Scything
Scalping and edging
Trimming operation
1.
Angle to wall
2.
Debris
3.
Knife side raised
4.
Angle to ground
This is the cutting or mowing of large grassy areas by sweep-
ing or swinging the trimmer in a level arc. Use a smooth, easy
motion. Do not try to hack or chop down the grass. Tilt the ny-
lon line cutting head to direct the debris away from you on the
scything stroke. Then return without cutting grass for another
stroke. If you are well protected and do not care whether some
debris is thrown in your direction, you may scythe in both di-
rections.
Both of these are done with the nylon line cutting head tilted at
a steep angle. Scalping (A) is removing top growth, leaving the
earth bare. Edging (B) is trimming the grass back where it has
spread over a pavement or driveway. During both edging and
scalping, hold the unit at a steep angle in a position where the
debris, and any dislodged dirt and stone, will not come back
towards you even if it ricochets off the hard surface.
Although the pictures show how to edge and scalp, every op-
erator must find for himself the angles which suit his body size
and cutting situation.
For nearly all cutting, it is good to tilt the nylon line cutting head
so that contact is made on the part of line circle where the line
is moving away from you and the shield (See appropriate pic-
ture). This results in the debris being thrown away from you.
Tilting the head to the wrong side will shoot the debris toward
you. If the nylon line cutting head is held flat to the ground so
that cutting occurs on the whole line circle, debris will be
thrown at you, drag will slow the engine, and you will use up a
lot of line.
Nylon line cutting head rotates anticlockwise. The knife will be
on the left side of the shield.
1. Debris
2. Cut on this side
Do not push the line into tough weeds, trees, or wire fences.
Pushing the line into chicken wire, chain link fencing or thick
brush can result in snapped-off line ends being hurled back at
the operator. The proper way is to cut right up to a barrier, such
as any of those mentioned, but never run the line into or
through the obstruction. Do not cut closely to obstruction or
barrier.
Avoid nylon line contact with broken wire fencing. Pieces of
wire broken off by the trimmer can be hurled at high speeds.
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