Ariens 136cc edger shuts off when blade is engaged

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/threads/ezr-1542-blades-wont-engage.176529/

If you killed the motor by jamming the blades, the mower belt may have come off or broke. Check to see if it is still in place. Also with the engine off, turn the blades by hand and see if the upper pullies turn.

With the lawnmower not running engage the blades, now you can use your hand to check the amount of tension as no parts should be moving so you won't have to take a trip to the er after doing so

brakes pedal pushed in and sitting on the seat?
not in reverse
make sure blades move freely

Some Ariens mowers have electric clutches. You can check for it and wiring to it. Maybe a wire is disconnected, wore thru etc. It sounds like it's not engaging.

sounds like a safty switch problem.

Look over the entire wiring harness wherever it may be touching metal as it probably is chaffed, simply tape and zip tie it away from the ground source.

The common cause of this problem is that one of the safty switches has come dis-connected or has failed since most every newer mower has a electric clutch controlling the mower deck PTO there are safties bilt in under the seat and in other locations to make sure everything is ok before the blades engage, easiest way to test this is to run a jumper from the positive post of the battery to the input wire on the electric clutch assembly making sure all other wires ade dis-connected from the clutch and see if the blades engage if so then usint a continuity tester check all the wires and switches to this item to check for a faulty switch or broken wire. Thanks Don