Black & Decker Replacement mower blade

Why I swapped in the EMB1700 blade

A tidy lawn starts at the edge of a blade. My Black & Decker 16-inch mower had begun leaving shaggy tips and a less-than-stellar bag fill, so I put the EMB1700 blade on to see if an OEM, bagging-focused profile would restore the clean, even cut I expect. This is a 16-1/4-inch replacement designed specifically for bagging, so I approached it as a direct-fit, performance-accurate part rather than a universal compromise.

Fit and compatibility: do your homework

Before you order, check your mower’s arbor pattern and hardware. The EMB1700 blade is built for specific Black & Decker mowers that use this model’s center-hole and indexing arrangement. On my EM1700 16" corded mower, the blade slid onto the adapter cleanly and seated flush; I reused the original bolt and washer without issue. That said, Black & Decker has used different center bores and alignment-hole sizes across models, and the wrong match can leave you with a blade that simply won’t mount.

What to verify:
- Center hole shape and diameter on your mower’s blade adapter
- Any secondary alignment holes and their spacing
- Overall blade length (16-1/4 in) and deck compatibility
- That you’re replacing like-for-like (bagging blade for a bagging application)

Installation took five minutes with a breaker bar. I blocked the blade with a scrap of wood, wore gloves, and tightened to the mower’s spec. If you don’t have a torque wrench, snug plus a firm quarter turn is a safe rule of thumb for small mower blades, but refer to your manual if possible.

Cutting performance: high-lift bagging that works

Once installed, the EMB1700 blade changed the character of my mower in the way you want a bagging blade to. The sail (the raised rear edge) generates noticeable lift. In normal, dry suburban turf at a 2.5–3 in cutting height:
- Bag fill improved. I could mow a longer stretch before stopping to empty, and clippings compacted more evenly in the bag.
- Cut quality was crisper. The blade tips stayed parallel to the lawn, and leaf fraying decreased. The lawn looked “finished” without needing a second pass.
- Edging along walkways benefited from the suction; stray leaves and light debris were pulled up and collected instead of left behind.

With very damp grass, no blade completely avoids chute buildup, but the EMB1700 held its own in a dewy morning. I still cleared the discharge once on a long pass around shrubs, though that’s predictable with wet clippings and a high-lift profile.

If you expect to mulch rather than bag, know that this is not a mulching blade. In side-discharge or mulch-mode tests (plug in place), clippings weren’t processed as finely as a true mulching profile would achieve. The airflow is designed to move material up and back, not hold it under the deck to re-cut.

Power draw, noise, and vibration

High-lift blades load a motor more than flat, low-lift profiles. On my corded mower, the motor note deepened slightly at full-width swaths through taller grass, but never bogged. If you’re on a battery model that uses this blade, expect a small runtime penalty in heavy growth compared to a lower-lift or dull blade, offset by the fact that you’ll make fewer re-cuts thanks to better pickup.

Balance out of the box was excellent. I had no tingling in the handles and no telltale deck buzzing. A balanced blade matters for bearing life as much as comfort; this one arrived true.

Noise was modestly higher in thick turf—typical for high-lift geometry moving more air. Ear protection is still smart practice.

Sharpness and durability

Out of the packaging, the edge was properly ground and consistent across both wings. After four mowing sessions (roughly a quarter-acre, mix of fescue and bluegrass), the cutting edge still felt keen to the touch and produced clean tips. I purposely ran through a few sandier patches near the sidewalk and clipped a small twig; the leading edge showed minor micro-nicks but nothing that affected the cut.

Construction-wise, the steel thickness is in line with modern electric-mower blades: sturdy without being so heavy that it taxes the motor. At about 0.7 lb, it spins up quickly and doesn’t feel flimsy. The finish resists flash rust initially; the paint on the cutting edge will go quickly by design. I wipe the blade down after washing the deck and add a light coat of oil before off-season storage to keep corrosion at bay.

When the time comes to sharpen, a mill file or a bench grinder with a light touch will do fine. Keep the original bevel angle, remove the same amount from both sides, and check balance with a cone or a nail in a vise. This blade responds well to a straightforward tune-up.

Maintenance and safety notes

• Disconnect power (unplug or remove battery) before working under the deck.
• Use the original hardware unless it’s damaged. A chewed-up washer can introduce wobble.
• Tighten to your mower’s spec. Over-tightening can warp the blade or adapter; under-tightening risks loosening mid-mow.
• Replace, don’t bend, if you strike a hidden rock and the blade deforms.
• Inspect for hairline cracks at the mounting hole during each sharpen; cracks are a replacement-only situation.

Value and what you’re paying for

The EMB1700 blade is an original equipment part. You’re paying for:
- Known geometry tuned for bagging on the intended deck
- Out-of-box balance and a consistent grind
- A straightforward fit on the compatible arbor pattern
- A limited warranty that, while not meant to cover wear and tear, indicates baseline manufacturing quality

Could you save a few dollars with a “universal” blade? Maybe—but bagging performance is extremely sensitive to lift profile and deck airflow, and I’ve found generics to be a gamble on both fit and finish. For a bagging-focused mower, the right blade shape matters more than a marginal price difference.

Who it’s for

• Owners of compatible Black & Decker 16-inch mowers who primarily bag clippings
• Users who want OEM fit and predictable airflow without experimenting across third-party options
• Homeowners mowing weekly in typical suburban turf who value a crisp finish

Who should look elsewhere:
- Anyone mulching full-time; a dedicated mulching blade will give you finer clippings and fewer visible remnants
- Folks unsure of their arbor pattern; confirm compatibility first to avoid a fit mismatch

Pros

• Strong bagging performance with excellent suction and even bag fill
• Clean, consistent cut quality at typical heights
• Balanced out of the box; low vibration
• Edge holds up well through normal yards and a few minor hazards
• Easy to sharpen and maintain

Cons

• Not a universal fit; center-hole and alignment patterns vary across models
• High-lift profile can raise noise slightly and add load in heavy growth
• Not ideal for mulch-mode clipping size

Recommendation

I recommend the EMB1700 blade for Black & Decker owners whose mower is explicitly listed as compatible and who prioritize bagging. In that scenario, it does exactly what an OEM bagging blade should: it fits without fuss, lifts clippings efficiently, fills the bag more evenly, and keeps a sharp edge through routine mowing. If you primarily mulch, or if you can’t confirm your arbor and hole pattern, skip this one or choose a mulching-specific option to avoid disappointment.