The Stihl brushcutters are an essential component of the landscaper’s toolkit; compatible with a variety of attachments, it offers immense versatility in terms of the kinds of jobs it can perform on the ground level. Commercial landscapers are able to use brushcutters to tame huge swathes of overgrowth while the same tools can be used domestically by homeowners tending to their front lawns.
At BS Power, we retail several models of STIHL brushcutters fit for both domestic and professional applications. The STIHL brand is widely celebrated due to its reputation for producing cutting-edge power tools that are incredibly reliable. In this article we are going to discuss the various blade types that can be attached to the brushcutters that STIHL produces, examining their uses and comparing their performance as we do so.
On our website storefront, you can find the several STIHL models of brushcutters that we sell. We will also be covering these models in this article if you are interested in gaining a bit of additional information.
Who Is STIHL?
STIHL is a German company that is world-renowned for its consistent production of reliable and sophisticated power tools. The company’s savvy business management and core workforce values have propelled it to the forefront of the power tool market in both the commercial and domestic sectors.
STIHL is a powerhouse that drops more funds on the development of new products and technology than its competitive rivals. With this attitude towards their trade, STIHL engineers are able to produce several new models of their flagship products each and every year. STIHL products, such as the STIHL brushcutters, are so popular that the company’s primary struggle is that of meeting demand.
STIHL may be based in Germany but its executives take the necessary measures to ensure that its product quality is sold alongside excellent customer service here in SA. Distributors of STIHL products such as us at BS Power have to undergo strict evaluation and training before obtaining a license to sell their products.
Thus, you can also be assured that you will always have a good shopping experience when purchasing STIHL products. STIHL has maintained a marketing subsidiary in South Africa since 1996 to make sure that there are no exceptions. The BS Power staff are briefed and informed with the necessary information to assist you in the purchase of any STIHL product.
Blades for Stihl Brushcutters
There are four primary types of cutter blades that people in the landscaping business may come across when working with brushcutters. These are knife, mulching, chisel, and smasher blades. The type of blade one would use for any given job will of course be determined by the task at hand. Some of these blade types see far more use than others whereas some are only used rarely.
Please note that this list does not include trimmer line, which is more often found on brushcutters in domestic settings. There are many types of trimmer line that homeowners can use with their STIHL brushcutters to maintain their lawns.
STIHL manufactures and retails its own blades that are designed to match the exact specifications of its brushcutters. If you are looking for the most optimal brushcutter performance and durability, your best bet is with the blades STIHL produces in-house. However, there are many STIHL-compatible blades manufactured by other brands which could serve as a more affordable option.
Knife Blades
Besides trimmer line, knife blades are what you would most commonly find being used on a brushcutter. When it comes to dealing with thick brush, saplings, and hedges, knife blades offer the most versatility. They look exactly how they sound; the blades consist of several sharp knives radiated from a central wheel that attaches to the brushcutter.
Knife blades are generally quite affordable and readily available for purchase in most hardware stores. Knife blades are most typically made from either laser-cut or stamped sheets of metal and come in a variety of shapes.
You can count on these blades to slice through soft vegetation such as grass, weeds, and bushes without difficulty. When it comes to tougher obstacles like small trees, however, these blades can struggle and get damaged pretty easily. Knife blades are known to get blunt faster than other blades.
Smasher Blades
These blades have well-earned their namesake. Instead of slicing vegetation through the use of sharp teeth, smasher blades will instead use thick and heavy flails to obliterate obstacles through sheer force. Despite how this may sound, however, these blades are actually not reliable when it comes to culling hard vegetation.
Smasher blades are best suited for the trimming of grass and aquatic weeds and they also make excellent mulchers. However, using a smasher blade against hard obstacles such as wood can easily damage the blade and the brushcutter.
Most brushcutters are compatible with smasher blades but you might find trouble locating a store that sells them. The usefulness of smasher blades is incredibly niche, even within the commercial landscaping industry.
Chisel Blades
Chisel blades are metal disks with bevelled teeth radiating around the circumference. They are very similar to sawblades in both looks and performance. These powerful blades can make quick and easy work of any sort of brush growth.
Better yet, these blades are sharp and tough enough to slice through denser and harder foliage as well. They are even capable of felling branches off of trees, making them the most versatile option thus far, especially if you are wishing to make quick work of a big job involving the cutting of many kinds of materials.
Although not advised, chisel blades have the capacity to perform jobs similar to that of chainsaws. Brushcutters with high displacements are often outfitted with chisel blades by commercial landscapers to cut through branches and even small trees.
If you want to use a chisel blade, you need to have a powerful brushcutter that generates enough torque to cut through hard materials. The stronger your brushcutter, the better of a job that you can expect a chisel blade to perform.
Landscapers are particularly fond of chisel blades since their insane durability and cutting performance make them the optimal choice when dealing with a variety of materials, hard or soft. It is, however, completely useless when it comes to mulching; its flat surface does not do a good job of churning and cutting up materials.
When it comes to cutting grass or brush, another major drawback of the chisel blade comes from its shape which prevents it from discharging cuttings from the instrument and the point of contact. Its flat disk functions as a tray that accumulates debris quite quickly.
While this does not necessarily make the chisel blade any less effective at cutting down grassy overgrowth, having to periodically pause cutting to wipe away the gathering debris may cause the job to take longer. Lastly, chisel blades are also on the pricier end of the spectrum.
Mulching Blades
These blades can be attached to brushcutters for the mulching of plants and other organic materials. Doing so can accelerate the process of composting which then gives you a ready supply of plant fertiliser. Mulching blades are not commonly sought after these days given that other blade variations can perform similar functions but they are nevertheless the best at what they do.
They are designed with curved blades boasting thick cutting edges that pull materials into the hood instead of discharging them. This means that any debris entering the swell of a mulching blade gets chopped multiple times before being discharged as a finer mix.
Homeowners with brushcutters could learn a thing or two from farmers who often use mulching blades on overgrowth so that the debris left behind is fine enough to be used as fertiliser. The amount of nutrients stored in grass cuttings is far too considerable to simply dispose of it.
Our Stihl Brushcutters Catalogue
Half a dozen of the brushcutters that we retail on our website are produced by STIHL and every one of them offers beyond satisfactory performance and durability. This can be said about each model for both the domestic and commercial context.
Some of the STIHL-manufactured brushcutters that we sell:
STIHL FSA45 Battery Cordless Trimmer
This compact and sturdy brushcutter has an internal battery for cordless garden care. Its light frame makes for painless mowing and its shaft and loop can be adjusted for maximum comfort without the need for extra tools. It also features a display that shows the charge percentage of the battery. This one is ideal for domestic use.
STIHL FS38 Trimmer
Sporting a PolyCut 2-2 cutting tool that delivers a 250mm cutting diameter, this cutter’s 2-MIX engine provides an impressive amount of power for a machine this affordable. The brushcutter is designed with looped handles that make for an easier task of operating the machine in confined spaces.
It also features a multi-function control handle that the user can interact with using their thumb. This allows the user to maintain operational control of the brushcutter without having to let go of the handle.
STIHL FS250 Brushcutter
This powerful brushcutter can output enough speed and torque to support the mounting of chisel blades for heavy-duty brushcutting. It makes quick work out of grass and can be used to cut through branches and small trunks if need be. If you are dealing with a large-scale mowing job, this should be the brushcutter to bring along.
It features bike handles and fantastic weight distribution for a steadier grip and an ultimately easier working experience. On the right-hand side is a multifunctional handle that gives the user operational control without having to lift their hand.
Stihl FS160 Brushcutter
This mighty machine has an impressive 1.4kW output that can be put to good use in cutting down small trees and dense bushes. The STIHL FS160 manages to do a lot without tiring the user thanks to its bike handle and shoulder strap combination. Working in conjunction, these two features make long jobs less physically taxing by allowing the user to smoothly operate and guide the machine.
The FS 160’s engine cranks to life smoothly thanks to the innovative ElastoStart handle which features an integral damper. This makes it easier for users to start the machine even after prolonged inactivity.
Buy STIHL Brushcutters from Us
For nearly two decades, BS Power has been an accredited importer and manufacturer of top-performing power tools and equipment. We have professional hardware for a wide number of industries such as construction, landscaping, forestry, and agriculture. Although based in Cape Town, we have seen to the needs of clients throughout most of Western Africa.
Since 2020, we have been a certified distributor of STIHL products. As such, you are able to purchase a wide variety of STIHL brushcutters directly off our website. Contact us for more information.