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Trimmer line -- whats the best?

#1

B

Bacon8r

Hey y'all. I was just wondering what you guys thought was the best trimmer line either for price, durability or quality. Also what's your favorite shape (circle, square, pentagon, whatever else). Interested to see the responses!


#2

exotion

exotion

Bacon8r said:
Hey y'all. I was just wondering what you guys thought was the best trimmer line either for price, durability or quality. Also what's your favorite shape (circle, square, pentagon, whatever else). Interested to see the responses!
Click to expand...

I'm cheap I get the 1 pound spools at harbor freight whe they go on sale for 3 dollars the circle works great lasts along time and leaves a nice cut


#3

lawn mower fanatic

lawn mower fanatic

Bacon8r said:
Hey y'all. I was just wondering what you guys thought was the best trimmer line either for price, durability or quality. Also what's your favorite shape (circle, square, pentagon, whatever else). Interested to see the responses!
Click to expand...

I use Echo .095 CrossFire line.

095-line.jpg


#4

Carscw

Carscw

I use xtreme titanium
Well worth the money.

image-1212728934.png

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))


#5

B

Bacon8r

Cool! Anyone else have an opinion?


#6

Ric

Ric

Most of the time I use the Stihl 095 X-line. If I get into some heavier stuff that needs trimming I go the the 105 Gator line I get both by the 5 lb spool. It's cheaper that way and keeps me from running back to the shop every other day.


#7

T

Toddkinchen

Test post. ...........


#8

P

putterman46

Bacon8r said:
Hey y'all. I was just wondering what you guys thought was the best trimmer line either for price, durability or quality. Also what's your favorite shape (circle, square, pentagon, whatever else). Interested to see the responses!
Click to expand...

I use a carbide tipped saw blade. cuts grass, brush,small trees,but is too far from you to be dangerous to you. However keep others and pets away.


#9

B

Bacon8r

putterman46 said:
I use a carbide tipped saw blade. cuts grass, brush,small trees,but is too far from you to be dangerous to you. However keep others and pets away.
Click to expand...

Long lasting, but not what I'm looking for. I want something that I can use to trim around trees and flowerbeds before mowing. Thanks though.


#10

P

putterman46

Bacon8r said:
Long lasting, but not what I'm looking for. I want something that I can use to trim around trees and flowerbeds before mowing. Thanks though.
Click to expand...

With this you won't need to worry about trees or flowerbeds, problem solved. LOL


#11

themowerking20

themowerking20

Any round .95 line.....holds it's shape better than any other...it lasts a while to.....but im currently running...husqvarna xp force line..and lovin it


#12

djdicetn

djdicetn

themowerking20 said:
Any round .95 line.....holds it's shape better than any other...it lasts a while to.....but im currently running...husqvarna xp force line..and lovin it
Click to expand...

I "think", without looking, that's the same line I use and it's very good. All I know is it is Husqvarna, it's Titanium and it's silver/grey in color.


#13

themowerking20

themowerking20

Yea it is made the same way...my line is like a dark metallic green...i like it because there isn't little flourescent pieces layin on the lawn after it hits the line cutter


#14

lawn mower fanatic

lawn mower fanatic

themowerking20 said:
...i like it because there isn't little flourescent pieces layin on the lawn after it hits the line cutter
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Yeah that can be annoying....:rolleyes:


#15

exotion

exotion

lawn mower fanatic said:
Yeah that can be annoying....:rolleyes:
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If you weed eat first the mower picks the pieces up I have never had that problem


#16

S

scottief

I use the Sthil .90 with the x pattern. the dealer told me about it and said everyone likes that one. They also told me to keep the line in water as if you keep it in your car the sun can make it brittle and break faster.


#17

davbell22602

davbell22602

The Desert Extrusion trimmer line is the best to use.


#18

jekjr

jekjr

We normally run the red that is on the large spools from Tractor Supply. We run the .105. It does a good job and it lasts pretty well.


#19

LawnBoy97

LawnBoy97

I personally like the Echo .095 line. I got the big spool, and it lasts a veryyy long time.


#20

Carscw

Carscw

LawnBoy97 said:
I personally like the Echo .095 line. I got the big spool, and it lasts a veryyy long time.
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I got a echo head for my husqvarna. It had the echo .095 line on it. Was not really impressed with it.


#21

exotion

exotion

I use the echo cross fire its decent. I think the .095 round trimmer line is the best... It's inexpensive it lasts forever and it cuts smooth. I do not recommend it for mowing down tall thick weeds tho.

I'm trying out one of those flat heads that you precut the 7" of line and feed it in manually so far I've been using a spooky of 1.05 and it mows down thick tall weeds like nothing I haven't had a chance to use it in normal grass conditions so time will tell


#22

O

OneMowTime

Shakespeare "Ugly Line" is the absolute best trimmer line I've been able to find locally. It leaves a very good finish cut on lawns (in weird spots where I can't fit a mower), and is also good for weed and brush work. I knock into wire field fencing with it regularly, and it holds up better than any other line I've tested. (Stihl line was the worst for durability in my opinion!) It will even cut blackberry vines if done correctly.

I just bought a roll... 800 ft I think. At the rate it holds up, even with 19 residential accounts and occasional rural brush clearing, that roll will probably last me 3 or 4 years.


#23

Gary5579

Gary5579

Bacon8r said:
Hey y'all. I was just wondering what you guys thought was the best trimmer line either for price, durability or quality. Also what's your favorite shape (circle, square, pentagon, whatever else). Interested to see the responses!
Click to expand...


I have tried many different brands, shapes, thicknesses, and colors of trimmer line. In my personal experience, Titanium line has always been the best performing trimmer line I have ever used. It is very durable, and lasts 10 times longer than most other lines I have used and you do not have to restring nearly as often. I don't know if anyone else agrees, but for me this is the best I have seen. Thanks.


#24

B

bertsmobile1

More important than which line is how you store & use it.
If you are domestic user and buy a big spool keep it under water.
Trimmer line is cellulose based plastic so it biodegrades.
It is also heavily hydrated ( has a lot of included water ) and will dry out and go brittle if exposed to air and will do this a lot quicker at higher temperaures and in direct sunlight.
VU from the sunlight also attacks the plastic. so dark, cool & wet is best storage.

Next is how you use it.
Domestic users tend to run the line till it breaks off.
This causes the line inside the spool to fret and weld together which decrases its strength dramatically when you finly get the !*##!@* out of the trimmer head.
So if you are using a self feeding head, bump it very regularly ( about every 20 to 30 seconds ) and you will get the best out of whatever line you use.
You also will save a lot of time as you will always be cutting with the full length of line the head will spin and not be spending 1/2 your time pulling the head apart to retrieve the broken off end.
The smaller 1/2" to 1" bits than end up n the lawn will be less obvious particularly if you use a black line which because it is black will brake down faster.
I spend a lot of time teaching my customers how to use their trimmers properly and it is amazing that some who used to go through 1lb reels every season are now back to a 4 oz donut pack.

As for shape, the twisted line is quieter and IMHO lasts longer & cuts better.
In theory the star, triangle & square sections should cut cleaner but I hane tried them all and have not seen any significant difference,


#25

exotion

exotion

bertsmobile1 said:
More important than which line is how you store & use it.
If you are domestic user and buy a big spool keep it under water.
Trimmer line is cellulose based plastic so it biodegrades.
It is also heavily hydrated ( has a lot of included water ) and will dry out and go brittle if exposed to air and will do this a lot quicker at higher temperaures and in direct sunlight.
VU from the sunlight also attacks the plastic. so dark, cool & wet is best storage.

Next is how you use it.
Domestic users tend to run the line till it breaks off.
This causes the line inside the spool to fret and weld together which decrases its strength dramatically when you finly get the !*##!@* out of the trimmer head.
So if you are using a self feeding head, bump it very regularly ( about every 20 to 30 seconds ) and you will get the best out of whatever line you use.
You also will save a lot of time as you will always be cutting with the full length of line the head will spin and not be spending 1/2 your time pulling the head apart to retrieve the broken off end.
The smaller 1/2" to 1" bits than end up n the lawn will be less obvious particularly if you use a black line which because it is black will brake down faster.
I spend a lot of time teaching my customers how to use their trimmers properly and it is amazing that some who used to go through 1lb reels every season are now back to a 4 oz donut pack.

As for shape, the twisted line is quieter and IMHO lasts longer & cuts better.
In theory the star, triangle & square sections should cut cleaner but I hane tried them all and have not seen any significant difference,
Click to expand...

Ummmm first I store a large spool in a black lock box exposed to direct sunlight and extreme heat it never goes brittle. And if you bump the head every 20-30 seconds your wasting your money. I say buy your trimmer line whatever brand you use. Full your spool up properly.(so many home owners wind up string wrong causing it to tangle twist etc) and learn to weedeat I can go 2-3 entire lawns and not even bump the head once...


#26

Carscw

Carscw

I put 20 feet of line on the spool about every 60 yards. And most yards have chain link fence. If I was to bump it every 20 to 30 seconds I would use a spool a yard. That would cost around $20 a day.

I store my line in the cab if the truck.


#27

Ric

Ric

exotion said:
Ummmm first I store a large spool in a black lock box exposed to direct sunlight and extreme heat it never goes brittle. And if you bump the head every 20-30 seconds your wasting your money. I say buy your trimmer line whatever brand you use. Full your spool up properly.(so many home owners wind up string wrong causing it to tangle twist etc) and learn to weedeat I can go 2-3 entire lawns and not even bump the head once...
Click to expand...


I'd have to more agree with bertsmobile1. Whether you the bump the head of your trimmer every 20 or 30 seconds or once a minute is irrelevant. I think the amount of line one uses is going to be determined by what your trimming. The guy that has or trims plain Flowerbeds, Trees etc. will use a lot less line than say a guy that Trims a concrete block house or Flowerbeds with decorative block for perimeters or maybe uses his trimmer to clean out expansion joints in drives or even edge a sidewalk which is ridiculous IMO. It just depends on what your doing and how nice of an appearance you want to leave.


#28

exotion

exotion

Ric said:
I'd have to more agree with bertsmobile1. Whether you the bump the head of your trimmer every 20 or 30 seconds or once a minute is irrelevant. I think the amount of line one uses is going to be determined by what your trimming. The guy that has or trims plain Flowerbeds, Trees etc. will use a lot less line than say a guy that Trims a concrete block house or Flowerbeds with decorative block for perimeters or maybe uses his trimmer to clean out expansion joints in drives or even edge a sidewalk which is ridiculous IMO. It just depends on what your doing and how nice of an appearance you want to leave.
Click to expand...

You just like arguing with me;)


#29

B

bertsmobile1

Being a retailer I get slightly differnt insructions regarding storage and service life of trimmer line than what is printed on the pack.
If your current regeime is working for you well and good.
Professionals go through a lot of trimmer line so it is always a lot fresher than a domestic user.
Wound close onto a spool, line stores better than in a doughnut blow moulded pack.
Professionals also use bigger commercial grade trimmers with a lot thicker line than the small motor even electric trimmers used domestically.
However the material handleing procedures for optimal storeage & useage life still stand.
If you advance the line enough to stop the line snapping at ferrule then well & good you are at one wth your trimmer.
Domestic users who do less than 1 hour trimming week never get to the same level of competence .
Commercial users can usually tell by the sound of the trimmer when the line needs to be advanced if not by the cutting quality.
Domestic users first hint is when the trimmer stops cutting or they get a kick back as the trimmer line goes flying over the fence.
The OP was a domestic user and there is a good chance using a Ryobi Lawn Hornet ( worlds largest selling trimmer ) not a $ 400 Sthil or Honda.
You are using it properly I am selling it to customers with no idea and the biggest complaint I get is "the line won't feed".
I sell a lot of Dragonfly trimmer heads because the customers insist they want a pre cut line head because "none of these wound up things work"


#30

Ric

Ric

bertsmobile1 said:
Being a retailer I get slightly different instructions regarding storage and service life of trimmer line than what is printed on the pack.
If your current regime is working for you well and good.
Professionals go through a lot of trimmer line so it is always a lot fresher than a domestic user.
Wound close onto a spool, line stores better than in a doughnut blow molded pack.
Professionals also use bigger commercial grade trimmers with a lot thicker line than the small motor even electric trimmers used domestically.
However the material handling procedures for optimal storage & usage life still stand.
If you advance the line enough to stop the line snapping at ferrule then well & good you are at one with your trimmer.
Domestic users who do less than 1 hour trimming week never get to the same level of competence .
Commercial users can usually tell by the sound of the trimmer when the line needs to be advanced if not by the cutting quality.
Domestic users first hint is when the trimmer stops cutting or they get a kick back as the trimmer line goes flying over the fence.
The OP was a domestic user and there is a good chance using a Ryobi Lawn Hornet ( worlds largest selling trimmer ) not a $ 400 Stihl or Honda.
You are using it properly I am selling it to customers with no idea and the biggest complaint I get is "the line won't feed".
I sell a lot of Dragonfly trimmer heads because the customers insist they want a pre cut line head because "none of these wound up things work"
Click to expand...

As far as storing trimmer line, mine gets stored on the spool handler on the trimmer rack and yes there's a big difference in how much line the Domestic user and the commercial guy will use. I go through two 5lb rolls a season.


#31

jekjr

jekjr

We bought a large spool of the Echo line last year. It is .105. We are still using off of that spool. Right now we have 65 properties on our schedule. One is a cemetery.

We store that spool in our trailer on a spool mounted right inside the side door. We run any where from one to at times three weedeaters at the time.

I highly recommend the Echo line.


#32

B

bigd40

husqvarna titanium is very strong long lasting. cuts like any round string. it is stiff. never had trouble with it though


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