Hedge trimmers offer a quick and easy way to keep your hedges in top condition, allowing you to trim hedges of all shapes and sizes. Stihl hedge trimmers are a great option for those wanting a reliable and consistent hedge trimmer for their garden.
Maintaining your hedge trimmer is essential for preserving its lifespan and ensuring your hedges are cleanly cut. Knowing how to trim your hedges, no matter what size, is crucial for guaranteeing an aesthetic look for your garden. At Gustharts, we answer frequently asked questions about Stihl hedge trimmers to help safely operate and maintain them.
Table of contents
- How to clean the carburettor on a Stihl hedge trimmer
- How to sharpen Stihl hedge trimmer blades
- How to use a Stihl hedge trimmer
- Are Stihl hedge trimmers any good?
How to clean the carburettor on a Stihl hedge trimmer
The purpose of the carburettor is to mix the correct combination of air and fuel for combustion, ensuring your hedge trimmer will run smoothly.
If you notice your hedge trimmer running poorly or find it difficult to start up, you may need to clean your carburettor. You may also need to clean your carburettor if your hedge trimmer starts stalling whenever you use it.
What you will need:
- Screwdriver
- Cotton Swab
- Carburettor Cleaner Fluid
Step by step: How to clean the carburettor
- Firstly, you should remove and clean the air filter, as this allows you to access the carburettor easily.
- Remove the carburettor cover and spray a substantial amount of carburettor cleaner fluid into the intake port before activating the throttle level to allow the fluid to clean the full mechanism. Closing and opening the choke will also help to clean all the choke valves.
- Prime the carburettor several times and pull the starter cord to run the engine before spraying carburettor cleaner fluid into the intake port. The carburettor will drag the cleaning fluid throughout the fuel ports to help clean them effectively.
- Once you have completed these steps, you can reassemble the hedge trimmer, ensuring you reconnect any electrical or fuel connections to make the hedge trimmer run smoothly.
How to sharpen Stihl hedge trimmer blades
Hedge trimmer blades will require sharpening after approximately 50 hours of use, after this they will become less effective in functionality. If you notice branches getting stuck between the hedge trimmer teeth or not getting cut cleanly, this may indicate that you need to sharpen your hedge trimmer.
We stock various sharpening accessories to help you ensure the best possible performance from your hedge trimmer. The following equipment is important to ensure you are correctly sharpening your hedge trimmer:
- Flat file
- Whetstone
- Water
- Stihl resin solvent
- Soft cloth
- Work gloves
- Safety clothing
- Face protection
If you sharpen your hedge trimmer after approximately 50 hours of use, you can maintain its effectiveness while extending its lifespan. A blunt hedge trimmer after 50 hours of use could result in poor performance and a reduced lifespan.
How to sharpen Stihl hedge trimmer: step by step
- Firstly, it is important to remove any dirt from the teeth of your hedge trimmer by using a soft cloth. Once you have cleaned the teeth of any debris, you can begin sharpening your hedge trimmer with a flat file.
- Consult your hedge trimmer instructions to find the recommended angle for sharpening, and always file the cutting edge in forward strokes. Lift your file when moving backwards between strokes, as filing backwards can blunt the cutting edge.
- Using the same number of strokes for each cutting edge, ensuring you shave no more than 5 mm off at once, will result in each cutting edge being the same length.
- Using your whetstone, work along each cutting edge to smooth out any burrs that may have formed on the blades. Smoothing out the cutting edges of your hedge trimmer will ensure a clean cut when trimming trees and branches.
- Once you have sharpened your hedge trimmer, apply Stihl resin solvent onto your hedge trimmer blades to lengthen their lifespan and ensure they operate smoothly and effectively.
How to use a Stihl hedge trimmer
To prevent unhealthy growth and form a shape for your hedge, you should prune your hedges at an early stage. When pruning, ensure that you taper your hedge so it is wider at the bottom, allowing sunlight to reach all areas of the hedge.
You should be careful when pruning your hedge to ensure you don’t disturb any nesting birds during nesting season, which is often between March and September. Damaging or destroying the nest of any wild bird while in use or being built is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Cutting chest-high hedges
Firstly, using a sweeping arc-shaped movement, you should vertically trim the side of the hedge. Cutting along the edge of the hedge while walking forward will ensure you get a clean cut.
A standard-length hedge trimmer with double-sided blades is perfect for cutting medium-sized hedges, as you can use upward and downward strokes to save time. When trimming the top of your hedge, hold the trimmer at a slight horizontal angle to ensure a smooth and level cut.
Cutting tall hedges
When cutting tall hedges, you will need a long-reach hedge trimmer to ensure you can cut the top of the hedge. Adjust the hedge trimmer to sit at a 90-degree angle to give the top of your hedge a clean cut, aiming to cut about 10 cm of the hedge’s current height.
Like cutting medium hedges, work along the side of the hedge using a sweeping arc-shaped movement to give your hedge an immaculate cut. Taper your hedge from top to bottom to ensure sunlight reaches all areas for healthy growth.
Are Stihl hedge trimmers any good?
Stihl hedge trimmers are a great option for homeowners needing to trim their hedges to keep their garden tidy. Known for their reliable, consistent and long-lasting performance, Stihl hedge trimmers are ideal for anyone wanting a clean and professional cut. Stihl hedge trimmers have low vibration and an ergonomic design to ensure you are comfortable with every use.
Keep your hedges in top condition with Gustharts
Regularly looking after your hedges by keeping them tidy is essential for creating an aesthetically pleasing landscape.
Gustharts has many exceptional hedge trimmers to help maintain your garden. No matter what size hedge you have, browse our range of Stihl petrol, battery and electric hedge trimmers to give your garden a professional look.
If your hedge trimmer needs maintenance, our range of Stihl service kits and cleaning agents will help get your trimmer running smoothly.
