Finding The Right Blade For Your Brushcutter
What is the difference between a Grass Cutting Blade and a Brush Knife? Is a metal, plastic or saw blade more suitable for your requirements? Read on to find the right cutting tool for your Brush Cutter job here.
- STIHL POLYCUT: universal plastic blade for mowing & trimming lawn edges
- STIHL GRASSCUT: steel blade for tough dry grass & reeds
- STIHL BRUSH KNIFE: reversible steel knife for tough matted grass and scrub
- STIHL SHREDCUT: double steel blade for tough scrub & thorny hedges
- STIHL WOODCUT: robust metal circular saw blade for gnarled bushes & thin tree trunks
WHICH IS BETTER: NYLON LINE OR A BLADE?
Metal cutting blades are more robust than Nylon Line and therefore offer higher cutting performance. Blades are particularly useful for trimming tougher grasses or very thick vegetation and are definitely necessary in dense bush or for cutting thin trees. Mowing line, on the other hand, is the best choice when working along walls or paved paths because it will not be damaged as quickly when it comes into contact with a hard surface.
The good thing is, with STIHL you don't even need to choose! Many STIHL Brush Cutters offer the option of using both blades and nylon (but not all, so if you think you might need to use a blade make sure you check the specifications before purchasing a new Brush Cutter)
STIHL POLYCUT PLASTIC BLADE
The STIHL PolyCut Head comes with plastic blades, there are two main advantages to this head.
1. The blades are really easy to change, you don't need any tools to do this, if you find inserting new nylon line a challenge the polycut head could be an easier option.
2. The Polycut head is ideal when there are lot of obstacles as it is not as easily damaged as a metal blade.
POLYCUT PLASTIC BLADES COMPATIBILITY TABLE
POLYCUT BLADES (ORANGE) | POLYCUT 2-2,POLYCUT 3-2 | FSA 45, FSA 57 |
POLYCUT BLADES (WHITE) | POLYCUT 6-2 | FS 38, FS 45, FS 45 C-E, FSA 60 R |
STIHL GRASSCUT: GRASS CUTTING BLADE
The STIHL Grass Blades are best for mowing large areas of tough grass, they are made of steel and are available with a range of different teeth - the blades with 8 or more teeth can also easily cut thin bushes like stinging nettles and reeds. For thicker / tougher reeds and scrub, you will get better results with a Brush Knife.
Grass blades come in a range of diameters which describes the size of the hole in the blade, which must be compatible with the connector on your Bushcutter, refer to the table below for the right grass blade for your STIHL Brush Cutter.
GRASS BLADES COMPATIBILITY TABLE:
STIHL BRUSHCUT: REVERSIBLE STEEL BRUSH KNIFE
The STIHL BrushCut is made of special steel and is designed to remove particularly tough, matted grass and scrub. It is also suitable for cutting back thorny hedges.
The three-sided BrushCut is available in 250 mm, 300 mm and 350 mm diameters. The diameter describes the size of the hole in the blade, which must be compatible with the connector on your Bushcutter, refer to the table below for the right blade for your STIHL Brush Cutter.
BRUSHCUT COMPATIBILITY TABLE:
BRUSH KNIFE 250-3 | STIHL Petrol Brush Cutters: FS 85 R, FS 85, FS 131 R, FS 131, FS 250 R, FS 250 STIHL Battery Brush Cutters: FSA 130 R, FSA 130, FSA 135 R, FSA 135 STIHL Petrol Backpack Brush Cutters: FR 450 |
BRUSH KNIFE 300-3 | FS 360, FS 361, FS 460, FS 461 |
BRUSH KNIFE 350-3 | FS 560, FS 561 |
STIHL SHREDCUT: METAL DOUBLE BLADE
With the STIHL steel shredder blade, you are well armed against thick undergrowth and thorny hedges. The STIHL ShredCut is a two-sided shredder blade made of high-quality steel. The ShredCut is available in 270mm or 320mm diameter.
It is ideal for thinning and removing tough scrub and shredding thorny hedges.
SHREDCUT COMPATIBILITY TABLE:
SHREDCUT 270-2 | FS 360, FS 361, FS 460, FS 461 |
SHREDCUT 320-2 | FS 560, FS 561 |
STIHL WOODCUT: CIRCULAR METAL SAW BLADE
The robust STIHL Circular Saw Blades are designed for the toughest jobs of all, there are 3 versions available:
Scratcher Tooth Blade
Ideal for tackling dense, knotted bushes as well as other sawing applications.
Chisel Tooth Saw Blade
Special steel attachment for Brushcutters in the mid to high power range. For sawing and clearing knotty brush and thin tree trunks.
Carbide Tipped Saw Blade
This is a rugged & resilient blade that will have a long service life, it is ideal for use in dry and sandy areas and for cutting close to the ground.
WOODCUT CIRCULAR SAW BLADE COMPATIBILITY TABLE:
WOODCUT 200-80 SCRATCHER-TOOTH BLADE | FS 250 R, FS 250 |
WOODCUT 200-22 CHISEL TOOTH BLADE | STIHL Petrol Brush Cutters: FS 85 R, FS 85, FS 131 R, FS 131, FS 250 R, FS 250 STIHL Battery Brush Cutters: |
WOODCUT 225-36 CARBIDE-TIPPED BLADE | FS 360, FS 361, FS 460, FS 461, FS 560, FS 561 |