Weed wacker - extending string life

[Tpondel]

I have a Stihl weed wacker that I like but seem to break a spool worth of string every couple weeks.

What am I doing wrong? What’s the proper way to use it? Thanks.

 

[RjCorazza]

Supposedly, soaking/ storing trimmer line in water reduces line breaking. I personally don't see how that's possible and I don't do it.
Check the trimmer head eyelets for irregularities, or try a different brand and/or diameter of string.

 

[Thomas]

How old the string?
Can you post picture of trimmer head?

 

[bcp]

From:

STIHL Trimmer Heads and Line

What is the best cutting attachment for my application? How do I rewind my cutting attachment and what is the proper way to trim with a STIHL machine?

www.stihlproline.ca

"STIHL premium line will absorb 5% of its own weight in water. Trimmer line does tend to dry out over time and becomes more brittle. Storing it or soaking it in water will help reduce line breakage and make the line more flexible."


Bruce

 

[ultrarunner]

My current favorite for handlebar bump head trimmer line is Echo .105 Black Diamond.

Lots of serious cutting every Spring.

Around the house lesser quality works OK… but for heavy duty all day I started using Black Diamond…

 

[mjonesnh]

From:

STIHL Trimmer Heads and Line

What is the best cutting attachment for my application? How do I rewind my cutting attachment and what is the proper way to trim with a STIHL machine?

www.stihlproline.ca

"STIHL premium line will absorb 5% of its own weight in water. Trimmer line does tend to dry out over time and becomes more brittle. Storing it or soaking it in water will help reduce line breakage and make the line more flexible. "


Bruce

Keep all of my trimmer line stored in an old gallon ice cream pail filled with water. That stopped my line breakage. Using Rotary Black Vortex in .080 and .105 sizes.

 

[WinterDeere]

It depends a lot on what you're trimming around. Edging around mulched gardens, I can go a mile and never have to advance the string. But edging along my stone walls or loose rubble wall, I'm advancing string every few dozen feet. The rubble wall is the worst, because unlike a neatly-stacked stone wall, there's no chance to keep a consistent spacing between the stones and trimmer head.

Some of the more sharply-troweled stucco can really eat line, too.

 

[WinterDeere]

Keep all of my trimmer line stored in an old gallon ice cream pail filled with water. That stopped my line breakage. Using Rotary Black Vortex in .080 and .105 sizes.

What do you use to keep the water from turning green? Biology always finds a way...

 

[grsthegreat]

I ended up getting both the metal blade and the head with 3 spinning plastic cutting blades. They last forever it seams. I have 2 string trimmers, both Stihl. One keeps a string feeder. The other rotates between these cutting heads. I only use the string cutter in the thinner grasses and for the grass that comes up against the decorative stone blocks. The rest of the areas gets the blades.

 

[ultrarunner]

The 3 rotating Stihl knives cut like butter but snap if contact made with old fence wire or rock…