Stihl Kombi - Power Scythe or Hedge Trimmer?

[Hysyde]

Years back, I used to use an Echo hedge trimmer with an angle adjustable head to clear long grass, weeds and light brush. It worked fairly well at cutting swathes in ditches and overgrown fields and what not.

I'm looking to do something similar again around the house. I want something to clear in between the trees where raspberry canes, vines, and just general junk are overgrowing. Anything big I'll take down with a trimmer blade or chainsaw but once I get everything cleaned up, I want to be able to maintain it.

Stihl sells a 135 degree hedge trimmer attachment for the Kombi system but they also sell what they call a Powerscythe. I thought that sounded perfect for what I want, but looking at it, it seems it meant more for precise trimming of awkward areas. Anyone use one of these that can comment?

the bonus of the hedge trimmer is that I could actually use a hedge trimmer too.

Just looking for advice on which way to go. Thanks

 

[jayanhorn]

Hi I have a kombi with numerous attachments I own both the adjustable power scythe and the non adjustable hedge trimmer. I maintain about 400 yards of hedge in my yard. I have never actually hedged with the power scythe just zipped the odd stray branch when doing the grass around my hedges. I like the power scythe for the fact that it lays grass down flat its especially nice along the edge of my garden where a string trimmer would be throwing grass all over my cultivated soil. If you where to be maintaining a small amount of hedge I think the scythe would work just fine but being much shorter in length I think it would be tricky to keep a level line when hedging long rows. Also my hedge is only 4 feet tall I think if it was much taller the adjustable hedge trimmer would be a better investment, I could see the fixed hedger being tricky to operated over head height.

 

[TomSeller]

I have the Stihl 130 Kombi unit and one of my attachments is the Power Scythe. I got it for trimming under fences but didn't end up using it much. I ended up using the metal 4 tip star grass blade instead. I can't say that I gave the Power Scythe a fair try, I need to do that.

 

[LndscpeAVL]

I use the Stihl 130R. The adjustable power scythe is exactly the weapon I choose for clearing. The blade can handle both the larger canes and the grasses at the same time. I really do not use anything else at home or at work. Sometimes i will use the tri-blade for dense brush. The scythe is the way to go, give it a shot.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Ok, I know this thread is over a year old. But I'm bumping it to the top to see if anyone here has any more thoughts on the Power Scythe vs. the articulating Hedge Trimmer attachment. I've got the Stihl Kombi KM130R, which is the most powerful Kombi motor, and it runs the pole pruner like a champ.

I have two uses for the Scythe or Hedge Trimmer. First, I need to trim some bushes away from my house to create a gap between the house and the bushes. Secondly, I need to trim under fences and around a pond dam (where it's too steep to mow).

The Power Scythe looks like it's just a shorter version of the Hedge Trimmer. I'm wondering if anyone has used one or the other (or, even better, both) and has any thoughts.

 

[oliver28472]

I have a power scythe and like it. It has been used to trim ditch banks, under the fence, and hedges. The bar on mine is longer than most hedge trimmers. It is a Stihl HC 100, I think.

 

[CurlyDave]

I have the hedge trimmer and it has been used for a lot of things over the past few years. Trimming hedges, clearing blackberries, cutting tall grass, etc.

Not so sure about cutting under fences. The blade is long and hitting a fence with it could be bad.

 

[oliver28472]

True, mine is like a hedge trimmer bar on the end of a weed eater. Adjustable angles.

 

[musicdiscostudio]

The power scythe should only be used for decorative type grass or overgrown grass including 2 foot tall field grass. The hedge trimmer can handle everything else that has thick stalks. (shrubs, kudzu, etc...)