans


:laughing::laughing:Now that is hilarious but scary and true we've only had 3.8", just had a dusting this morning went out but everything was wet from residual salt and it's going to be 34* today and 38* tomorrow


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## PapaSnowPlow (Mar 7, 2011)

got the old edges off. Im not sure whether or not we will flip them or just get new edges. I see the nice straight edge that was on top, and may drill some holes to see if it works out flipping them. I hate to drop 500$ on 3 new edges when it hasnt even snowed yet.


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

PapaSnowPlow;1390040 said:


> got the old edges off. Im not sure whether or not we will flip them or just get new edges. I see the nice straight edge that was on top, and may drill some holes to see if it works out flipping them. I hate to drop 500$ on 3 new edges when it hasnt even snowed yet.


Maybe i had cheap bits but drilling through the hardened cutting edge was brutal....eventually torched the holes


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## OC&D (Dec 2, 2009)

xtreem3d;1390072 said:


> Maybe i had cheap bits but drilling through the hardened cutting edge was brutal....eventually torched the holes


Yeah. Drilling through hardened steel sucks. I just torch them out and tack weld the the carriage bolt to the edge so I can tighten them down good.


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## ryde307 (Dec 3, 2009)

Torch works otherwise find a metal supplier or metal shop have them make you an edge and punch the holes in it. This is what we do with ours.


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## OC&D (Dec 2, 2009)

ryde307;1391312 said:


> Torch works otherwise find a metal supplier or metal shop have them make you an edge and punch the holes in it. This is what we do with ours.


Thought of that....but I'm too cheap!

Besides, it's just one more thing to do to get the job done. My torch is right here!


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## hunt 444e (Oct 1, 2011)

on the fishers i like to wear the trip edge right down before i put cutting edge on it sems to give edges alot longer life and on the vee plows it allows the sprins and hangers to sit a little higher off the ground , cant quite do that on afull trip plow like a western. running the 5/8'' thick is also a good option. you could always opt to spend a little more up front but get twice the wear and run a carbide edge you wanna talk about taking the torches out.


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## Winterized (Mar 3, 2007)

Where I worked years ago... we would always flip blades with center holes.

Then when they were worn down.... cut up into pieces... choose your length, and layer them on top of the next installed new blade on the ends. It protects the ends from curb wear, and extends the wear down of them too.

Always would weld in broken sections of the curved blades on grader moldboards too. IF... the blade had more than 50% life left. Never threw much away.

Was always proud when you changed out a welded blade that wore all the way down and your weld never broke. Tall manhole castings are blade killers.


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