English
To cut wild growth and scrub, lower the
rotating brush knife down onto the
growth to achieve a chopping effect –
but keep the tool below waist height at
all times.
WARNING
Exercise extreme caution when using
this method of cutting. The higher the
cutting attachment is off the ground, the
greater the risk of loss of control and of
cuttings being thrown sideways.
Use the power tool like a scythe to cut
grass, i.e. sweep it to and fro in an arc.
WARNING
When cutting woody materials, use the
left side of the blade to avoid "kickout"
(blade thrust) situations.
WARNING
Improper use of a brush knife may cause
it to crack, chip or shatter. Thrown blade
fragments may seriously or fatally injure
the operator or bystanders. To reduce
the risk of injury, avoid contact with hard
or solid foreign objects such as stones,
rocks or pieces of metal.
14
WARNING
When cutting young saplings or other
woody materials up to 2 cm (3/4 in.) in
diameter, use the left side of the blade to
avoid "kickout" situations (see section
on "Risk of kickout (blade thrust) with all
rigid cutting blades"). Do not attempt to
cut woody material with a larger
diameter, since the blade may catch or
jerk the power tool forward. This may
cause damage to the blade or power tool
or loss of control of the power tool,
resulting in personal injury. Use a
circular saw blade for such work.
WARNING
Inspect the brush knife at regular short
intervals for signs of damage. Do not
continue working with a damaged brush
knife. Resharpen the brush knife
regularly (when it has dulled noticeably).
Using the Circular Saw Blade
Circular saw blades are suitable for
thinning brush and cutting small trees up
to a diameter of 4 cm (1 1/2 in.). Do not
attempt to cut trees with larger
diameters, since the blade may catch or
jerk the trimmer / brushcutter forward.
This may cause damage to the blade or
loss of control of the power tool and
result in serious injury. Use a chain saw
for such work.
WARNING
To reduce the risk that the blade will
crack and / or break, avoid all contact
with stones, rocks or the ground.
Sharpen blades in a timely manner as
specified – dull teeth may cause the
blade to crack or shatter.
When a trimmer / brushcutter with a
circular saw blade is used to cut down
small trees, STIHL recommends that the
standard deflector be removed and
replaced by the special limit stop
deflector (see chapter on "Mounting the
Deflector"). This limit stop helps to keep
the unit positioned against the tree
during the cutting process.
Inexperienced users should place the
left side of the stop against the tree trunk
before beginning to cut. This will keep
the trimmer / brushcutter against the tree
during the cutting operation and will
reduce the risk of loss of control and
possible kickout (described above and
briefly again below).
Before starting the cut, accelerate the
engine up to full throttle. Perform cut
with uniform pressure. STIHL
recommends that the circular saw blade
FS 240, FS 240 R