Stihl brushcutters are robust, high-performance cutting tools suited to any mowing job. If you are looking for Stihl brushcutters for professional or at-home use, B&S Commercial Power has you covered. From personal protective equipment to mowing techniques to storage, we have covered operating Stihl brushcutters from start to finish.
Stihl Brushcutters at B&S Commercial Power:
B&S Commercial Power is a Cape Town-based power tool supplier. We offer a wide range of imported and manufactured high-performance power tools. B&S Commercial Power selects only the best-branded power tools, which is why we provide you with Stihl brushcutters.
Stihl brushcutters are robust, powerful tools that can be used to mow large areas, trim bushes, and cut the branches of thin trees. Stihl brushcutters are versatile and will get any mowing job done quickly and efficiently. The Stihl brushcutters available at B&S Commercial Power are safe, easy to use, and affordable.
There are three Stihl brushcutters available at B&S Commercial Power.
- Stihl FS120 Brushcutter.
- Stihl FS160 Brushcutter Manual.
- Stihl FS250 Brushcutter.
We have created a guide on operating your Stihl brushcutter from start to finish so that you feel prepared and confident to use Stihl brushcutters for any mowing job.
Before You Operate Stihl Brushcutters:
There are a few important steps you need to take before you begin using your Stihl brushcutter for your mowing job.
Personal Protective Equipment:
You need to ensure that you have the correct personal protective equipment before you start operating your Stihl brushcutter. Personal protective equipment is important as brushcutters can flick small stones or plant debris which can cause injuries to unprotected skin or eyes.
We have created a list of the important personal protective equipment you need to wear when using your Stihl brushcutter.
Goggles: You must always wear goggles whilst operating a Stihl brushcutter to avoid any eye injuries.
Earmuffs: Cutting vegetation with your Stihl brushcutter is noisy, therefore it is important to wear earmuffs.
Gloves: Choose thick gloves to wear whilst operating your Stihl brushcutter to ensure that your hands are protected. Ensure your gloves are non-slip so that you always have a firm grasp on the bike handle.
Long Clothing: We recommend wearing a long-sleeve shirt and trousers when operating a Stihl brushcutter. The clothing needs to be well-fitted to avoid getting caught on any tree branches or shrubs but should allow for comfortable movement.
Protective Boots: Wear sturdy boots with non-slip soles. This will prevent any injury from standing on sharp vegetation or slipping whilst operating your Stihl brushcutter on a slope.
Select Your Stihl Brushcutter:
You need to access your mowing job to decide which Stihl brushcutter is best suited. For example, the Stihl FS160 Brushcutter Manual is best suited to cutting gnarled bushes and thin trees, whereas the Stihl FS250 Brushcutter is ideal for large mowing jobs.
If you need help deciding which Stihl brushcutter would work best for your specific requirements, B&S Commercial Power is happy to help. We are a team comprised of professionals with years of experience in the industry. We will ensure that you always get the best power tool to make your work easy.
Check Correct Working Order:
If you are not using a new Stihl brushcutter, assess your brushcutter for any possible faults or damages that could affect the correct working order. This needs to be done every time before you operate your Stihl brushcutter.
Blades: If you are not using a new Stihl brushcutter, you need to check the brushcutter blades. If the knife-edge of your brushcutter blade is dull or rusted, the Stihl brushcutter will not perform to its usual high standard. B&S Commercial Power stocks spare Stihl brushcutter blades and will happily assist with blade replacements on your Stihl brushcutter.
Stop Switch: Make sure your Stihl brushcutter can easily turn off.
Spark Plug: Ensure the spark plug in your Stihl brushcutter is firmly attached.
Clean Handles: Your Stihl brushcutter bike handle must be clean from any grease, oil, or water to prevent slipping.
Fill Tank: Fill your Stihl brushcutter with the correct fuel before you start. We recommend having spare fuel on hand for large-scale mowing jobs.
Secure the Area:
Before you start your mowing project, you need to check that your working area is safe to operate your Stihl brushcutter.
Ventilation: Stihl brushcutters produce toxic exhaust fumes, therefore you need to ensure the mowing area is well ventilated.
Floor: Do a quick walk around your mowing area and check for any hidden objects, pools of water, or uneven terrain.
People: Make sure that there will be no people surrounding your mowing area. We recommend ensuring a safe distance of fifteen meters between you and any other workers or pedestrians.
Cars: If you are using your Stihl brushcutter to cut a verge, ensure that there is a safe passing distance between you and the cars. This will avoid putting you in danger of the passing cars and also prevent any flying stones or debris from damaging the passing cars.
Holding Stihl Brushcutters:
Before you hold your Stihl brushcutter, you need to secure the Stihl brushcutter harness. The harness helps with carrying the Stihl brushcutter and ensuring control whilst working. The Stihl brushcutter harness comes with soft padding to ensure maxim comfort whilst operating the brushcutter. Adjust the harness every time before use to ensure it fits securely.
All the Stihl brushcutters available at B&S Commercial Power have bike handles. The bike handle enables complete control over the Stihl brushcutter so that you can guide your brushcutter for smooth mowing.
To operate the Stihl brushcutter, hold the bike handle in each hand. Keep your elbows slightly bent and your wrists straight. Keep the Stihl brushcutter elevated above the ground before you start the brushcutter.
Starting Stihl Brushcutters:
Every Stihl brushcutter at B&S Commercial Power comes with a Stihl ElastoStart feature. The Stihl ElastoStart is a special starter handle that ensures that the starting of your Stihl brushcutter is smooth. Stihl ElastoStart makes starting your Stihl brushcutter easy and prevents any jarring power surges whilst operating.
The Stihl brushcutter bike handle is a multi-function control handle. Starting your Stihl brushcutter is done by simply using your thumb to turn on the control. The multi-function control handle ensures that your hand never leaves the bike handles for maximum control and safety.
Mowing Techniques for Stihl Brushcutters:
Choosing the correct mowing technique suited to your job and your Stihl brushcutter will reduce fatigue and ensure that you achieve the best result.
1) Standard Technique:
The standard technique for mowing with Stihl brushcutters involves holding the bike handle and sweeping the brushcutter from left to right whilst taking even steps forward. The standard technique can be used to mow flat patches of grass.
2) Square Technique:
To mow large grass areas, such as a field, we recommend using the square technique.
To do the square technique, use the standard technique mowing movements and work your way from the outer edges of the large grass area to the centre following a square shape. This makes quick, methodical work of mowing large grass areas.
3) Trimming Long Grass:
Stihl brushcutters make quick work of trimming long grass when you follow the double cutting technique.
Your first step to trimming long grass or thick weed is to sweep your Stihl brushcutter from left to right at a height slightly higher than the base of the grass or weed. This will cut the majority of the long grass or thick weed.
Next, sweep your Stihl brushcutter from right to left over the same patch at a slightly lower level. This will ensure your grass or weeds are cut down to an even length.
4) Trimming on a Slope:
Sloped terrain can become tricky when it comes to cutting the grass. To ensure the grass on a sloped terrain is cut evenly, we recommend following the strip-by-strip technique.
Start at the bottom of the slopped terrain standing parallel to the slope. Hold your Stihl brushcutter bike handle and sweep the brushcutter from left to right within the strip space.
Once you have reached the end of your strip, take one step up the sloped terrain and work your way back. Complete your Stihl brushcutter mowing strip-by-strip until you reach the top of the sloped terrain.
5) Trimming Around Obstacles:
Trees, bushes, or sculptures are beautiful in gardens, but they can make mowing the grass difficult. Trimming around obstacles is easy with Stihl brushcutters.
To trim around an obstacle, you need to create a mowing line. Create a mowing line around your obstacle that will ensure your grass is cut without causing any damage to the bush or tree.
Creating a mowing line can be done with your Stihl brushcutter guard. Simply place your Stihl brushcutter guard so that it aligns with your mowing line and move in a circle around your obstacle.
After Operating Stihl Brushcutters:
Once you have completed using your Stihl brushcutters for your mowing job, there are few steps to take.
Tidy Your Mowing Job:
Mowing or trimming with your Stihl brushcutter will leave behind plant debris and grass cuttings. Tidy up after your mowing job so that you can enjoy the amazing results of using a Stihl brushcutter.
To tidy up after a mowing job, we recommend using a rake to gather all the grass clippings. If you have used your Stihl brushcutter to trim bushes or small trees, collect any leaf clippings or branches.
You can use these grass clippings and vegetation for compost. Simply store your vegetation in a composting bin or bury it in the soil to immediately start adding the nutrients back into your garden.
You can also get your vegetation waste taken away. For smaller jobs, place the vegetation in blue DSW garden bags so that it can be collected by your municipality waste removers and disposed of correctly. For larger projects, we recommend hiring a dumpster from a company that will collect the dumpster when full and dispose of the contents correctly.
Clean Your Stihl Brushcutter:
You will need to clean your Stihl brushcutter after use. Your Stihl brushcutter blades will be covered in grass, vegetation, and possibly moisture. When grass clippings begin to rot, they become acidic which can cause your blades to rust. Cleaning is therefore important as it reduces your need to sharpen or replace your Stihl brushcutter blades.
Store Your Stihl Brushcutter:
You need to store your clean Stihl brushcutter once you are finished using it. Storage for your Stihl brushcutter needs to be safe from any exposure to weather. This will prevent your Stihl brushcutter blades from rusting or your brushcutter mechanisms from becoming damaged. Correct storage will ensure that you do not need to constantly replace or maintain your Stihl brushcutter.
B&S Commercial Power has you covered for operating Stihl brushcutters from start to finish.