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Thank you for saving me trouble with my chainsaws. That being said, I did something (probably not smart ) with my brush cutter head on my weed Wacker. I did away with the cheap plastic blades and installed Sawzall blades. I've used the same blades for 4 years cutting bush. Any time I hit a steel fence post and bend a blade, I hammer it back flat. They work great. Don't pass that one along. We'll probably get someone hurt. Ps. You can't drill the holes open. It's too hard for drill bits . I had to Dremmal grind the holes open to make loose enough to work.
About 12 years ago Home Depot had 5lb spools of made in the USA quiet twist green Hitachi trimmer line for $2.59 cents on their website, clearly a mistake, long story short I bought 2,000 lbs (1 ton) of trimmer line for like $800 and sold them cheap. $10 a 5lb spool if you bought 10.
My Stihl dealer told me the bucket of water trick a few years ago and it does help, but the problem I was having was the line pinching on itself in the spool and it would not feed. I discovered several years ago a sure fire trick and that is to shoot a little silicone spray on the line, this was a game changer for me. Hope this helps someone else.
I used WD 40 in my line soak But I did/and still do use silicone spray for a hell of a lot of things that called for dry lubrication as a Timber Miller and Heavy Industry Mechanical Fitter
Hello Chickanic and viewers. Talked with one of our QA engineers about string trimmer string and how to maintain it because it is made of nylon product. He said all you have to do it put your spools/string in a ziplock type plastic bag with a tablespoon of water. He said you want to see moisture on the inside of the bag, then pull it out of the bag when you need to use your string trimmers no need to dry it. QA engineer said it works anytime you are not using your string cartridges or even your bulk string packs. Said it also works with anything that is made of nylon to make it more flexible before snapping an assembly together, think automotive trims and interior nylon components. BTW we work at a large lawn, garden and tool MFG. Good going Chickanic! 🙃😉😊😛🤑🤗🤨
My new Husqvarna trimmer instructions mentioned soaking the line in water overnight to make it more pliable & extend its life. That tip has saved me a lot of money.
I was a Echo certified master technician before I retired and was a small engine mechanic for decades , I personally worked on the small engine equipment for over 50 landscapers every year as well as everyone else who came in the door. And I can say that you are spot-on . One thing to keep an eye on is the eyelets that the line goes through if they are worn they can cut the line.
An old Technician's trick for flexible nylon stuff, like Tywraps & trimmer line is to put it in some hot water for a minute or two. The hot water saves time when you need it quick.
Another thing that works well is to store your spool of trimmer line in a sealed ziplock bag with a splash of water inside. Keeps it hydrated and flexible indefinitely. Great video as always 🫶
I've done this for years, I put two wet sponges one on each side of the packaging the line is in. And I fill the bag up with about an inch of water, then I seal that bag up, and put it inside another big bag and seal that up to. So it doesn't leak.
Great video. I'm 67 and have been whipper snipping for many years. Today I learnt something. Certainly after the COVID lockdowns I've noticed the lines were breaking far more often. Now I know to soak the line... Thx from Down Under.
I recently discovered Chickanic and she is excellent!! She’s straight forward, giving information that’s useful in an entertaining way. I love this woman and will be using her information to maintain my equipment.
What an interesting tip. I didn't even realize that nylon was hygroscopic until seeing this video and doing some follow up research. Always a great day when I learn something interesting!
Calling out a gimmick these days is kind of rare. But much appreciated. Sometimes you can just tell that a simple product has been ‘overthought’ just to gain a competitive advantage. Good stuff.
Yup, and it also crossed my mind that the diamond shaped line uses less material (I'm guessing) so they get to spend less on manafacture and more mark up on 'the new hotness'..Total scam!
@@elone3997 i used the duratwist stuff from HD and its way better than the cheaper stuff for 0.065 line maybe because my cheap ryobi trimmer doesnt spin that fast. but on my big gas trimmer i never broke that much line with 0.095 cheap round stuff. So yes they are using less material I think that is how they get their "more runtime" metrics due to spinning less weight
I have been doing lawn care over 40 years. I learned last summer (2021) from an article online about soaking trimmer line in water to rejuvenate it. In the manufacturing process the line is pulled through water. Then after time it dries out and becomes brittle. Thanks for letting people know about soaking the line in water.
I'm from Inverness, Scotland. Almost 3 years ago we moved to a home with a decent garden and bought a Strimmer (thats what we call them). It's been great, but sometimes the line will come out, sometimes not. It's a bump feed and I find swearing at it helps 🤣🤣 But the hydration tip is great. Mind you, it rains pretty much all the time so I figure that's why I don't get any breakages 🤔😝 I stumbled on your channel last week and am quite pleased to watch your hints & tips. We're out planting int he greenhouse today, but guess what, it started raining while I'm constructing boxes for my wife to use as planters so I escaped for a cup of green tea & a ham & cheese sandwich and watch you on the tube. Great effort. Thank you 😊
What? Raining in Scotland? Canna be! Tha's great, laddie! Nothing like a wee doch 'n dorris to keep the damp out and the warmth in! Pround South African with much more than a wee dram o'the best Scotch in me 8i-year-young veins!
Great video, i have a large spool of Stihl 95" line trimmer line that is 2 years old and noticed that i was respooling it alot sooner than normal. I soaked it in-between trimming(about 4 days) and sure enough it lasted a lot longer than before. Thanks for the great tip.
POINTS! It's refreshing when someone offers good, correct advise that could cost sales. You obviously know that honesty and helping customers will get you a whole lot further, in the long run. THANK YOU
It absolutely works wonders for a business to give the right advice, even if the customer has to go elsewhere to get the thing you don't have, but reccomend. If sales staff play dumb, when you ask "can you recommend someone/something that could help" I'm not going back for anything. Cooperation will yield more than competition if you do it well.
Was in lawn service for 20 years..retired from it 24 years ago...i never new the water trick,pretty cool...i do remember trying ridged line back in the day and not liking it,so i went back to round..for last 8 years i have been using 100 dollar b&d with .095...i have a pretty big yard with a lot of trees,chainlink fence and edging to do..12 feet of line usually lasts a year for me...i love electric compared to gas..i usually do all trimming on low setting..this still cuts the grass well,but makes line and battery last much longer..of course if i was in business i would need a much more powerful machine to deal with customers over grown messy yards..thanks for sharing
In my 40 years of owning and using weedeaters, in many different sizes, shapes, and sources of power, I am a VERY satisfied ECHO owner. In all their equipment I've used. In saying that, I'm a firm believer and extremely satisfied use of their Black Diamond line. I've never found a better line. And I've used just about every kind, and I DO buy in bulk when it comes to line. Your tips about hydrating dry line to bring it back to workable grade is spot on. And from reading the comments, a couple of shots from the WD-40 can in the feeder holes after line change is another great tip. I've done it for many years and never have spooled line wrap on and cut itself off. Nicely done video and channel. Cheers!
I worked for a municipality and we had two cemeteries that we took care of. Lots of headstones that trim around. We bought our line in 5lb. spools. One of the old timers always said to let it sit in a bucket of water. Many of us didn't believe him. Learn something every day i guess.
My favorite headstone inscription is from John Yeast: Pardon me for not rising. My next favorite gravestone inscription is Rodney Dangerfield's line: There goes the neighborhood.
Trimmer line has always been my nemisis. It often doesn't feed like it's supposed to. I have a new Stihl, and I do like it, but again, not the trim line, so I replace it with a universal head that has pre-cut trimmer line, about 8", that attaches on the outside, in three places. It lasts for the session and is super simple to replace. Nothing to remove any longer, no spring, no frustration. Trimming is fun, again.
One extra advantage I've noticed with hydrated line is the extra mass adds to the centrifugal force holding the line out perpendicular, creating a more powerful cutting force. When I hit the really heavy stuff I always pre soak the loaded spool from the night before, and I add a few drops of dishwashing detergent to the water which breaks the surface tension of the water against nylon in a bunched state and also helps prevent friction lock of the cord in use. I got that tip 18 years ago from a greenkeeper who was ironically named Wes Green.. (Mr. Greens Mowing) thanks Wes, it works, and thanks Chickanic, round really is best.
It works two fold. Dishwash softens the water as well as acting as a penetrant. It works the same when adding it to a backpack sprayer of weedkiller negating the need for a commercial penetrant additive
I generally find that the best Trimmer is a Howard 6-footer driven by a 70/80Hp ride-on. A bit hard on sliding glass doors at times but cleans up the lawn area real quick! Keeps the nagging rate down and you don't have to do it so often - especially if you back in a bit close to the roses on occasion. 😜😁
@@theoztreecrasher2647 I had an 18hp Kohler driven John Deere and a Massey Furgerson Tower with 4-foot slasher But I don't think that's the Trimmers he is talking about LOL Funny Good to see jokes for a lighter side of life : )
I realized the hydrate method when I bought some line a few years ago. I bought some line in a container that had a sponge in it. On the container it said keep sponge damp for best results, line becomes brittle when dry. It actually makes a huge difference. Great video by the way.
You are an inspiration to the technical world. I show your films to my auto technology students. I watch the faces of the young ladies light up when they watch you. Keep on inspiring Chickanic.
Yup. When I was a young technician, I came in to work and there was a tray of Nylon wire ties soaking in water. That seemed strange. It was dry, winter time, and one of the engineers explained. The Nylon wire ties were breaking as soon as they were installed and tightened. Nylon is a plastic that is particularly hydroscopic. Extended exposure to dry winter air desiccated the Nylon, drying it out. The percentage of water Nylon absorbs controls it's toughness / brittleness. After soaking (overnight if I recall correctly), the Nylon wire ties installed fine. One other thing about Nylon, I think others have pointed it out. Most Nylon is sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light, like in sunlight. The sunlight cross-links the Nylon molecules and embrittles the plastic. It does take time, but it is NOT reversible. There are Nylons that are UV resistant, but in general, don't store Nylon in direct sunlight. Hanging on a pegboard in direct sunlight would be bad. On a shelf, out of the sunshine is much better.
UV *breaks* the cross-links as well as causing other molecular changes and causes weakening of the plastic .This happens to all plastics and is suppress by the addition of UV stabilisers . Some liquid resins are designed to cross-link when exposed to UV (dental resin for instance)
I used to work at a Stihl dealer. Had a Stihl factory rep tell me the bucket of water trick almost 20 years ago. Has worked well for me over the years. My FS90 is still going strong as well.
How long should it soak up? I've got a spool of trimmer line in my van and we use it every day commercially. I don't want to pull the 5 pound spool every day, soak it in the water for half an hour. That simply wouldn't work...
Great explanation, I’m sold on ECHO equipment, I still have a 30 year old chainsaw that just refuses to give up. My scrub cutter is at least 15 years old, I’ve had one chainsaw give up the ghost but that one was very well worked and was about 14 years old. Always been pleased with my ECHO equipment.
I distinctly remember buying plastic STIHL blades for my trimmer years ago.The instructions said to store the blades in water when not in use.Thanks for the tips.
Great advice! My operational attitude at my shop is that my first priority is to _help_ my customers... even if no immediate sale results. Making a living falls into place by default simply because they will automatically come to me first whenever they need anything because I earned their trust.
Yah know, I learn something every time I watch you! I’m my own yard man and you answer questions I never even thought to ask. Moreover, if something did foul up I usually just started crying and took it to the shop. You have helped me regain my masculinity without chemicals! Thanks so much!
Thanks for this tip, it confirmed what my local small engine guy told me about soaking the line in water, he suggested to just leave it in there. It also explains why the new line that came with my new Sthil was so brittle and snapping.
So glad I stumbled onto this video. What fantastic advice, I was wondering why edged line kept getting caught in my head, now I know why, back to round line it is! Thanks!
Very informative! I did not know about the things you shared today like the line being able to re-hydrate in water. I was planing to go to the local big box store to buy new line as the line I was using was breaking off to often, ( thinking dry & brittle), you changed my mind, thank you! Just an old man.
I love the black diamond line. I’ve tried several other brands, including Echo’s orange line, and some round lines. I’ve found that the black diamond holds up best against fences and leaves a nice crisp edge. I’ve never looked close enough to see if it’s leaving a clean cut on each blade of grass, but it looks pretty good from eye level!
Great to know! I have a spool of echo .95 with atleast 150' left that's probably 15 years old. Loaded a head with some of it last year, kept snapping off every time I went full throttle. Guess I'll give it a drink! Thanks for sharing👍
As a life long motorcycle mechanic and off road racer, I learned a lot about my string trimmer from you in this video so I subscribed. A lot of our knowledge and experience overlaps, but not trimmer string. 🤣I'll always buy the round line from now on. Thanks!
I run a commercial lawn company I use about 10-15lbs of trimmer line per year. Iv noticed that echo black diamond cuts better than their regular orange trimmer line. It tends to be slightly more brittle but cuts grass much better. I use black diamond for weekly maintenance and thick grass, and .105 orange line for more of brush clearing or tall weeds as it does not break as easily. Just my experience and thoughts. Good tip on soaking in water if it's gotten brittle
Wish I knew this years ago. Went through tons of line on my rural property for fire control each spring-a whole week of all-day trimming. Used a variety of line brands. Tried the fancy shapes but never saw enough difference. A ended up buying large spools of the best-priced name brand. I found that trimming got easier when I saw the line as a cheap expendable. How you fill the spool and advancing the line habitually saved me tons of time. Using 10% more line used can prevent having to stop for a broken line. It is also easier on the metal eyelets to prevent them from forming a groove. Well worth the time and sweat.
As a farmer I have used all types of trimmer line, however using the echo Black Diamond trimmer line does make a big difference when you are using it in the fields/orchards trying to cut thick woody weeds. The Black Diamond line will go through the woody weeds like butter, while the round line takes more effort and a longer time to cut through and throws more debris. However you are correct when using it to edge your lawn, save your money. I hope you will stock and recommend the Black Diamond line in bulk for though of us using trimmer line in orchard or clearing lots/acreage where the weeds are tall, thick, and woody. It will save you time, money and cleanup in the long run.
I trim a few properties in Vermont. Stone walls, rocks on driveway edges and drainage ditches; grass to weeds to heavy vegetation of all kinds. I have a Stihl trimmer, mid range in cc's with a straight shaft. I agree with everything said in the video. Bought small quantities of different kinds of line to test. Settled on buying a large roll of round line and it works as well or better than anything in all the conditions I find myself working in. I will begin to soak the line to see how that works - chances are keeping it in a storage container like I've been doing isn't enough.
🤯🤯 As a professional who's used many different lines for years, I've found that _nothing_ beats Black Diamond, in that it does fly straighter, cuts better, edges cleaner ( I edge with my string trimmers, not a blade 🤷♂️ ), and doesn't fray or split at the ends. Thanks for that rehydration tip, queen 😉 Always good to see you.
As a professional - edging with string is not 'professional'...we all do it - there is a time and place for it...but string edges repeatedly do not compare to a proper blade edge...you do you tho!
@@kirkthebeerslinger 🤣 If you don't know what you're doing 🤷♂️ Where I'm from "professional" means all the way through, not just _looking_ the part. I use my tools quite well. Nevermind the fact that a strong trimmer causes NO damage to concrete or other material, unlike a misplaced blade edger--in the hands of the skilled as well as those in training. I find that surprising that absolutely noone in your area can run a sharp, straight edge with a string trimmer 🤷♂️
@@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power hey-you are entitled to be wrong if you like...the nature of the spinning string when it hits the turf/concrete deflects and when you string trim the same edge over and over all season long it can't help but get wider and wider...maybe you don't care about a crisp edge and maybe neither do your clients...I didn't say I don't flip edge...depends...and ya-I know what I am doing...and I know it well enough to know there is a difference...but go ahead and tell me how you can drill a hole more precisely with a hand drill than you could with a drill press because you're such a professional and all...
@@kirkthebeerslinger Don't project. Because you can't conceive of string trimming an edge repeatedly without it becoming a 3 or 4 of 5 inch chasm, doesn't mean plenty of us out here can't do it. We do it every day and have for years. If the stick edger is what works for you, hold onto that; no need to try and throw shade on someone who takes their craft seriously and knows how to use their tools. Also, an edger is a piece of stick equipment just like a string trimmer. It too is capable of wandering from the edge in unskilled hands, so the drill analogy doesn't hold. I'll put my 410x ( or any trimmer ) against a blade edger all day...miles of sidewalks, whatever.
Thanks for this tip on soaking trimmer line to rejuvenate it! I was skeptical but tried it and was amazed by the result. I had moved away from using line to plastic blades, but needed to put my line head back on as the blade head wore out. My line was old and brittle and barely lasted two minutes before I needed to refill the head. Remembering your video, I soaked my line and got two tanks of fuel before I had to refill. This was doing some heavy duty weed whacking! Thanks so much!
I know this video has some age on it BUT it is good to refresh this stuff because we all do forget things . Talking about trimmer heads I got fed up with messing with them . I switched over to the head where I just cut the strips an stick two in the heads . It works great an I think I have a lot less waste . Thanks for the refresher. Thanks
Great tip! Several years ago, I bought a 2,000foot roll of .080 from a K-mart that was closing for $10. I noticed that it was breaking more frequently last year. Gonna try the water soak and see how it works!
Best trimmer line I have ever used is the husqvarna titanium force; it does incredibly well on chain link fencing especially. I found out at 0.080 line in titaniumforce was as good or slightly better than most 0.095 line from echo or Stihl.
@@BigRedServicesLLC Well, then...spray the chain link fence line or suck up the cost of the trimmer string being shredded. Perhaps you do either one or both. But my comment is for the people who develop no finesse with a trimmer and just throw it at rocks, cement, metal poles etc, and then complain about it breaking. I'd like to give the Husqvarna line a try to compare it to the Black Diamond line that I use.
On the comparison of round line to different style lines, I’ve found square line is what works best for us. I work for the local school system and with the many hats I wear as a maintenance worker, I’m over the lawncare equipment. Back when I first started me and another guy bought line for our trimmers and he was a die hard red round line guy, I decided to try Oregon Square Gaterline. We started on a bank at the same time and it is very thick weeds/grass and we all hated trimming it because it is steep and time consuming. I was flying up the hill compared to my coworker so he stopped me mid hill and asked for my weed eater. He made a few swipes, saw how quick he was able to clear an area, handed my trimmer back, and proceeded to walk off the bank unspooling his machine and getting my string. Through the years I’ve tried different brands, cut style, and the like but I haven’t found anything that cuts as well as the Oregon in price, speed of cut, and longevity for what we do.
I got the Stihl 2.4 square stuff . Got it spooled up. And haven't even had a chance to try it. I hope I have as good of luck as you with your square stuff. I got it inside. In my tool box actually. Where it's dry and warm. And feels pretty elastic still
@@randallsmerna384 It's trimmer wire. I'm not going to lose sleep over if my trimmer wire is brittle or Not. Materials have come along way in 10 years. All these people saying there 10 year old recycled Pepsi bottle trimmer wire from wall mart is brittle well no duhh.
The hydration definitely works. I inherited a 32v works trimmer that would break quickly with .065 ribbed or round string, so I modified it to accept .095 string and added a set screw to prevent the self feed mechanism from overfeeding. I can now effectively trim just about anything without breaking for much longer than I ever thought possible. When the string does break, I loosen the self feed screw and carefully restore the line, and if careful, I can go hours without breaking a string, including thin woody weeds and against rocks and concrete. Thks for the posting a truthful and helpful video
My dad made a trimmer attachement for his drill/driver using an old hole saw and heavy duty fishing line... Tie the line through holes in the hole saw, put the bit in the chuck, trim your edges. You can also use cable ties instead of fishing line. Wear saftey goggles because the cuttings fly everywhere.
I tried to use push bike brake cable in my little old 21cc Mc Collough ( However it's spelt ) when I was 15 and it was so off-balance it near tore out of my arms LMOA
One more reason for trimmer line breakage: Running at full throttle and hitting against concrete walkways will heat the string where it exits the eyelet and weaken it until it breaks off at that point.
Honesty and pragmatism...manufacturers probably hate you ! lol That is pretty fresh and that for sure helps your customers to make the right choices and come back to your shop. That is the right way to build a long term business ! I love that !
Hi Chickanic - I wanted to say thank you for your advice on both changing to round line and soaking your cord even if it is new. It was very helpful advice. I have a 36V Bosch trimmer in which I was using some old Stihl 0.095 square line. It was hard to load into the head as it kept snagging on its edges and of course square line has a lot less body than the equivalent round line. Since I had owned my reel of line for about four years (and who knows how long it had sat on a shelf before that) it was dry and I seemed to go through quite a lot of it. Having replaced it with Echo 0.095 round line and pre-soaked the entire reel I am very impressed. I tackled some coarse dried tussocks of grass in a paddock as a test and the round line was barely marked and not eroded. The square Stihl would have done the job but shortened considerably. I have also treated myself to an Echo Speed Feed for which I am still seeking the correct bushing since I am in the UK. My Bosch uses a M10 x 1.0 LH thread which would be the green Shindaiwa bushing but most non-US Speed Feeds are the Echo brand and come with only the group of Echo M10 x 1.25 LH bushings. No worries - Amazon US to UK will provide. Once again - thanks from this side of the pond!
Always wondered about the relative merits of round vs other line types you've now explained clearly. Many thanks Chickanic for the great tips! The comments below also useful. [Rob from Sydney, Australia]
I have noticed that my trimmer line with the edges will actually friction weld itself together in the head before breaking off. I have changed to the round line with much better results. By the way, by rehydrating the line has actually helped relieve the problem too. Thanks for the tip!
Loved both tips about hydrating your bulk line spool (even if it is brand new) and using only round line to avoid binding in the head....which is what I have run into with the line that has edges. Thanks much!
I am a landscape contractor and have been for many many years. I am 80 years old and the best trimmer line that I have found for my business is Black Diamond 105.. It works for me.
I found a great trimmer line, it's made by Oregon, .095" size, round line, a 288' roll sells for around $23.00. The best thing is it's tough plastic trimmer line with a Magnum Gatorline fiber core. It lasts a very long time. The other thing I've learned is if you run the line more than 5 minutes, if it doesn't break, it weakens where it comes out of the line holder hub. This usually has a metal ring and the line gets weak there. To cure that I release more line, about an inch or so to get a fresh line at the ring point. That way I'm not fighting with line that breaks off and I have to disassemble the line holder and rewind it.
Great content as always. I have one additional tip. When using a bump feed type head bump more often so that the trimmer line doesn't get so close to the head. The line does develop heat and when it is short or close to the head it transfers that heat into the spool and causes it to fuse together in the spool.
Plus the trimmer does the best job when the string is at the proper length... IMHO -taking the guard off to have more string is a bad idea for a few reasons - 1 safety, 2 the longer string can bog the unit down-fouling up the exhaust/spark arrester...3. doesn't perform optimally - the manufacturer tests their equipment and designed it to be 17 or 18 inches for a reason...if it performed better at 22" they would have made it that way...
I only buy echo trimmer with high torque with and not to heavy a string. That being said you are right about exhaust bogging down. I usually take it off and clean the gunk twice a year either way to keep it running smooth because you go through less string and do less damage when touching anything. I've never kept a guard on.
@@kirkthebeerslinger I tried a length ( the right Length ) of push bike brake cable wire in a industrial whipper Snipper when I was 'Stihl' learning common sense and she went into an insane speed wobble and damn near tore my arms off. Lesson Learned 🤣🤣
I’ve worked in high end lawn maintenance, and tried quite a few different styles of string. For the average user round line will work fine, but if you wanna crisp clean cut on your edges the twisted string makes a difference.
I've been in business for over 4 years now and I've tried quite a few different types of line. I saw another youtuber suggest Black Vortex and I tried it out and I've been really impressed with it and have used it for 2 years now. it just seems to last forever. As long as you don't hit any fences or pavement you rarely have to bump. A 3lbs spool can last me nearly a year
Just goes to show that even an old dog like me can always learn something new. Been a mechanic for 40+ yrs now, and I never knew that the plastic in trimmer lines was permeable enough to soak up enough water to make it more durable. Good tip. Thank you.
Trimmer lines.....I did try water treatment for a day, dry it and then apply silicone spray outside the house and store these 15 ft cut lines in ziplock bags. THEY work REAALY great......made a HUGE difference. Now just one load lasts 5-6 times longer and they cut grass really well. I think brittle lines break easily and the water treatment + silicone application helped a great deal. I also applied the red silicone grease and the machine runs smoothly. Don't forget to clean the spool part with a hose on a regular basis. Great video, maam!
I have used many types of trimmer line and you are correct it all depends on how old the line is. It would be nice if there was a date of manufacture on the line package.
Used and tried a lot of trimmer line over the years. I agree round trimmer line in .095 - .105 is the way to go. Depending on how powerful your trimmer is. Also when you soak trimmer line in water do it for around 2 1/2 days. 8 - 24 hours will not get you the full effect. At least that is what I've found.
I'd be interested to find out how well this idea would work: Store preloaded heads in a ziplock bag or Tupperware tubs with a wet wad of paper towels. It's a little difficult to keep up a roll of trimmer line in a bucket of water 24/7.
I leave mine in water for about a week. Only because I forgot about it. I'm using 5yrs+ trimmer line now. I soak it at the beginning of the season & Aug. .095 & .105
Excellent summary! I've tried the different shaped line thinking it would have a "cutting edge". I cannot tell the difference and what really matters to me over many hours of use is durability and feed ability. I just don't want to stop and fuss with it very often when I am roaming over four acres and cutting in rough terrain.
NO POINTED TRUTH, EVER SAID. fuss with that stuff......good one ! My xperiences, Xactly.......I have several spinheads. loaded up. When needed, just take oneoff, put oneon.........
@@leethomas8839 And stay away from cable tv and telephone lines, garden hoses, vinyl siding, park your car around the corner and watch a couple youtube vids on how to change out a window pane. Above all wear a face shield when you get out the GIANT line. I used some of that in a Robin NB-26 with a manual feed head and you could eat your way through any size green tree. Ease in and grind away. I used that when I had to go through a lot of saplings and 8 foot tall weeds. Man that was violent! It will launch gravel like bullets! I think you could stand in a gravel driveway, rev up and in one swipe take out every window on one side of a house. LOL You will have bruised shins. I got a Stihl KM-94r (awesome machine) and use a sickle bar attatchment on it for saplings and vines now. Much faster and does not sling poison ivy everywhere like a line does. I use the cleaner/lube about every 15 minutes and that sickle has lasted for years so far, way longer than I expected the way I have been abusing it. It will cut up to about 3/4 inch green or 5/8 seasoned wood. Bad thing with a sickle bar is that it will cut barbed or chain link wire. I run it at part throttle so it does not cut the wire or ding the blade too bad. It will ding the blade but the blade will survive and keep on cutting. It does not cut fine grass so well, line would be way faster for that. When I finally do wear this one out I will get the shorter version that has the guard on the end. I dont know that I will like the guard but the hedger is pretty heavy and awkward.
Inspect your trimmer head eyelets! Many times with heavy use they wear with a groove where the line travels and if the line goes outside that worn groove, it will shear off against the sharp edge of the groove. The other issue usually occurs when working WITHOUT a trimmer guard, - the LINE inside the trimmer head will heat up and "weld/melt together" inside the trimmer head requiring disassembly to free up the line and break the weld. It can happen under a heavy or tough work load (long grass or long extended trimmer lines or both), working in high summer temperatures and/or with a overloaded trimmer head. Any one or a combination of conditions can cause welding. Working with a trimmer guard helps to reduce this. >> Personally I don't use the guard but I try to avoid the above situations. I use the .105 gauge line. Nothing wrong with storing your extra or backup line in a bucket of water with a tight fitting lid, until you need it.
Many years ago i bought a spool of the Stihl 4 sided line always used the round prior run it in my Stihl fs90 i find that for me it seems to cut really thick and dense stuff better but otherwise not a lot of difference !! I think it matters more the right size and how many cc your trimmer is based on what you're doing with it !
After 32 years in business (in Australia) selling and servicing outdoor power equipment we sold thousands of metres of trimmer line. I found that there are definitely different qualities in trimmer line brands, we did experiment with different brands and some are definitely better than others. Our best seller was the ‘Star shaped line’ but as you stated you can’t compare the outside diameter to ‘Round line’ go up at least one size, although I am now retired and sold my business, I still have a roll of ‘Star’ line that is about 3 yrs old and works perfectly. The sharp edges on the star line do cut much better in heavy grass. For small electric trimmers I would recommend sticking with the round .065. As to trimmer heads, take a look at the Makita brand, it’s an Auto feed with tap & go function, very easy to reload with slotted eyelets, although mine is only used domestically it is over 12yrs old and works a treat.
I prefer .095 for my electric trimmer...not all electric trimmers are weak...some are actually way to powerful imo...for home owners with normal yards electric trimmers are great..
I have tried all the shapes of trimmer line. But realistically once you begin trimming the line’s ends wear down quickly so I agree the round makes the best sense. Thanks
Great video! I have two Echo trimmers. They are very rugged and reliable! My dealer told me to put the line in a bucket of water! Really works. I, too, have run a lot of different brands of line. I found the Black Diamond line to be really great. Even brittle, it out lasts others. You just reminded me to keep mine hydrated. I have had the string melt together in the head. Thanks for the great info! Lee
This video made my day! There is nothing worse than having the line break or melt inside the trimming head. I always trim at the end of my yard work which equates to being dog-dead-tired!😂 I’m excited to try this! Thanks for the tip!
What a GREAT TIP! Hate to admit I've been tossing perfectly good line for no reason... . Also thanks for the heads up on replacing OE heads with the Speed Feed units - haven't had the issues that I did with the original (Stihl Auto-Cut 25) one.
In most cases I agree that round line is as good as any other. However, I bought a house recently that had several areas of English ivy that was overgrown and needed to be removed. The vines were very wiry so I went ahead and got the Black Diamond line and it out performed the round line.
Thanks for the tip, I'll be soaking my line this week since drying out is a real thing here in the Valley of the Sun Arizona. I don't know how many rolls I have thrown out because they kept snapping off.
I use a Stihl FS 130R, that I've had for several years. It's the perfect combination of power, weight and versatility for me to trim and edge my acre of property. (I owned a landscape maintenance business for several years, back in the early 2000s and used larger trimmers, also.) I've always used the "tap and go" heads. I've used many different trimmer lines. For whatever reason, the .095 Stihl Square trimmer line has out performed all of the other lines I've used. I rarely get binding or melt inside the head. I live in a pretty humid climate, so I've also never dealt with line breaking from being brittle, even though I buy it in 3lb spools that take several years to use. As far as noticeable "cut performance", I've never really noticed any difference in any of the lines I've used...........but I never looked at the grass through a magnifying glass, either....😄. Nice info. Liked and subbed.
So glad I found your channel! I am a tool rental associate at Home Depot and have just applied for the tool technician job starting in December,2024 and am studying how to work on all the tools! Your channel is so fun to binge watch!!
I run echo Black Diamond .105 in my Sthil fS131 machines. This combo is a BEAST of a spark free brush clearing setup! I've tried all other lines and my personal opinion is it is the FASTEST cut out of all brands, taking clear times down considerably. That being said, it is NOT the most durable, I have found a good round line of same diameter is more durable, lasts longer, but not as fast. I prefer the speed of the cut on the black diamond line, as I have multiple bump head spools pre-strung and ready to exchange quickly while in the field thus resulting in less run time on machines and fuel costs in the long run.
I run the Black Diamond .095 in my Sthils FS-130R and 131R and I think for my use it's the best thing I've found so far (2 years of using this line now) and I've tried about every Quality line out there over the years. I do 30+ hrs of weedeating every 2 weeks not counting my own and I do everything from yards to road banks and ditch lines (I have 2 of them that are a quarter mile long each) to overgrown lots and fence rows with waist high grass and weeds and this line eats it all! On the Sthils if the head is barely spinning the line is cutting for sure...love my Sthils the 130 is going on 6 years old and God knows how many hours on it and the 131 is a little over 3 years old now and I did have to replace the steel drive shaft inside the aluminum tube on it but I do run a brush blade on it quite a bit and cut some pretty rough stuff so I can't complain about it lol!
Many years ago, over 20, I was employed by a manufacturer of urethane panels, within those panels were locking devices, and within those devices were poly components..It was part of my duties to ensure that the flow of these materials were inbound to assemblers and landed at our location. Having to modify on occasion the components I developed a relationship with vendors in the plastics industry and picked up truck and tips, one of those involved nylon and it’s quirky hygroscopic characteristics, yes the water soak trick does increase its elasticity and elongation, it does decrease its strength overall but not appreciably, it will absorb up to about 8 percent of the moisture if saturated…, just leaving the product in a moist environment does help, zip ties, weed cord, etc. all benefit, there are other tricks for plastics but not related to this so the moisture trick does indeed work.
I had my trimmer wire for about seven years, and yes it started to break continuously, I put it in water for a few days, and it hasn’t snapped since, great tip, thanks.
I totally agree and did come to my own decision a few years back that the edged-line did like to bind up on itself. I still have a spool of it and will occasionally put it in my toro trimmer but decided that I would go back to the round line which binds up much less often than the three-edged-line I bought years ago. I also very much appreciate the the secret of rehydrating the trim line to keep it from being so brittle. I will have to try it this coming growing season which still is a few months away here in Minnesota.
Interesting point you make about line drying out. I'm in Australia and do a fair amount of trimming around fence lines, banks, trees and a small dam. I have 30+ years practice doing this. We have had a lot of third party brand lines available here over the years, but I have learnt to stick with Stihl or similar high level brand line in high capacity rolls and buy a year in advance of needing it so that it has time to "mature". I normally get about 2 years form a 1KG roll (2.2 pounds) if I let it mature, so at the end of a roll it would be about three years since purchase. I find that even the premium brands can be brittle if used soon after purchase, but work well once matured.
Used to fly model airplanes with nylon props. We would boil them first, then keep them wrapped in damp cloth and plastic film to retain moisture. Once they aged for 2-3 years the color would change from milky white to a yellowish color and hold up better without breaking.
I learned the edged line doesn't feed well from my trimmer head, thanks for the hyfration tip. Now off to throw a roll into a bucket of water and give it a whirl! ;)
Thanks for Watching! Find a link to all of my "Must Have", Favorite Tools HERE!! www.amazon.com/shop/chickanic?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfchickanic_9ERPFPBNGQ924P8NS63B
A Ton.
Thank you for saving me trouble with my chainsaws. That being said, I did something (probably not smart ) with my brush cutter head on my weed Wacker. I did away with the cheap plastic blades and installed Sawzall blades. I've used the same blades for 4 years cutting bush. Any time I hit a steel fence post and bend a blade, I hammer it back flat. They work great. Don't pass that one along. We'll probably get someone hurt. Ps. You can't drill the holes open. It's too hard for drill bits . I had to Dremmal grind the holes open to make loose enough to work.
About 12 years ago Home Depot had 5lb spools of made in the USA quiet twist green Hitachi trimmer line for $2.59 cents on their website, clearly a mistake, long story short I bought 2,000 lbs (1 ton) of trimmer line for like $800 and sold them cheap.
$10 a 5lb spool if you bought 10.
Oh ps I still use this line TODAY I saved enough for 15+ years.
My Stihl dealer told me the bucket of water trick a few years ago and it does help, but the problem I was having was the line pinching on itself in the spool and it would not feed. I discovered several years ago a sure fire trick and that is to shoot a little silicone spray on the line, this was a game changer for me. Hope this helps someone else.
I used WD 40 in my line soak But I did/and still do use silicone spray for a hell of a lot of things that called for dry lubrication as a Timber Miller and Heavy Industry Mechanical Fitter
Thanks for sharing that tip - I have the same issue and was looking for a solution. I’ll give it a try.
dang, good tip for this season! I gotta spool mine up and trim the fence line anyways...
Smart
Dumb question; Exactly what are you spraying with the silicone spray? Do you spool it up and spray the line?, lay it out flat...? How should I do it?
Hello Chickanic and viewers.
Talked with one of our QA engineers about string trimmer string and how to maintain it because it is made of nylon product.
He said all you have to do it put your spools/string in a ziplock type plastic bag with a tablespoon of water. He said you want to see moisture on the inside of the bag, then pull it out of the bag when you need to use your string trimmers no need to dry it.
QA engineer said it works anytime you are not using your string cartridges or even your bulk string packs.
Said it also works with anything that is made of nylon to make it more flexible before snapping an assembly together, think automotive trims and interior nylon components.
BTW we work at a large lawn, garden and tool MFG.
Good going Chickanic! 🙃😉😊😛🤑🤗🤨
My new Husqvarna trimmer instructions mentioned soaking the line in water overnight to make it more pliable & extend its life. That tip has saved me a lot of money.
Add some dish liquid for even better results for absorption 😎
I was a Echo certified master technician before I retired and was a small engine mechanic for decades , I personally worked on the small engine equipment for over 50 landscapers every year as well as everyone else who came in the door. And I can say that you are spot-on . One thing to keep an eye on is the eyelets that the line goes through if they are worn they can cut the line.
Thank you
I used Huge old Echos in the mill and bushland cutting railway sleepers, I had one arm near double the size of the other, heavy old things lol
And they wear harder with with the hard edges of non-round line.
I use 065 line for my Black and Decker, what weed eater line can last longer getting beat up against sidewalks and cement, any guess.
Unfortunately you're using the thinnest line made for a weed eater and I have never found any that size that can hold up well to concrete , sorry
An old Technician's trick for flexible nylon stuff, like Tywraps & trimmer line is to put it in some hot water for a minute or two. The hot water saves time when you need it quick.
Another thing that works well is to store your spool of trimmer line in a sealed ziplock bag with a splash of water inside. Keeps it hydrated and flexible indefinitely. Great video as always 🫶
Zip ties too.
Things you learn at 50....🤦
@@michaelray5595 never stop learning 🫶
I've done this for years, I put two wet sponges one on each side of the packaging the line is in. And I fill the bag up with about an inch of water, then I seal that bag up, and put it inside another big bag and seal that up to. So it doesn't leak.
Great video. I'm 67 and have been whipper snipping for many years. Today I learnt something. Certainly after the COVID lockdowns I've noticed the lines were breaking far more often. Now I know to soak the line... Thx from Down Under.
Whipper snipping? Is this where "whipper snapper" comes from?
black diamond is awesume stuff, it cuts faster than most other line. i mow for a living so i know what works and what dosnt
Never would have I ever thought about reconditioning trimming line in water! Thank you for sharing this video.
I recently discovered Chickanic and she is excellent!! She’s straight forward, giving information that’s useful in an entertaining way. I love this woman and will be using her information to maintain my equipment.
Thank you for telling the truth about line. ROUND IS THE WAY TO GO, PERIOD !!!!
What an interesting tip. I didn't even realize that nylon was hygroscopic until seeing this video and doing some follow up research. Always a great day when I learn something interesting!
Calling out a gimmick these days is kind of rare. But much appreciated. Sometimes you can just tell that a simple product has been ‘overthought’ just to gain a competitive advantage. Good stuff.
Yup, and it also crossed my mind that the diamond shaped line uses less material (I'm guessing) so they get to spend less on manafacture and more mark up on 'the new hotness'..Total scam!
@@elone3997 i used the duratwist stuff from HD and its way better than the cheaper stuff for 0.065 line maybe because my cheap ryobi trimmer doesnt spin that fast. but on my big gas trimmer i never broke that much line with 0.095 cheap round stuff. So yes they are using less material I think that is how they get their "more runtime" metrics due to spinning less weight
Young lady I always stop and watch your videos, very informative every time.
I have been doing lawn care over 40 years. I learned last summer (2021) from an article online about soaking trimmer line in water to rejuvenate it. In the manufacturing process the line is pulled through water. Then after time it dries out and becomes brittle. Thanks for letting people know about soaking the line in water.
How long do you soak it in the water for?
Thanks and cheers 🍻
@@chriskeating5926 soak trimmer line over night or 24 hours.
@@thadschaeffer2563 ok thanks ,cheers 🍻
@@thadschaeffer2563 ok thanks for that tip
I'm from Inverness, Scotland. Almost 3 years ago we moved to a home with a decent garden and bought a Strimmer (thats what we call them). It's been great, but sometimes the line will come out, sometimes not. It's a bump feed and I find swearing at it helps 🤣🤣 But the hydration tip is great. Mind you, it rains pretty much all the time so I figure that's why I don't get any breakages 🤔😝 I stumbled on your channel last week and am quite pleased to watch your hints & tips. We're out planting int he greenhouse today, but guess what, it started raining while I'm constructing boxes for my wife to use as planters so I escaped for a cup of green tea & a ham & cheese sandwich and watch you on the tube. Great effort. Thank you 😊
What? Raining in Scotland? Canna be! Tha's great, laddie! Nothing like a wee doch 'n dorris to keep the damp out and the warmth in! Pround South African with much more than a wee dram o'the best Scotch in me 8i-year-young veins!
Great video, i have a large spool of Stihl 95" line trimmer line that is 2 years old and noticed that i was respooling it alot sooner than normal. I soaked it in-between trimming(about 4 days) and sure enough it lasted a lot longer than before. Thanks for the great tip.
THANK YOU BearE9090, I was wondering how long to soak the line for...
POINTS! It's refreshing when someone offers good, correct advise that could cost sales. You obviously know that honesty and helping customers will get you a whole lot further, in the long run. THANK YOU
I appreciate that!
Thanks Chickanic great video, didn’t know that about hydration of the string trim 👍
@@Chickanic oil mix 1:33 husqvarna 372 xp 357 xp is ok ?
It doesn't cost sales, it builds trust. You will have more people coming to you if they trust you. In the end, this will increase sales.
It absolutely works wonders for a business to give the right advice, even if the customer has to go elsewhere to get the thing you don't have, but reccomend. If sales staff play dumb, when you ask "can you recommend someone/something that could help" I'm not going back for anything.
Cooperation will yield more than competition if you do it well.
Never thought about re-hydrating line to keep it from getting brittle, thanks for the tip. :)
Was in lawn service for 20 years..retired from it 24 years ago...i never new the water trick,pretty cool...i do remember trying ridged line back in the day and not liking it,so i went back to round..for last 8 years i have been using 100 dollar b&d with .095...i have a pretty big yard with a lot of trees,chainlink fence and edging to do..12 feet of line usually lasts a year for me...i love electric compared to gas..i usually do all trimming on low setting..this still cuts the grass well,but makes line and battery last much longer..of course if i was in business i would need a much more powerful machine to deal with customers over grown messy yards..thanks for sharing
In my 40 years of owning and using weedeaters, in many different sizes, shapes, and sources of power, I am a VERY satisfied ECHO owner. In all their equipment I've used. In saying that, I'm a firm believer and extremely satisfied use of their Black Diamond line. I've never found a better line. And I've used just about every kind, and I DO buy in bulk when it comes to line. Your tips about hydrating dry line to bring it back to workable grade is spot on. And from reading the comments, a couple of shots from the WD-40 can in the feeder holes after line change is another great tip. I've done it for many years and never have spooled line wrap on and cut itself off.
Nicely done video and channel. Cheers!
I worked for a municipality and we had two cemeteries that we took care of. Lots of headstones that trim around. We bought our line in 5lb. spools. One of the old timers always said to let it sit in a bucket of water. Many of us didn't believe him. Learn something every day i guess.
My favorite headstone inscription is from John Yeast: Pardon me for not rising. My next favorite gravestone inscription is Rodney Dangerfield's line: There goes the neighborhood.
@@dogsplantscarsneatstuff176 Or on your headstone: " Well Shit, That Didn't Work"
Trimmer line has always been my nemisis. It often doesn't feed like it's supposed to. I have a new Stihl, and I do like it, but again, not the trim line, so I replace it with a universal head that has pre-cut trimmer line, about 8", that attaches on the outside, in three places. It lasts for the session and is super simple to replace. Nothing to remove any longer, no spring, no frustration. Trimming is fun, again.
One extra advantage I've noticed with hydrated line is the extra mass adds to the centrifugal force holding the line out perpendicular, creating a more powerful cutting force.
When I hit the really heavy stuff I always pre soak the loaded spool from the night before, and I add a few drops of dishwashing detergent to the water which breaks the surface
tension of the water against nylon in a bunched state and also helps prevent friction lock of the cord in use. I got that tip 18 years ago from a greenkeeper who was ironically named Wes Green.. (Mr. Greens Mowing) thanks Wes, it works, and thanks Chickanic, round really is best.
Thanks, that sounds like a great idea and you’ve already tested it for us! I’m going to do it too. Sticking line is a super pain in the butt!
It works two fold. Dishwash softens the water as well as acting as a penetrant. It works the same when adding it to a backpack sprayer of weedkiller negating the need for a commercial penetrant additive
I generally find that the best Trimmer is a Howard 6-footer driven by a 70/80Hp ride-on. A bit hard on sliding glass doors at times but cleans up the lawn area real quick! Keeps the nagging rate down and you don't have to do it so often - especially if you back in a bit close to the roses on occasion. 😜😁
@@theoztreecrasher2647 I had an 18hp Kohler driven John Deere and a Massey Furgerson Tower with 4-foot slasher But I don't think that's the Trimmers he is talking about LOL Funny Good to see jokes for a lighter side of life : )
Excellent tips! 👍
I realized the hydrate method when I bought some line a few years ago. I bought some line in a container that had a sponge in it. On the container it said keep sponge damp for best results, line becomes brittle when dry. It actually makes a huge difference. Great video by the way.
You are an inspiration to the technical world. I show your films to my auto technology students. I watch the faces of the young ladies light up when they watch you. Keep on inspiring Chickanic.
Aw! Thanks for letting me know! That is awesome!
Yup. When I was a young technician, I came in to work and there was a tray of Nylon wire ties soaking in water. That seemed strange. It was dry, winter time, and one of the engineers explained. The Nylon wire ties were breaking as soon as they were installed and tightened. Nylon is a plastic that is particularly hydroscopic. Extended exposure to dry winter air desiccated the Nylon, drying it out. The percentage of water Nylon absorbs controls it's toughness / brittleness. After soaking (overnight if I recall correctly), the Nylon wire ties installed fine.
One other thing about Nylon, I think others have pointed it out. Most Nylon is sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light, like in sunlight. The sunlight cross-links the Nylon molecules and embrittles the plastic. It does take time, but it is NOT reversible. There are Nylons that are UV resistant, but in general, don't store Nylon in direct sunlight. Hanging on a pegboard in direct sunlight would be bad. On a shelf, out of the sunshine is much better.
UV *breaks* the cross-links as well as causing other molecular changes and causes weakening of the plastic .This happens to all plastics and is suppress by the addition of UV stabilisers .
Some liquid resins are designed to cross-link when exposed to UV (dental resin for instance)
I used to work at a Stihl dealer. Had a Stihl factory rep tell me the bucket of water trick almost 20 years ago. Has worked well for me over the years. My FS90 is still going strong as well.
How long should it soak up? I've got a spool of trimmer line in my van and we use it every day commercially. I don't want to pull the 5 pound spool every day, soak it in the water for half an hour. That simply wouldn't work...
@@markbrisec3972 You don't particularly need to soak it unless it's brittle, if brittle soaking it for 2.5 days does the trick
Great explanation, I’m sold on ECHO equipment, I still have a 30 year old chainsaw that just refuses to give up. My scrub cutter is at least 15 years old, I’ve had one chainsaw give up the ghost but that one was very well worked and was about 14 years old. Always been pleased with my ECHO equipment.
I distinctly remember buying plastic STIHL blades for my trimmer years ago.The instructions said to store the blades in water when not in use.Thanks for the tips.
Great advice! My operational attitude at my shop is that my first priority is to _help_ my customers... even if no immediate sale results. Making a living falls into place by default simply because they will automatically come to me first whenever they need anything because I earned their trust.
What town and state is your shop located?
@@Czangrlli422 I'm in Ontario Canada.
@@42lookc We need someone like you in NY
@@42lookc where in ON are you?
@@42lookc Then, I'm moving there. 👍🤗
And I thought I knew everything you could know about trimmer line. Thank you for teaching this old dog a new trick.
Yah know, I learn something every time I watch you! I’m my own yard man and you answer questions I never even thought to ask. Moreover, if something did foul up I usually just started crying and took it to the shop. You have helped me regain my masculinity without chemicals! Thanks so much!
Or testicle tanning.
You made this old girl laugh, your wife is a lucky woman.
She is smart hey even old dogs can learn new tricks even from Chicks lol
Thanks for this tip, it confirmed what my local small engine guy told me about soaking the line in water, he suggested to just leave it in there. It also explains why the new line that came with my new Sthil was so brittle and snapping.
So glad I stumbled onto this video. What fantastic advice, I was wondering why edged line kept getting caught in my head, now I know why, back to round line it is! Thanks!
Very informative! I did not know about the things you shared today like the line being able to re-hydrate in water. I was planing to go to the local big box store to buy new line as the line I was using was breaking off to often, ( thinking dry & brittle), you changed my mind, thank you! Just an old man.
I love the black diamond line. I’ve tried several other brands, including Echo’s orange line, and some round lines. I’ve found that the black diamond holds up best against fences and leaves a nice crisp edge. I’ve never looked close enough to see if it’s leaving a clean cut on each blade of grass, but it looks pretty good from eye level!
Thanks to your video, I am now wetting my line & it is lasting much longer. You are one smart lady. I've learned a lot watching you.
Great to know! I have a spool of echo .95 with atleast 150' left that's probably 15 years old. Loaded a head with some of it last year, kept snapping off every time I went full throttle. Guess I'll give it a drink! Thanks for sharing👍
Wow .95 is almost an inch.
@@vashon100 😅 kinda missed a 0 didn't I !
I bought an Echo a few years back, just because of the speed head! It’s been the best most trouble free trimmer!
Thanks. Hydrating stringer line was new to me. I agree that only round line works well for feeding off the spool(s) - found that out the hard way...
As a life long motorcycle mechanic and off road racer, I learned a lot about my string trimmer from you in this video so I subscribed. A lot of our knowledge and experience overlaps, but not trimmer string. 🤣I'll always buy the round line from now on. Thanks!
I run a commercial lawn company I use about 10-15lbs of trimmer line per year. Iv noticed that echo black diamond cuts better than their regular orange trimmer line. It tends to be slightly more brittle but cuts grass much better. I use black diamond for weekly maintenance and thick grass, and .105 orange line for more of brush clearing or tall weeds as it does not break as easily. Just my experience and thoughts. Good tip on soaking in water if it's gotten brittle
Barry Estell
Please try STENS 380-924 , its .105 its called Silver Streak RAZOR . Works and last GREAT
Found same thing with Black Diamond, it lasted about the same time on the head but in my opinion it cuts much better.
Now, that tip about soaking in water is superb. Excellent.
Wish I knew this years ago. Went through tons of line on my rural property for fire control each spring-a whole week of all-day trimming. Used a variety of line brands. Tried the fancy shapes but never saw enough difference. A ended up buying large spools of the best-priced name brand. I found that trimming got easier when I saw the line as a cheap expendable. How you fill the spool and advancing the line habitually saved me tons of time. Using 10% more line used can prevent having to stop for a broken line. It is also easier on the metal eyelets to prevent them from forming a groove. Well worth the time and sweat.
As a farmer I have used all types of trimmer line, however using the echo Black Diamond trimmer line does make a big difference when you are using it in the fields/orchards trying to cut thick woody weeds. The Black Diamond line will go through the woody weeds like butter, while the round line takes more effort and a longer time to cut through and throws more debris. However you are correct when using it to edge your lawn, save your money. I hope you will stock and recommend the Black Diamond line in bulk for though of us using trimmer line in orchard or clearing lots/acreage where the weeds are tall, thick, and woody. It will save you time, money and cleanup in the long run.
I trim a few properties in Vermont. Stone walls, rocks on driveway edges and drainage ditches; grass to weeds to heavy vegetation of all kinds. I have a Stihl trimmer, mid range in cc's with a straight shaft. I agree with everything said in the video. Bought small quantities of different kinds of line to test. Settled on buying a large roll of round line and it works as well or better than anything in all the conditions I find myself working in. I will begin to soak the line to see how that works - chances are keeping it in a storage container like I've been doing isn't enough.
🤯🤯 As a professional who's used many different lines for years, I've found that _nothing_ beats Black Diamond, in that it does fly straighter, cuts better, edges cleaner ( I edge with my string trimmers, not a blade 🤷♂️ ), and doesn't fray or split at the ends. Thanks for that rehydration tip, queen 😉 Always good to see you.
As a professional - edging with string is not 'professional'...we all do it - there is a time and place for it...but string edges repeatedly do not compare to a proper blade edge...you do you tho!
Me too. The .105 is awesome.
@@kirkthebeerslinger 🤣 If you don't know what you're doing 🤷♂️ Where I'm from "professional" means all the way through, not just _looking_ the part. I use my tools quite well. Nevermind the fact that a strong trimmer causes NO damage to concrete or other material, unlike a misplaced blade edger--in the hands of the skilled as well as those in training. I find that surprising that absolutely noone in your area can run a sharp, straight edge with a string trimmer 🤷♂️
@@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power hey-you are entitled to be wrong if you like...the nature of the spinning string when it hits the turf/concrete deflects and when you string trim the same edge over and over all season long it can't help but get wider and wider...maybe you don't care about a crisp edge and maybe neither do your clients...I didn't say I don't flip edge...depends...and ya-I know what I am doing...and I know it well enough to know there is a difference...but go ahead and tell me how you can drill a hole more precisely with a hand drill than you could with a drill press because you're such a professional and all...
@@kirkthebeerslinger Don't project. Because you can't conceive of string trimming an edge repeatedly without it becoming a 3 or 4 of 5 inch chasm, doesn't mean plenty of us out here can't do it. We do it every day and have for years. If the stick edger is what works for you, hold onto that; no need to try and throw shade on someone who takes their craft seriously and knows how to use their tools. Also, an edger is a piece of stick equipment just like a string trimmer. It too is capable of wandering from the edge in unskilled hands, so the drill analogy doesn't hold.
I'll put my 410x ( or any trimmer ) against a blade edger all day...miles of sidewalks, whatever.
Thank you for your time and information with honesty. I wish everyone would be honest about what they sell. Kudos to you.
Thanks for this tip on soaking trimmer line to rejuvenate it! I was skeptical but tried it and was amazed by the result. I had moved away from using line to plastic blades, but needed to put my line head back on as the blade head wore out. My line was old and brittle and barely lasted two minutes before I needed to refill the head. Remembering your video, I soaked my line and got two tanks of fuel before I had to refill. This was doing some heavy duty weed whacking! Thanks so much!
I know this video has some age on it BUT it is good to refresh this stuff because we all do forget things . Talking about trimmer heads I got fed up with messing with them . I switched over to the head where I just cut the strips an stick two in the heads . It works great an I think I have a lot less waste . Thanks for the refresher. Thanks
Great tip! Several years ago, I bought a 2,000foot roll of .080 from a K-mart that was closing for $10. I noticed that it was breaking more frequently last year. Gonna try the water soak and see how it works!
Did it work?
Did it?!?!
@@Jae_MaV yes it but I left the water out in the sun to warm a bit first
@@farfromirrational yes, it did, but I left the bucket of water out in the sun to warm a bit.
@@mikekyle-y8i cool thanks
That's a great explanation of the gimmicks. Just like fuel additives and high mileage oil
Best trimmer line I have ever used is the husqvarna titanium force; it does incredibly well on chain link fencing especially. I found out at 0.080 line in titaniumforce was as good or slightly better than most 0.095 line from echo or Stihl.
Agreed, it came with my new trimmer and it's straight up impressive. I've never seen anything even close to it.
Yup, once i used this I never looked at anything else.
Why are you trimming chain link fences. The machine and string are designed to trim grass.
@@equsnarnd because grass grows in and against chain link fencing.
@@BigRedServicesLLC Well, then...spray the chain link fence line or suck up the cost of the trimmer string being shredded. Perhaps you do either one or both. But my comment is for the people who develop no finesse with a trimmer and just throw it at rocks, cement, metal poles etc, and then complain about it breaking. I'd like to give the Husqvarna line a try to compare it to the Black Diamond line that I use.
On the comparison of round line to different style lines, I’ve found square line is what works best for us. I work for the local school system and with the many hats I wear as a maintenance worker, I’m over the lawncare equipment. Back when I first started me and another guy bought line for our trimmers and he was a die hard red round line guy, I decided to try Oregon Square Gaterline. We started on a bank at the same time and it is very thick weeds/grass and we all hated trimming it because it is steep and time consuming.
I was flying up the hill compared to my coworker so he stopped me mid hill and asked for my weed eater. He made a few swipes, saw how quick he was able to clear an area, handed my trimmer back, and proceeded to walk off the bank unspooling his machine and getting my string.
Through the years I’ve tried different brands, cut style, and the like but I haven’t found anything that cuts as well as the Oregon in price, speed of cut, and longevity for what we do.
I got the Stihl 2.4 square stuff . Got it spooled up. And haven't even had a chance to try it. I hope I have as good of luck as you with your square stuff. I got it inside. In my tool box actually. Where it's dry and warm. And feels pretty elastic still
@@matthewb7049 You don't want it dry and warm... Did you not watch the video?
Sounds convincing to me. I know which string I’ll be buying next. Thanks for the info.
@@randallsmerna384 It's trimmer wire. I'm not going to lose sleep over if my trimmer wire is brittle or Not. Materials have come along way in 10 years. All these people saying there 10 year old recycled Pepsi bottle trimmer wire from wall mart is brittle well no duhh.
@@matthewb7049 Actually it is still nylon and nylon has always been hygroscopic.
The hydration definitely works. I inherited a 32v works trimmer that would break quickly with .065 ribbed or round string, so I modified it to accept .095 string and added a set screw to prevent the self feed mechanism from overfeeding. I can now effectively trim just about anything without breaking for much longer than I ever thought possible. When the string does break, I loosen the self feed screw and carefully restore the line, and if careful, I can go hours without breaking a string, including thin woody weeds and against rocks and concrete. Thks for the posting a truthful and helpful video
My dad made a trimmer attachement for his drill/driver using an old hole saw and heavy duty fishing line... Tie the line through holes in the hole saw, put the bit in the chuck, trim your edges. You can also use cable ties instead of fishing line.
Wear saftey goggles because the cuttings fly everywhere.
I tried to use push bike brake cable in my little old 21cc Mc Collough ( However it's spelt ) when I was 15 and it was so off-balance it near tore out of my arms LMOA
One more reason for trimmer line breakage: Running at full throttle and hitting against concrete walkways will heat the string where it exits the eyelet and weaken it until it breaks off at that point.
Honesty and pragmatism...manufacturers probably hate you ! lol
That is pretty fresh and that for sure helps your customers to make the right choices and come back to your shop. That is the right way to build a long term business !
I love that !
Hi Chickanic - I wanted to say thank you for your advice on both changing to round line and soaking your cord even if it is new. It was very helpful advice.
I have a 36V Bosch trimmer in which I was using some old Stihl 0.095 square line. It was hard to load into the head as it kept snagging on its edges and of course square line has a lot less body than the equivalent round line. Since I had owned my reel of line for about four years (and who knows how long it had sat on a shelf before that) it was dry and I seemed to go through quite a lot of it. Having replaced it with Echo 0.095 round line and pre-soaked the entire reel I am very impressed. I tackled some coarse dried tussocks of grass in a paddock as a test and the round line was barely marked and not eroded. The square Stihl would have done the job but shortened considerably.
I have also treated myself to an Echo Speed Feed for which I am still seeking the correct bushing since I am in the UK. My Bosch uses a M10 x 1.0 LH thread which would be the green Shindaiwa bushing but most non-US Speed Feeds are the Echo brand and come with only the group of Echo M10 x 1.25 LH bushings. No worries - Amazon US to UK will provide.
Once again - thanks from this side of the pond!
It all makes sense about solid round line and 3 sided line.
No more sided line for me.
Thanks for the tip👍
Always wondered about the relative merits of round vs other line types you've now explained clearly. Many thanks Chickanic for the great tips! The comments below also useful. [Rob from Sydney, Australia]
I have noticed that my trimmer line with the edges will actually friction weld itself together in the head before breaking off. I have changed to the round line with much better results. By the way, by rehydrating the line has actually helped relieve the problem too. Thanks for the tip!
Loved both tips about hydrating your bulk line spool (even if it is brand new) and using only round line to avoid binding in the head....which is what I have run into with the line that has edges. Thanks much!
I am a landscape contractor and have been for many many years. I am 80 years old and the best trimmer line that I have found for my business is Black Diamond 105.. It works for me.
I found a great trimmer line, it's made by Oregon, .095" size, round line, a 288' roll sells for around $23.00. The best thing is it's tough plastic trimmer line with a Magnum Gatorline fiber core. It lasts a very long time. The other thing I've learned is if you run the line more than 5 minutes, if it doesn't break, it weakens where it comes out of the line holder hub. This usually has a metal ring and the line gets weak there. To cure that I release more line, about an inch or so to get a fresh line at the ring point. That way I'm not fighting with line that breaks off and I have to disassemble the line holder and rewind it.
Great content as always.
I have one additional tip.
When using a bump feed type head bump more often so that the trimmer line doesn't get so close to the head. The line does develop heat and when it is short or close to the head it transfers that heat into the spool and causes it to fuse together in the spool.
Plus the trimmer does the best job when the string is at the proper length... IMHO -taking the guard off to have more string is a bad idea for a few reasons - 1 safety, 2 the longer string can bog the unit down-fouling up the exhaust/spark arrester...3. doesn't perform optimally - the manufacturer tests their equipment and designed it to be 17 or 18 inches for a reason...if it performed better at 22" they would have made it that way...
@@kirkthebeerslinger I totally agree
I only buy echo trimmer with high torque with and not to heavy a string. That being said you are right about exhaust bogging down. I usually take it off and clean the gunk twice a year either way to keep it running smooth because you go through less string and do less damage when touching anything. I've never kept a guard on.
Great advice @Del Seckora
@@kirkthebeerslinger I tried a length ( the right Length ) of push bike brake cable wire in a industrial whipper Snipper when I was 'Stihl' learning common sense and she went into an insane speed wobble and damn near tore my arms off. Lesson Learned 🤣🤣
I learn something useful every time I listen. I hydrated my line spool as soon as I heard this.
I’ve worked in high end lawn maintenance, and tried quite a few different styles of string. For the average user round line will work fine, but if you wanna crisp clean cut on your edges the twisted string makes a difference.
I've been in business for over 4 years now and I've tried quite a few different types of line. I saw another youtuber suggest Black Vortex and I tried it out and I've been really impressed with it and have used it for 2 years now. it just seems to last forever. As long as you don't hit any fences or pavement you rarely have to bump. A 3lbs spool can last me nearly a year
I switched to twisted several years ago because the star and square cut very good but they wear the head eyelets a lot.
Just goes to show that even an old dog like me can always learn something new. Been a mechanic for 40+ yrs now, and I never knew that the plastic in trimmer lines was permeable enough to soak up enough water to make it more durable. Good tip. Thank you.
your comment should be pinned.
@@Susan70003
Sure, why not.
Trimmer lines.....I did try water treatment for a day, dry it and then apply silicone spray outside the house and store these 15 ft cut lines in ziplock bags. THEY work REAALY great......made a HUGE difference. Now just one load lasts 5-6 times longer and they cut grass really well. I think brittle lines break easily and the water treatment + silicone application helped a great deal. I also applied the red silicone grease and the machine runs smoothly. Don't forget to clean the spool part with a hose on a regular basis. Great video, maam!
I guess most people dont read the owners manual. But last trimmer i bought the manual said it could be helpful to soke the line in a bucket of water.
Same, my trimmer mower from DR says to soak the line in water every time you change it
"soke"???
I have used many types of trimmer line and you are correct it all depends on how old the line is. It would be nice if there was a date of manufacture on the line package.
Thank you for telling us about hydrating trimmer line I have been trimming for over 30 years and I had no idea. Thanks
Used and tried a lot of trimmer line over the years. I agree round trimmer line in .095 - .105 is the way to go. Depending on how powerful your trimmer is. Also when you soak trimmer line in water do it for around 2 1/2 days. 8 - 24 hours will not get you the full effect. At least that is what I've found.
Correct…2 days minimum!
Thank you for that added tip. She had not stated how long to soak the line. Appreciate your thoughtfulness.
I'd be interested to find out how well this idea would work:
Store preloaded heads in a ziplock bag or Tupperware tubs with a wet wad of paper towels.
It's a little difficult to keep up a roll of trimmer line in a bucket of water 24/7.
I leave mine in water for about a week. Only because I forgot about it. I'm using 5yrs+ trimmer line now. I soak it at the beginning of the season & Aug. .095 & .105
@@rellmonger7935 I've done that also (forgot about it). Even longer than a week does not seem to hurt it. Far better than dried out trimmer line.
Excellent summary! I've tried the different shaped line thinking it would have a "cutting edge". I cannot tell the difference and what really matters to me over many hours of use is durability and feed ability. I just don't want to stop and fuss with it very often when I am roaming over four acres and cutting in rough terrain.
NO POINTED TRUTH, EVER SAID. fuss with that stuff......good one ! My xperiences, Xactly.......I have several spinheads. loaded up. When needed, just take oneoff, put oneon.........
Use a .155 line in a good stihl
@@leethomas8839 And stay away from cable tv and telephone lines, garden hoses, vinyl siding, park your car around the corner and watch a couple youtube vids on how to change out a window pane. Above all wear a face shield when you get out the GIANT line. I used some of that in a Robin NB-26 with a manual feed head and you could eat your way through any size green tree. Ease in and grind away. I used that when I had to go through a lot of saplings and 8 foot tall weeds. Man that was violent! It will launch gravel like bullets! I think you could stand in a gravel driveway, rev up and in one swipe take out every window on one side of a house. LOL You will have bruised shins.
I got a Stihl KM-94r (awesome machine) and use a sickle bar attatchment on it for saplings and vines now. Much faster and does not sling poison ivy everywhere like a line does. I use the cleaner/lube about every 15 minutes and that sickle has lasted for years so far, way longer than I expected the way I have been abusing it. It will cut up to about 3/4 inch green or 5/8 seasoned wood. Bad thing with a sickle bar is that it will cut barbed or chain link wire. I run it at part throttle so it does not cut the wire or ding the blade too bad. It will ding the blade but the blade will survive and keep on cutting. It does not cut fine grass so well, line would be way faster for that.
When I finally do wear this one out I will get the shorter version that has the guard on the end. I dont know that I will like the guard but the hedger is pretty heavy and awkward.
Thanks Bre, this video has saved me a lot of time and money now I know to soak older line in water to rehydrate it. 😊
Inspect your trimmer head eyelets! Many times with heavy use they wear with a groove where the line travels and if the line goes outside that worn groove, it will shear off against the sharp edge of the groove.
The other issue usually occurs when working WITHOUT a trimmer guard, - the LINE inside the trimmer head will heat up and "weld/melt together" inside the trimmer head requiring disassembly to free up the line and break the weld. It can happen under a heavy or tough work load (long grass or long extended trimmer lines or both), working in high summer temperatures and/or with a overloaded trimmer head. Any one or a combination of conditions can cause welding. Working with a trimmer guard helps to reduce this. >> Personally I don't use the guard but I try to avoid the above situations. I use the .105 gauge line. Nothing wrong with storing your extra or backup line in a bucket of water with a tight fitting lid, until you need it.
Many years ago i bought a spool of the Stihl 4 sided line always used the round prior run it in my Stihl fs90 i find that for me it seems to cut really thick and dense stuff better but otherwise not a lot of difference !! I think it matters more the right size and how many cc your trimmer is based on what you're doing with it !
Thanks for this advice. I have a Husqvarna Battery trimmer and a very small lawn to keep.
After 32 years in business (in Australia) selling and servicing outdoor power equipment we sold thousands of metres of trimmer line. I found that there are definitely different qualities in trimmer line brands, we did experiment with different brands and some are definitely better than others. Our best seller was the ‘Star shaped line’ but as you stated you can’t compare the outside diameter to ‘Round line’ go up at least one size, although I am now retired and sold my business, I still have a roll of ‘Star’ line that is about 3 yrs old and works perfectly. The sharp edges on the star line do cut much better in heavy grass. For small electric trimmers I would recommend sticking with the round .065. As to trimmer heads, take a look at the Makita brand, it’s an Auto feed with tap & go function, very easy to reload with slotted eyelets, although mine is only used domestically it is over 12yrs old and works a treat.
I use the Echo quick load trimmer head and it takes less than a minute to load with 20' of line and the bump and go is flawless.
My Makita head is a nightmare when trying to undo it and worse when you try to replace it.
I prefer .095 for my electric trimmer...not all electric trimmers are weak...some are actually way to powerful imo...for home owners with normal yards electric trimmers are great..
I have tried all the shapes of trimmer line. But realistically once you begin trimming the line’s ends wear down quickly so I agree the round makes the best sense. Thanks
Plus have you noticed the line Echo puts in the Speed Feed to get you started? Round
Last season i bought a $15.00 small spool or medium spool of trimmer line that cuts really nice and crisp
Great video! I have two Echo trimmers. They are very rugged and reliable! My dealer told me to put the line in a bucket of water! Really works. I, too, have run a lot of different brands of line. I found the Black Diamond line to be really great. Even brittle, it out lasts others. You just reminded me to keep mine hydrated. I have had the string melt together in the head. Thanks for the great info! Lee
This video made my day! There is nothing worse than having the line break or melt inside the trimming head. I always trim at the end of my yard work which equates to being dog-dead-tired!😂 I’m excited to try this! Thanks for the tip!
Great content, no nonsense what a breath of fresh air. Thanks
What a GREAT TIP! Hate to admit I've been tossing perfectly good line for no reason... . Also thanks for the heads up on replacing OE heads with the Speed Feed units - haven't had the issues that I did with the original (Stihl Auto-Cut 25) one.
You're not the only one! Everyone throws it away. Glad I could help!
@@Chickanic Shakespeare Ugly Line is the best string I have found and that's what that 3 LB spool of yellow triangle shaped line is.
I dont throw my lines alway cause line its not cheap
I bought one after her last video on the speed feed head, what a great unit! Wish I had known about it sooner
In most cases I agree that round line is as good as any other. However, I bought a house recently that had several areas of English ivy that was overgrown and needed to be removed. The vines were very wiry so I went ahead and got the Black Diamond line and it out performed the round line.
❤the channel because you are real about the things you see.
Thanks for the tip, I'll be soaking my line this week since drying out is a real thing here in the Valley of the Sun Arizona. I don't know how many rolls I have thrown out because they kept snapping off.
I use a Stihl FS 130R, that I've had for several years. It's the perfect combination of power, weight and versatility for me to trim and edge my acre of property. (I owned a landscape maintenance business for several years, back in the early 2000s and used larger trimmers, also.) I've always used the "tap and go" heads. I've used many different trimmer lines. For whatever reason, the .095 Stihl Square trimmer line has out performed all of the other lines I've used. I rarely get binding or melt inside the head. I live in a pretty humid climate, so I've also never dealt with line breaking from being brittle, even though I buy it in 3lb spools that take several years to use. As far as noticeable "cut performance", I've never really noticed any difference in any of the lines I've used...........but I never looked at the grass through a magnifying glass, either....😄. Nice info. Liked and subbed.
So glad I found your channel! I am a tool rental associate at Home Depot and have just applied for the tool technician job starting in December,2024 and am studying how to work on all the tools! Your channel is so fun to binge watch!!
I run echo Black Diamond .105 in my Sthil fS131 machines. This combo is a BEAST of a spark free brush clearing setup! I've tried all other lines and my personal opinion is it is the FASTEST cut out of all brands, taking clear times down considerably. That being said, it is NOT the most durable, I have found a good round line of same diameter is more durable, lasts longer, but not as fast. I prefer the speed of the cut on the black diamond line, as I have multiple bump head spools pre-strung and ready to exchange quickly while in the field thus resulting in less run time on machines and fuel costs in the long run.
Like the Black Diamond as well. Find it doesn't dry out like the others, cuts easier, seems to take less throttle for the same amount of work.
I run the Black Diamond .095 in my Sthils FS-130R and 131R and I think for my use it's the best thing I've found so far (2 years of using this line now) and I've tried about every Quality line out there over the years. I do 30+ hrs of weedeating every 2 weeks not counting my own and I do everything from yards to road banks and ditch lines (I have 2 of them that are a quarter mile long each) to overgrown lots and fence rows with waist high grass and weeds and this line eats it all! On the Sthils if the head is barely spinning the line is cutting for sure...love my Sthils the 130 is going on 6 years old and God knows how many hours on it and the 131 is a little over 3 years old now and I did have to replace the steel drive shaft inside the aluminum tube on it but I do run a brush blade on it quite a bit and cut some pretty rough stuff so I can't complain about it lol!
Many years ago, over 20, I was employed by a manufacturer of urethane panels, within those panels were locking devices, and within those devices were poly components..It was part of my duties to ensure that the flow of these materials were inbound to assemblers and landed at our location. Having to modify on occasion the components I developed a relationship with vendors in the plastics industry and picked up truck and tips, one of those involved nylon and it’s quirky hygroscopic characteristics, yes the water soak trick does increase its elasticity and elongation, it does decrease its strength overall but not appreciably, it will absorb up to about 8 percent of the moisture if saturated…, just leaving the product in a moist environment does help, zip ties, weed cord, etc. all benefit, there are other tricks for plastics but not related to this so the moisture trick does indeed work.
I had my trimmer wire for about seven years, and yes it started to break continuously, I put it in water for a few days, and it hasn’t snapped since, great tip, thanks.
I totally agree and did come to my own decision a few years back that the edged-line did like to bind up on itself. I still have a spool of it and will occasionally put it in my toro trimmer but decided that I would go back to the round line which binds up much less often than the three-edged-line I bought years ago. I also very much appreciate the the secret of rehydrating the trim line to keep it from being so brittle. I will have to try it this coming growing season which still is a few months away here in Minnesota.
Spray some Pam nonstick cooking oil on the spooled string.
Interesting point you make about line drying out. I'm in Australia and do a fair amount of trimming around fence lines, banks, trees and a small dam. I have 30+ years practice doing this. We have had a lot of third party brand lines available here over the years, but I have learnt to stick with Stihl or similar high level brand line in high capacity rolls and buy a year in advance of needing it so that it has time to "mature". I normally get about 2 years form a 1KG roll (2.2 pounds) if I let it mature, so at the end of a roll it would be about three years since purchase. I find that even the premium brands can be brittle if used soon after purchase, but work well once matured.
Used to fly model airplanes with nylon props. We would boil them first, then keep them wrapped in damp cloth and plastic film to retain moisture. Once they aged for 2-3 years the color would change from milky white to a yellowish color and hold up better without breaking.
I learned the edged line doesn't feed well from my trimmer head, thanks for the hyfration tip. Now off to throw a roll into a bucket of water and give it a whirl! ;)