Grass shears

[polygonum_on_google]

I'm hoping to find an alternative to a crappy strimmer I currently have available.

Many years ago, I tried a grossly under-powered but cheap grass shear device - like a mini-headge cutter. It worked but was incredibly slow and had dreadful battery life.

The target usage is the edges of the lawn. Where the mower simply doesn't manage.

I looked around and found far fewer than I expected. One apparently decent device was this Makita:

Model DUM604 is 160mm a cordless grass shear powered by LXT 18V Li-ion battery.

Some criticisms of the Makita made me hesitant. Like weight. Cost of long handle. Indeed, cost of the device itself! (I don't have any higher power rechargeable batteries - still use an old Bosch from NiMH days. So would have to factor in cost of batter and charger.)

Any suggestions?

[charles]

I have a G-Tech strimmer for edges. It has the advantage that you turn the cutting action to vertical and deal with the whole edge, not just the top. It will be inits 4th summer this year.

[polygonum_on_google]

Thanks. Had seen that in the past, but missed it as I was looking over past few days.

All my edges are up against something - a wall, a bank, a paved area. So no need for the vertical facility!

Do you have to replace the blade regularly?

[charles]

It uses special "strings" which are supposedly supplied free. I haven't had to get any more; I'm still on the initial supply. Very easy to replace.

[John Rumm]

Those are ok from what I hear, but not really designed for your application (unless you fancy the prospect of bending over for extended periods to hold it down at ground level).

I would have thought a cordless strimmer type of device would be more appropriate?

How many metres of edge do you need to cut? (what is easy to use for 10s may feel like a chore for 100s or 1000s - so the choice of device might change)

As with any cordless tool, the quality of the chargers and batteries have big impact on the experience. Once you have "bought into" a system, then additional tools get far more reasonable in price bought "body only".

Something like:

works well - I bought one for "light trimming" - as in when I can't be arsed to get out the petrol line trimmer, or for use by SWMBO and the sprogs who would not go near the petrol tools! It's actually fairly decent, not too heavy and you get a good run time from the Makita batteries. Unlike many "budget" trimmers the line feed system is robust and actually works.

Plenty good enough for grass trimming, although you would probably not want to go wading into dense undergrowth or brambles with it.

A more "pro" like handle layout would be more comfortable to use for more extensive trimming:

[The Natural Philosopher]

Some jobs aren't worth hauling a machine out for. I spend a pleasant half an hour with hand shears. Much less accidentally destructive than a strimmer

[Tim Lamb]

I bought an *end of season* replacement mower last year. Hoping for a reduced price and being disappointed:-(

We have metal lawn edging where practical. Sadly, the rear wheels on the mower are outboard of the cutting deck and very keen to drop over the edging. Not an issue with the old rear roller type.

Future edge trimming is not something mentioned in the sales blurb.

[polygonum_on_google]

I find the strimmer awkward and, as you say, too destructive. Some of the grass/weeds grows under shrubs which I don't wish to damage.

Although the scale is far from huge, I've always found the sort of physical action required for hand shears or scissors to be tiring and uncomfortable.

[polygonum_on_google]

Appreciated - but I wanted to avoid strimmer type. The one I've got is rubbish and, while I have used decent ones in the past, the whole nature is wrong for some of my needs.

[Chris Green]

I think you're after a virtually non-existent tool/machine. I have a similar issue (I think) on a larger scale, trimming around a large area of lawn and under (lower than they should be) trees in an orchard.

I have never (and I've been searching for 20 years or more) found a simple, 'easy' (as in not tiring) way of doing this.

In the main it comes down to 'some sort of strimmer', since I have a lot of various types to do I have more than one strimmer but which ever you use it's hard work. One of the better approaches I found was a Bosch grass trimmer with wheels but it wasn't really big and tough enough for my requirements. A strimmer with wheels *might* go some of the way to what you need though, much more controllable and less hard work when you don't have to support the business end.

[John Rumm]

Which only really leaves you various shear type cutting implement options.

You may find you can do what you need with a pole type hedge trimmer - that allows you to get down low, and parallel to the ground easily enough - although most don't cut right the very end.

You may even find that just a normal 0.5m - 0.6m long battery hedge trimmer will let you reach the ground with the tip of the blade.

Alternatively go with the traditional manual long handled grass edging shears.

[John Rumm]

You can get quite industrial sized wheeled line trimmers:

or getting more serious:

[Chris Green]

Yes, I know, but they're not what I meant. :-)

The Bosch I had was a conventional, lightweight, carry it about, strimmer, but it had a pair of wheels just above the strimmer head which made it (fairly) easy to feed under low trees etc. The ones above are far to big to fit under low trees etc.

[polygonum_on_google]

You could be right there!

[fred]

We have the Stihl version of this

also useful for mild topiary,

I got sucked into the Bosch 18v garden system. As I had 18v Blue tools assumed the batteries where interchangeable. Anyway got an 18v strimmer for when it wasn't worth taking out the petrol engine jobbie. I do not like at all. However haven't stumped up for the battery and the charger went ahead and got one of these

is much more useful IME

[Chris J Dixon]

Chris

[polygonum_on_google]

Yes - saw that. The previous similar device I tried was a cheap one (I think from Lidl but could be wrong). It worked but was incredibly weak and poor battery life. I know this Aldi thing is is much more powerful!

Two bottom ratings out of a total of nine doesn't inspire!

[polygonum_on_google]

Just to follow up:

I decided to bite and get the DUM604 - which arrived yesterday and has been used.

It does exactly what I need it to. As quite a lot of my grass abuts a wall, a strimmer is not ideal. And a mower simply doesn't cut close enough. It managed quite thick, thatch-like grass that has built-up for many months without difficulty. Managed under some shrubs. Yes, it could be tiring bending down to use it for long periods but it isn't too bad in terms of weight.

Will now be putting in for the second battery (current Makita offer). And one or two other Makita 18V tools now I have entered their ecosystem.

[John Rumm]

I suppose it ought not be too difficult to make a long handle for it so that you can use it without bending...

How much run time do you get on it with a full batt?

(I find I get a surprising amount on my hedge trimmers - easily enough to massacre three large pampas grass!)

[Jeff Layman]

Why? The line does wear more quickly when it hits a wall, and you might have to stop and extend it once or twice during a strim, but you can buy an awful lot of line for the for the price of the powered grass shears.