String trimmer line

[rice rocket]

Do they make fiber reinforced line or something for longevity? Or should I just get the cheapest possible?

I have some spare .065 Black and Decker garbage, threw it in my Husky (originally specced for .080) and it performs like ****. Seems like it doesn't carry momentum as well and the motor doesn't spin up as well, if that makes sense.

Should I just go back to .080, or get .095?

 

[CNGsaves]

Best I've ever used is the spiral orange stuff at Sears. You really can NOT break it unless trying real hard. It can handle hitting concrete, chain link fence, etc. better than ANY other string line I've used before.

 

[stihlntime]

Use the largest line your head will feed. Gator line by Oregon has a kevlar thread inside. I just use regular old round .105 line with good results.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

The best is to use only Stihl brand line--sized for the Stihl machine.

 

[mrvm]

I have some spare .065 Black and Decker garbage, threw it in my Husky (originally specced for .080) and it performs like ****. Seems like it doesn't carry momentum as well and the motor doesn't spin up as well, if that makes sense.

Should I just go back to .080, or get .095?

If spec'd for .080, the .095 might not feed right

 

[zkling]

Depends on what you are trimming along and the power of your trimmer. Seeing as how they put a cap of .080 on it, you will want to stick with that, otherwise you will bog the engine, rev slow, etc. The stihl (green stuff) and oregon round .080 lines are good for lower powered trimmers.

If you find you need more aggressive cutting a square or multi sided line in .080 would help. I'm not a fan of the twisted lines.

 

[heytrid]

The silver oregon or silver husqvarna has good reviews, it seems the only guys that do not like it are the guys that are notoriously cheap anyway. Run what size is spec'ed for you unit, bunch of factors involved that are all mentioned above (weight, threading, etc)

I run a dealership so I hear about it everyday.

If you really want to up your game though look into replacing your head with a SpeedFeed... load it in like 20 seconds without taking it apart.

 

[redmondjp]

Having used string trimmers for the past 35 years, I have finally found that what works best is to gain an understanding of where the end of the line is, and to keep it away from solid objects that cause it to wear down and/or break. Sounds like an over simplification, but I can do my entire yard now without advancing the line more than one time (it was 6-8 times when I was running the line into concrete, wood and metal fenceposts, etc).

I am using whatever brand .080 line I come across. Too thick of line in smaller heads doesn't work that well, as stated above. I also keep a small pair of diagonal clippers in my pocket and trim off the ends by hand, as the cutter on the guard never seems to work for me.

 

[zkling]

Every so often sharpen the on guard line cutter to keep it cutting easily. Part of standard maintenance for a trimmer IMHO. I am not brave enough to use it without the guard.

 

[Bighead38]

I've used every string out there working commercially the last 20 years. Last year I helped my friends company out. He had the best string I've ever used. I believe the link below is what he uses. No store carries it locally, he orders it from a landscape distributor online but I can't remember the website right now. I do know it was clear line and reinforced with a thin metal core.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200360021_200360021

FLund this one also but it's a small spool.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...779705905.html?spm=a2700.7724857.35.19.ejloa4

 

[lightning02]

The silver oregon or silver husqvarna has good reviews, it seems the only guys that do not like it are the guys that are notoriously cheap anyway. Run what size is spec'ed for you unit, bunch of factors involved that are all mentioned above (weight, threading, etc)

I run a dealership so I hear about it everyday.

If you really want to up your game though look into replacing your head with a SpeedFeed... load it in like 20 seconds without taking it apart.

I have a speed feed head on mine. I'll never buy anther trimmer without that option.

 

[rlitman]

Use the largest line your head will feed. Gator line by Oregon has a kevlar thread inside. I just use regular old round .105 line with good results.

I find .095 cuts easier, even though it wears faster. Gator Magnum line had Kevlar on the outside where you really want it. This guarantees that the line will never weld to itself (a common problem with nylon line).

Store your line wet.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Having used string trimmers for the past 35 years, I have finally found that what works best is to gain an understanding of where the end of the line is, and to keep it away from solid objects that cause it to wear down and/or break. Sounds like an over simplification, but I can do my entire yard now without advancing the line more than one time (it was 6-8 times when I was running the line into concrete, wood and metal fenceposts, etc).

I am using whatever brand .080 line I come across. Too thick of line in smaller heads doesn't work that well, as stated above. I also keep a small pair of diagonal clippers in my pocket and trim off the ends by hand, as the cutter on the guard never seems to work for me.

I have tried in vain for 20 years to convey the part I made bold to my wife. She simply cannot grasp the concept of the tool doing its work several inches out from what you can SEE. She does everything with the visible line housing and mashes the line up against solid objects and eats up line. God bless her for doing this "man's work" but it is very frustrating to watch her eat up line and vinyl siding. I finally started using Roundup to "trim" near the house and trees and other things which will be damaged by the line.

 

[zkling]

I have tried in vain for 20 years to convey the part I made bold to my wife. She simply cannot grasp the concept of the tool doing its work several inches out from what you can SEE. She does everything with the visible line housing and mashes the line up against solid objects and eats up line. God bless her for doing this "man's work" but it is very frustrating to watch her eat up line and vinyl siding. I finally started using Roundup to "trim" near the house and trees and other things which will be damaged by the line.

Get her one of the units that have or even make a wire "offset fence" that you can run along the item to be trimmed.

 

[930dreamer]

I borrowed an industrial trimmer with a Beaver chainsaw blade, it came with a speed feed line head also. The line trimmer line has a metal core line, not sure who makes it.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I usually use Stihl line and it holds up well, usually I would have to bump advance my line maybe once or twice when doing my yard. And I would only have to refill the head maybe once a year. Last time I neede line on a Sunday I couldn't get Stihl line so I bought the best (non Stihl) line the store had. With this stuff I have to bump the line maybe 5 or 6 times when doing my lawn, and have to refill the head much more often. When I use this stuff up I'm going back to Stihl line.

Chris

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Get her one of the units that have or even make a wire "offset fence" that you can run along the item to be trimmed.

Thanks for the suggestion (it's a good one!) but she would tear that up in the first use. She's eager and a good worker, but very hard on equipment.

 

[boiler7904]

Store your line wet.

What do you mean by this?

I picked up a 1 pound spool of Stihl line sized to match my trimmer when I bought it in Spring 2014. I've only had to refill the head once in two seasons and will again at the start of next season when I get equipment out of the shed. At the pace I'm going, I probably have an 8-10 year supply on hand which makes me wonder if this stuff starts to degrade / get brittle over time and should I be buying the smaller package they offer.

 

[rlitman]

Monofilament nylon absorbs water. A lot of it.

When fully hydrated, it is stronger in tension, less brittle, and heavier (which helps the cutting action). This is something well understood by game fisherman who care a lot about the breaking strength of their line.

Over time, it dries. Just store your line in a sealed zip-loc freezer bag (regular bags are much more water permeable than freezer bags), with a little water in it.

 

[L.Cheapo]

If your trimmer specs .080, use that. Smaller may jam and will wear faster, larger likely will jam and may bog the unit down.

I worked in an OPE shop for 6 years, and we sold a LOT of the .095 Echo Crossfire line to professionals. It may not last the longest, but it cuts, rather than tears what youre trimming...which is easier on the machine and the plant. That's also what I use at home on an Echo straight shaft trimmer. If you're using the machine properly, one pound should last a homeowner a long, long time. It's available at Home Depot, and reasonably priced.

 

[lightning02]

I had about 10-15ft of that echo wire. Lasted me a year and a half down here in FL doing trim around my house. Good stuff.