grab a file a dress up the blade. its easy to do. figure you cut the crass thirty times last year. maybe hit a stick or two.

you'll get a much better cut with a sharp blade. I usually sharpen my blades a second time halfway through the season. before the fall rush.

after half a season of cutting (half acre) i'm ready for a sharp blade

Great. Thanks! they are regular blades and I sharpened it last year. Oil wasn't "crystal clear" but pretty clear still. Turned it on yesterday and, i have to say, it felt like spring.

If the oil is clear you should be good. Is your blade a mulching blade or regular? If a mulching blade just replace it, if regular and you notice there are sections that are begin missed sharpen it. If you see lots of them the speed of your blade is off and your tractor needs some work.

but after 1 year i don't see the need to worry about the blade at all

Do you change oil/sharpen blades every year? Trying to see if I can skip a year. Looked "okay" to me this weekend.