HS-75 Hedge trimmer sharpening

[stihl sawing]

I did a search and no matches came up, The dealers aren't open today so thought i would ask you guys. do the dealers sharpen these trimmers or some other place. Mine is getting kind of dull and it's my fault as i cut about everthing with it. I would like to get them back to original sharpness. These things are awesome, they will cut small trees. If it will fit in the cutters it will cut it. It will cut limbs and bushes about an inch across. It has been abused on heavy bushes and has hit fence and barbed wire. I thought about trying to do it myself but then thought if the bar is not filed straight it will not work. So i will find someone to do it hopefully a dealer will. If i have to buy a new bar that's fine too, Cause i use it quite often in the spring and summer. Also what's the best way to keep them oiled, I usually just spray a lubricant on then ever so often. Thanks for all your help.

 

[scotclayshooter]

I do mine with a 4 1/2" angle grinder.
I take the blades off and grind them back at the original angle just enough to make the cutting edge flat, As in the two flat areas that rub together.
There wil be some rounding on the flat edge that does the cutting so its just like sharpening a rocked chainsaw chain, You have to remove the damage.

Done my one and the bosses a good few times now.

BTW I have a Kawasaki hedge cutter not a trimmer so it lops off the big stuff no problem.
I have never seen a 2 stroke so easy to start its first pull every time!

 

[bluequill56]

My dealer told me it's better to just replace them. But in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "Anything can be sharpened!" I've heard elsewhere it can be done, but I haven't found anyone near me locally that can do it. I'm guessing they would have to be surface ground?? I'm going to have to cross that bridge myself soon.

 

[scotclayshooter]

My dealer told me it's better to just replace them. But in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "Anything can be sharpened!" I've heard elsewhere it can be done, but I haven't found anyone near me locally that can do it. I'm guessing they would have to be surface ground?? I'm going to have to cross that bridge myself soon.

Replace them !!!!!!!!!
Mine are £100 $140 for the pair!

You can sharpen them on the trimmer with a raker file they dont seem to be very hard.

Theres been teeth knocked off on a few occasions and i have shortened the blades by 10" they were 30" to start with!

 

[stihl sawing]

Replace them !!!!!!!!!
Mine are £100 $140 for the pair!

You can sharpen them on the trimmer with a raker file they dont seem to be very hard.

Yikes! I may have to try to sharpen them for that. My problem is i don't have a grinder but i do have an angle grinder. But i will probably screw em up. If i do can i just ship them to you to do.lol

 

[scotclayshooter]

Yikes! I may have to try to sharpen them for that. My problem is i don't have a grinder but i do have an angle grinder. But i will probably screw em up. If i do can i just ship them to you to do.lol

Yep a hand held angle grinder, All you have to do is follow the shape of the trimmer blade nice and flat with a new disc.
Then when you put it all back together wear glasses and rev that sucker up to remove the burrs.

 

[stihl sawing]

Yep a hand held angle grinder, All you have to do is follow the shape of the trimmer blade nice and flat with a new disc.
Then when you put it all back together wear glasses and rev that sucker up to remove the burrs.

Hmmm, Well if their ain't nobody around here that will do it, Guess i will give it a whirl. Got five dollars say i trash it lol So you just grind around the bad areas and then take a flat file and hit the bottom or the flat area.

 

[belgian]

Dismantle them and grind the teeth back to a straight edge with a thin wall disc grinder. I have done this several time with great results. You just have to move the grinder in a gentle swift motion as to avoid making cuts into the edge, and also maintain the correct angle. Do not grind on the backside, to keep the original cutting edge. If you have a slight burr, try to take it off with a piece of hardened wood or a grinding stone. Your blades will be as new, if you do it correctly.

I oil my blades always during operation, using a teflon based spray. Most important is to remove the green residu left on the blades after a certain amount of operation. Clean blades cut much better and save on the engine/clutch.

the:kilt: beat me to it !

 

[stihl86]

As stated above , a 4 1/2" hand grinder does a good job. Sometimes, the operator doesn't. It's a little tedious but not that bad. You might what to take a little off the blade spacers to get the blade clearance back, if they have been used in dirty conditions. It's mostly needed at the upper end. They are expensive to replace, for sure.

 

[scotclayshooter]

Hmmm, Well if their ain't nobody around here that will do it, Guess i will give it a whirl. Got five dollars say i trash it lol So you just grind around the bad areas and then take a flat file and hit the bottom or the flat area.

Just a light touch on the grinder required, Once you study how the blades work you will suss it out.
I would guess a Dremel would do the job and i think there was a kit for it for doing hedgetrimmer blades but my teeth were needing about 1mm taken off each face so i just used the 4 1/2" 115mm angle grinder.

 

[scotclayshooter]

As stated above , a 4 1/2" hand grinder does a good job. Sometimes, the operator doesn't. It's a little tedious but not that bad. You might what to take a little off the blade spacers to get the blade clearance back, if they have been used in dirty conditions. It's mostly needed at the upper end. They are expensive to replace, for sure.

I had to use slightly thicker washers on mine as the blade space was too big.

 

[stihl sawing]

I sure appreciate all the responses, Sounds like several of you sharpen your own. Guess it's like sharpening a chain your kinda scared the first time but after you learn how, it's easy.

 

[scotclayshooter]

Dismantle them and grind the teeth back to a straight edge with a thin wall disc grinder. I have done this several time with great results. You just have to move the grinder in a gentle swift motion as to avoid making cuts into the edge, and also maintain the correct angle. Do not grind on the backside, to keep the original cutting edge. If you have a slight burr, try to take it off with a piece of hardened wood or a grinding stone. Your blades will be as new, if you do it correctly.

I oil my blades always during operation, using a teflon based spray. Most important is to remove the green residu left on the blades after a certain amount of operation. Clean blades cut much better and save on the engine/clutch.

the:kilt: beat me to it !

I use engine oil each tankfull.
The sap is a pain but most of what we cut has no residue.

 

[scotclayshooter]

I sure appreciate all the responses, Sounds like several of you sharpen your own. Guess it's like sharpening a chain your kinda scared the first time but after you learn how, it's easy.

Yep.
My first attempt at sharpening a chain went really well.
I bought a Husky kit with the rollers and just followed the instructions

About 20 years ago now.

 

[stihl sawing]

Yep.
My first attempt at sharpening a chain went really well.
I bought a Husky kit with the rollers and just followed the instructions

About 20 years ago now.

You are one in a million, Most guys throw the instructions away.lol

 

[WildnCrazyGuy]

4 1/2 inch angle grinder is what I have heard, but do you use the grinding disc or I've heard the flap discs are what to use for this application. Any thoughts or details for those who use this method? Flap disc being??? I think like these?

 

[stihl sawing]

4 1/2 inch angle grinder is what I have heard, but do you use the grinding disc or I've heard the flap discs are what to use for this application. Any thoughts or details for those who use this method? Flap disc being??? I think like these?

That looks like a good idea, We will see what everybodt else says.

 

[scotclayshooter]

4 1/2 inch angle grinder is what I have heard, but do you use the grinding disc or I've heard the flap discs are what to use for this application. Any thoughts or details for those who use this method? Flap disc being??? I think like these?

Ive only ever used flap discs to strip paint or rust.
I would think they would be too wide to fit between the teeth of a hedgetrimmer.
I just use a new cutting disc not a grinding disc.
And its new only for the reach into the tooth.

 

[WildnCrazyGuy]

Anyone care to make a video of sharpening the hedge trimmer blades? To show us inexperienced newbies how it's done? I've got a new Stihl HS45 hedge trimmer and don't expect to have to sharpen them for a long while, but I bought my brother a used Stihl HS45 for a Christmas present and need to fix it up a bit and was going to try to take the blades off and go though it and was gonna try to sharpen them a bit if needed while I had them off, so this thread came along at the right time...

 

[stihl sawing]

Anyone care to make a video of sharpening the hedge trimmer blades? To show us inexperienced newbies how it's done? I've got a new Stihl HS45 hedge trimmer and don't expect to have to sharpen them for a long while, but I bought my brother a used Stihl HS45 for a Christmas present and need to fix it up a bit and was going to try to take the blades off and go though it and was gonna try to sharpen them a bit if needed while I had them off, so this thread came along at the right time...

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I'll watch it for sure. That would be a good little task to film the whole sharpenung though. I could make pic of me destoying one.LOL Don't have a video camera.