Does anyone know anything about gardening?

It is very much a ball ache

Cautionary note - metal strimmer blades are high risk. If you accidentally strim something hard, you may find shrapnel flying around. Steel toe cap boots and eye protection should be worn as a minimum.

I'm not being alarmist, I've seen the effects first hand.

Pond life
https://youtu.be/5YSKmMkQ7d0

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I’ve got steel toe cap boots and one of these. I’m also considering some sort of shin protection

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Is that video necessary?

Trying to inject a little dark humour into the thread. Obviously failed.
If it offends then I give up.

Epic wtf thread ———->

For those that really want to lose a toe, these(along with old chainsaw chain welded to a hub) used to be really popular for smashing up brambles etc.
The EU banned their sale back in 2012 after a few fatalities but easily acquired online.
They definitely do the job but really nothing short of medieval armour would be safe ;)

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scary. star blades were bad enough!

There doesn’t seem to be a fixing kit for the fs40 that fits any blades.

https://brushdestructor.com/
This is the real deal if you want to go pro with your strimming game :)
There’s an article on that page which goes into various blade types, apparently Stihl use a different sized arbor to everyone else to stop you using aftermarket blades. No doubt stepped collets/arbors exist though.

Going to stick with bosch plastic blades having read all the above.

I have the same strimmer and bought this brush cutting attachment.
Straight swap for the string head and loads more umph.

I would also like to add that in a rush last month I strimmed the garden wearing crocs instead of my usual rigger boots and right at the end caught my ankle. Lets just say it’s left a 3” scar that will remind me for the rest of my life what a tit I am.

I once shattered a 10ft sliding glass window in a customers garden while strimming. Good times.

I think I need an electric hedge trimmer to keep on top of the jungle which is encroaching from both neighbours. Corded probably.

Any recommendations?

I’ve seen these but thought the blades looked a bit flimsy

I bought a cheap black and Decker one about ten years ago, unbelievable but it's still going strong despite neglect and abuse.

Just wish I had bought something on a pole to get at higher stuff, this is my biggest regret.....

yeah, the pole option is worth considering.

Might be out of budget the stihl battery hedgetrimmers are really impressive. I help my dad every year cut his hedge and I can barely lift his petrol long arm jobbie so was pleasantly surprised if a bit sceptical when I saw he’d invested in a battery one. Total convert now.

Depends how many bricks you hit! I used mine yesterday to speed trim a pesky willow tree so they’re not too flimsy…

Mainly brambles that are causing the problems

I use a De Walt battery hedge trimmer for bramble clearance, a couple of batteries will do half an acre, it's also good for hedges...

NB: leather gauntlets are not optional.

ok, maybe battery is the way to go - i've not got a huge area to go at. like this?

https://www.sgs-engineering.com/catalog/product/view/id/11337/s/dewalt-dcm563p1-gb-18v-xr-cordless-hedge-trimmer-kit-5ah-battery-and-charger/

Sihl one a bit more £

https://www.londonpowertools.co.uk/garden-tools--machinery-z/hedge-trimmer-z10/stihl-hsa50-20-cordless-hedge-trimmer-set~stithsa50set