Anyone else fed up with breaking trimmer line?

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This is on a FS70, I even got some of the heaviest stihl brand trimmer string available, and it still breaks/grinds off about as easily as the thin stuff. And then when it breaks off even with the spool head, you have to shut down the trimmer and pull the head apart to feed the line out again.
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Anyway, I want to get the best solution available. Does anyone use one of those heads that you clip the plastic blades onto? What about the ones you just poke new lengths of line into? I just want something that is tough and doesnt have to be taken apart to fix the line.

I use this on heavy weeds clearing, edging the driveway, trimming the fence, and against broken faced landscaping bricks.
 
I use the heavy orange Stihl line with great success and even remember a review that said it was pretty good stuff.

I also have the Stihl head that has 3" bolt on plastic blades. They work well for heavy/woody weeds, but seem to work less well in just grass (my opinion).

I read on one landscaper pro forum that you can soak the line in water overnight and it will imbibe water and be more resilient. I never tried it.

You should try the water trick and report back!
 
My father uses the heavy Stihl stuff (in his electric Stihl) and he hasn't complained about it breaking against the fence or anything.

What the heck are you trimming? LOL

BTW consider getting an edger, far better than using the trimmer.
 
Pivot string heads ( those ones that you just poke a new line through) are the way to go.... Never break and are easy to refill. Lowes , home depot, Sears, ace hardware carry universal pivot string heads for most consumer grade trimmers. I got one for my poulan 3 years ago, never using a spool head ever again.
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Also, you can buy different strengths and styles of pivot string to tackle vsrious sizes of weeds and brush
 
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Originally Posted By: dparm


BTW consider getting an edger, far better than using the trimmer.


x2. Even though you can edge with the trimmer, the tools (trimmer line) isn't designed to handle the duty very well, esp if you like to dig a nice trench between the grass and sidewalk. Get a proper Edger.

As to the trimming and weed whacking... Are you doing commercial work with the trimmer? If not, just how over grown is your lawn?

When i first moved in to my new house, i had to feed the trimmer line several times as i cleared the over grown mess left my the previous owner but after that, weekly clean up is a breeze. The same line lasts me 3-4 trim jobs before it gets short to where i have to adjust it.

My trimmer also has the bump line release mechanism, where i simply bump the trimmer on the ground and the line increases... I suggest you get a trimmer like this to help ease your pain.
 
My son has a lawn service company, with a variety of Stihl trimmers and edgers. I help him out on occasion.

We have tried a variety of heads. I tend to favor the ones you push a pre-cut piece of string through the holes.

But what I have found makes the biggest difference is to manage the throttle more effectively. You do not always need full-throttle for trimming.

I generally use just enough throttle to trim whatever I encounter each moment. I generally can make it one entire yard without having to insert another piece of trimmer line this way.
 
Originally Posted By: Jeffy_D
Pivot string heads ( those ones that you just poke a new line through) are the way to go.... Never break and are easy to refill.


I've got a new one and it's great except sometimes if you hit a large weed it will pull the string out instantly. (I live in the boonies and I have some of those areas) For normal use, it's great.
The disadvantage is if you buy the string in the pre-cut lengths, it's expensive.
 
I bought a husky string trimmer this summer with the bump feed head and have been using their titanium line that came with it and it has worked gray so far. I use it to trim some weeds, edge my fenced in yard, and edge the side walk about once a week and haven't had to put any line in it yet
 
SOHCman-

I've been using my FS250R Stihl with the PolyCut (the 3 white Nylon blades head) and a saw blade as well as the bump-head w/ .095 line.

The PolyCut head is only good for clearing heavy grass, weeds, 1" diameter or less blackberry vines, etc... in a unobstructed setting... or a setting where you don't have obstacles such as fencing, sidewalk, etc. I once hit a hidden role of chicken wire and it promptly broker the nylon blades right off.
So I assume hitting a sidewalk, fence post, etc... with the nylon blades would result in breaks.

I have noticed (if it helps) that when I break .095 line with the bump-feed head, it is usually due to line being too long or too high of rpm for the situation/ use. Around side walks fencing/ etc... I tend to leave the line pretty short and use only part throttle and this tends to keep the line from breaking off.

I also like the Echo .095 line the best so far. Line is a very subjective subject though.

Good luck.
 
Originally Posted By: SOHCman
This is on a FS70, I even got some of the heaviest stihl brand trimmer string available, and it still breaks/grinds off about as easily as the thin stuff. And then when it breaks off even with the spool head, you have to shut down the trimmer and pull the head apart to feed the line out again.
21.gif


Anyway, I want to get the best solution available. Does anyone use one of those heads that you clip the plastic blades onto? What about the ones you just poke new lengths of line into? I just want something that is tough and doesnt have to be taken apart to fix the line.

I use this on heavy weeds clearing, edging the driveway, trimming the fence, and against broken faced landscaping bricks.


I hear your pain but you CAN avoid this:

-Tap the spool BEFORE the line breaks. I can hear the engine rev higher when the line grinds down. Keeping it out often keeps rpm at rated speed for longer engine life.
-Use a square line in 0.95" or 0.105" if engine will take it.
-Do not cut hard objets like wood like limbs, or plants with large stalks.

Echo makes a very nice head on the GT-225 that you insert the line in the head and then pull the stub out when it breaks off. I like it, but others do not. You will get sick of that method also.
 
Originally Posted By: Kruse
Originally Posted By: Jeffy_D
Pivot string heads ( those ones that you just poke a new line through) are the way to go.... Never break and are easy to refill.


I've got a new one and it's great except sometimes if you hit a large weed it will pull the string out instantly. (I live in the boonies and I have some of those areas) For normal use, it's great.
The disadvantage is if you buy the string in the pre-cut lengths, it's expensive.


I love them. Super easy and strong.

For heavy weeds I use the Steel blade I keep on a spare attachment (Toro expand it)

Change out with no tools in 10 seconds.
 
Originally Posted By: SOHCman
This is on a FS70, I even got some of the heaviest stihl brand trimmer string available, and it still breaks/grinds off about as easily as the thin stuff. And then when it breaks off even with the spool head, you have to shut down the trimmer and pull the head apart to feed the line out again.
21.gif


Anyway, I want to get the best solution available. Does anyone use one of those heads that you clip the plastic blades onto? What about the ones you just poke new lengths of line into? I just want something that is tough and doesnt have to be taken apart to fix the line.

I use this on heavy weeds clearing, edging the driveway, trimming the fence, and against broken faced landscaping bricks.

The trimmer line is not breaking, it is melting! Do you notice that when you take the head apart to pull the line back out that it is kind of stuck together? It is MELTED together.
The solution to your problem is to BACK OFF from your work. Let the very tip of the trimmer line do the work. If you force it in too close, the line drags across your work and generates so much heat from friction that it melts. This is particularly true when the trimmer is used up against hard surfaces like cement, rock, brick, trees, and even dirt.
Also, as was previously mentioned, you don't need to run the engine at full throttle for all of your trimming. The faster the trimmer turns, the quicker the line will melt. However, there is one problem with doing this, you need to run the trimmer at a minimum of 1/2 throttle speed to fully engage the centrifugal clutch. If the clutch is not fully engaged it will slip, overheat, and wear out. ONLY use the size (diameter) of trimmer line that the manufacturer of your trimmer recommends, thicker line is NOT better!
Lastly, purchase a quality name brand trimmer line and no more of it than you will use up in one season. Trimmer line gets old and your problems will get much worse when it does. The best grade of plastic is MN7. If you can find a manufacturer that specifies this grade of plastic, use it. If you can find it, round trimmer line is the most resistant to melting because there is more material in it's cross section for any given size (diameter). Draw a circle, then make a square or star inside the circle, see how much more material there is? Remember, it is the very tip of the line that does all of the work. The various square and star shaped lines are just gimmicks, good for advertising but useless for any improvement in trimming performance.
 
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I would agree with everything you say other than the different shapes of line. The square works WAY better in my echo head. It never gets stuck in the jaws, The round line requires pliers each time to get out.
 
I don't know if it is true anymore, but Shakespeare used to manufacture 90% of the trimmer line on the market, regardless of whose name was on the package. I suspect that much of the trimmer line on the market these days is made in China (like almost everything else).
Shakespeare markets trimmer line under their own name but it is hard to find. The best commercial grade MN7 line that they offer is Ultra-Cut and it is round (they also offer lower grades and different shapes). http://www.mowmore.com/index.cfm/product/32233_5738/1-095-round-ultra-cut-trimmer-line.cfm
As far as I know, Tanaka and Shindaiwa trimmer line is still being manufactured by Shakespeare.
 
Originally Posted By: afoulk
I bought a husky string trimmer this summer with the bump feed head and have been using their titanium line that came with it and it has worked gray so far. I use it to trim some weeds, edge my fenced in yard, and edge the side walk about once a week and haven't had to put any line in it yet


I have also had great luck with husqvarna titanium force trimmer line. Toughest stuff I've ever found.
 
Originally Posted By: Warlord
Originally Posted By: afoulk
I bought a husky string trimmer this summer with the bump feed head and have been using their titanium line that came with it and it has worked gray so far. I use it to trim some weeds, edge my fenced in yard, and edge the side walk about once a week and haven't had to put any line in it yet


I have also had great luck with husqvarna titanium force trimmer line. Toughest stuff I've ever found.

If it says "Made in the USA" on it, it is likely manufactured by Shakespeare.
 
Originally Posted By: wag123
Originally Posted By: Warlord
Originally Posted By: afoulk
I bought a husky string trimmer this summer with the bump feed head and have been using their titanium line that came with it and it has worked gray so far. I use it to trim some weeds, edge my fenced in yard, and edge the side walk about once a week and haven't had to put any line in it yet


I have also had great luck with husqvarna titanium force trimmer line. Toughest stuff I've ever found.

If it says "Made in the USA" on it, it is likely manufactured by Shakespeare.


My package doesn't say where it was made.
 
I have a bump-head gas trimmer and use the largest diameter line I found at HomeDepot. Its fine unless you try and cut down some weeds that have grown for several months. So cutting them chews up the line and I bump more out. I may put more line on the spool once or twice a year. So I have no real issue.

What I hate is being covered in chunks of grass after I am done.
 
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