Combination mulching and discharging lawn mower blade

A lawn mower comprising:

• a carriage assembly;
• a motor mounted to the carriage assembly and having a vertical shaft extending downwardly from the carriage assembly;
• a mulching blade having first primary cutting surfaces located on a leading edge of the mulching blade and having an elevated trailing edge, the mulching blade further comprises an inwardly angled step extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and angled toward a vertical axis of the mulching blade, the mulching blade is adapted to attach to the vertical shaft of the lawn mower at its vertical axis, such that when rotated about its vertical axis the primary cutting surfaces of the mulching blade rotate through a first horizontal plane;
• and
• a discharge blade having first primary cutting surfaces located on a leading edge of the discharge blade and having an elevated trailing edge that is outwardly angled away from a vertical axis of the discharge blade, the discharge blade is adapted to attach to the vertical shaft of the lawn mower at its vertical axis, such that when rotated about its vertical axis the primary cutting surfaces of the discharge blade rotate through a second horizontal plane, the second horizontal plane being vertically displaced above the first horizontal plane, the discharge blade is adapted to attach to the vertical shaft such that when the mulching blade and the discharge blade are rotated about their vertical axis, the first primary cutting surfaces of the discharge blade are angularly located less than 90 degrees behind the primary cutting surfaces of the mulching blade, and wherein the mulching blade directs cut grass in operation toward a center of the lawn mower to be deposited on a ground surface under the lawn mower, and the discharge blade directs cut grass in operation away from the center of the lawn mower to be discharged through an opening in the lawn mower and deposited on a ground surface not under the lawn mower.