Weed wacker string life is pathetic

[malibuguy79]

I have never found a string that can consistently go further then maybe 10 feet of edge without snapping off. Ive tried thin, thick, tightly wound, loosely wound. Expensive, cheap. Soaked in water for many days. Nothing makes a difference or any sense.

What am I missing?!

 

[wwillson]

I don't think the nylon string is meant for edging. Even steel edger blades wear fairly quickly.

 

[skyactiv]

Maybe the press will make weed trimmer string a questionable environmental biohazard. When you think about it, you're depositing plastic into the earths soil.

 

[Jango]

A little off topic but I recently watched a video where the guy sprays WD40 onto the string while it is on the spool and also into the feed holes the string comes out before using it. It is supposed to help with it feeding out.

 

[wwillson]

A little off topic but I recently watched a video where the guy sprays WD40 onto the string while it is on the spool and also into the feed holes the string comes out before using it. It is supposed to help with it feeding out.

That's a good idea.

 

[QwikKota]

I gave up and bought a cheap Ryobi edger and Makita battery adapter thanks to pointer from a member here. It keeps from having things hitting me in the face as well.

 

[Highboy]

You’re supposed to soak that nylon string in water.
https://www.stihlproline.ca/en/tech-corner/stihl-trimmer-heads-and-line

 

[KGMtech]

I do alot of weed wacking at my part-time job, Echo 225 is my favorite, but I started with an EGO and am glad I graduated to gas power.

I have found that 0.095 line does last longer, but transfers more impact to your wrist and forearm. The 0.080 line is the opposite. The thing you don't think about with each diameter is how it the larger line diameter impacts the ability to bump feed consistently. With an old spool of 0.095 line, I spend far too much time removing the line, rewinding because the line won't spool out properly. With a fresh batch of 0.095 it seems okay, but I swear it gets harder as it ages. Yes, I soaked the line in water and it DOES improve the situation but the best is still fresh line from the big box store. With 0.080 line I can wind more line into the spool, so the overall amount of work per spool is about the same?

The other thing is the 0.095 line is more likely to send stuff into your face and body. I wear shin guards and my legs are pocked from errant flying debris. Yes I wear shorts because it gets hot in SW Ontario in the lawn care season.

To the OP complaint, if you are expecting nylon line to withstand concrete or hard stones, you're using the wrong tool.

 

[Tman220]

What am I missing?!

Probably the fact you are spinning your plastic string into abrasives like dirt, concrete, and asphalt. How long do you expect the string to last? You're not using a tool designed for a job you are using a tool of convenience that will do the job, just not do it in the most ideal fashion.

 

[malibuguy79]

You’re supposed to soak that nylon string in water.
https://www.stihlproline.ca/en/tech-corner/stihl-trimmer-heads-and-line

In my experience it has not made one lick of difference. Hence my post

 

[malibuguy79]

To be clear I have a separate edger.

I used probably the wrong term but I am primary using it on grass, not on concrete or stone (as least for the bulk of it.

Doesnt matter how gentle I use it. I get about 8-10ft of use and it breaks (inside) so I have to take it apart and refeed it dozens of times.

 

[SilentType]

To be clear I have a separate edger.

I used probably the wrong term but I am primary using it on grass, not on concrete or stone (as least for the bulk of it.

Doesnt matter how gentle I use it. I get about 8-10ft of use and it breaks (inside) so I have to take it apart and refeed it dozens of times.

Make/model of trimmer?

You have issues with the trimmer head. Take it apart and check for burrs, cracks,debris etc.

 

[D60]

Pro tip: keep some .130 and .155" on hand for cleaning sunroof drains. Very useful and very difficult to buy locally when you need it.

That's all I got....

 

[Rand]

My toro 60v with .080 feeds great.

The dewalt with .080 would always snap off at the outlet holes requiring time-consuming disassembly while sweating in the sun= swearing at it

I have a heavy duty gas with .110 for doing more than regular grass, also edger blade for the sidewalk.

 

[oil pan 4]

I don't think the nylon string is meant for edging. Even steel edger blades wear fairly quickly.

I use my commercial weed eater for edging and pushing back grass.
I use "power max twisted" based on this video. I used several of the same brands and reached the same conclusions, some were better on green grass only, some were better on concrete or against chain link.
Some just beat the grass into submission, others cleanly cut the grass.

 

[shortyb]

How much total line does your spool hold? I get about 18-20' on my battery Husqvarna. I use Echo plain ole round line at .080 from a 5lb. spool (kept in water) which most times a full trimmer spool will last a half season of trimming. Yeah, have to do several bump and runs, but it's nylon line up against much harder surfaces so physics takes over. Keep the revs down to the point of cutting the grass will help take stress off of the line too. Just par for the course in the world of string line trimming. Bought the current spool about 3 years ago and at this rate, half of it will be left to pass down to my son or get sold at my estate auction .

 

[ctechbob]

Destin at Smarter Every Day took string trimmers to a whole new level of geek. Complete with super slow motion.

 

[DukeOfFrontenac]

Maybe the press will make weed trimmer string a questionable environmental biohazard. When you think about it, you're depositing plastic into the earths soil.

When weed trimmer string is outlawed, only outlaws will have weed trimmer string.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I think it’s your trimmer. I have an Echo and could edge my driveway and street curb in a few bumps of the trimmer head. This was hundreds of feet of trimming and edging. No issues and had a nice edge cut in the dirt along all concrete.

 

[Nukeman7]

Try a spool of Oregon Magnum Gatorline which is aramid fiber (Kevlar) reinforced. The square profile is sharper, but the twisted version is quieter and spins up quicker. Here is another tip for making the line less brittle. Also, any line will break prematurely if you spin it at full throttle constantly. With the proper line, you should be trimming grass at 1/2 throttle 90% of the time.