Recommended Brush Blades for Stihl FS 311

[JD Guy]

Hi, new member here and thankful for all of the useful information that I have found and used! I am looking for some GOOD brush and small tree blades for my brush cutter. The ones I have used from Stihl are quite frankly junk. About two or three 1" diameter trees and they need to be sharpened. I notice several on the internet but would appreciate some first hand user advice. My cuter has a 20mm arbor. Thanks! Ed

 

[SawTrash]

Dirt is the enemy with any of the metal blades - and rocks.

I use these with my Honda 4 stroke UMK435 -
https://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-t...-saw-blade-chisel-tooth-High-Performance.aspx
Yes they go dull rather quickly but can be sharpened with just a handfile in a couple of minutes, and they are cheap enough.

Any green saplings bigger than 2 inch get done with a chainsaw, which also dulls quick if it hits dirt.

If someone else was paying for my equipment I would try some of the carbide tipped blades.

 

[ATH]

I have the Husqvarna Scarlet blade (on a Husqvarna 555FX - which is a significantly bigger saw) and it works great. I sharpen it every other tank of gas. Easy to sharpen with the file.

 

[JD Guy]

Dirt is the enemy with any of the metal blades - and rocks.

I use these with my Honda 4 stroke UMK435 -
https://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-t...-saw-blade-chisel-tooth-High-Performance.aspx
Yes they go dull rather quickly but can be sharpened with just a handfile in a couple of minutes, and they are cheap enough.

Any green saplings bigger than 2 inch get done with a chainsaw, which also dulls quick if it hits dirt.

If someone else was paying for my equipment I would try some of the carbide tipped blades.

Thanks Sawtrash, I keep my chains and blades out of the dirt and avoid rocks as much as humanly possible . As I age (my back, knees and shoulders ) it makes more sense to cut the small saplings while standing up. I may try one of those Renegade blades, wonder if anyone has some experience with them?

 

[JD Guy]

I have the Husqvarna Scarlet blade (on a Husqvarna 555FX - which is a significantly bigger saw) and it works great. I sharpen it every other tank of gas. Easy to sharpen with the file.

Thanks ATH, Do you know what the arbor size is? My FS 311 is 20mm although I'm sure I could use a bushing if the Scarlet is larger.

 

[GenXer]

I have a few different blades for my FS560C, the standard cutting blade, a grass one, a bush shredder, ( that's my favorite, ) and a whipper snipper head with the heavy stihl square line. The brush shredder does an awesome job on everything up to an inch, rocks and dirt not bad because of the design, not sure if yours would have enough power tho.

 

[ATH]

Thanks ATH, Do you know what the arbor size is? My FS 311 is 20mm although I'm sure I could use a bushing if the Scarlet is larger.

I don't know...I couldn't find it in the manual. I'll try to remember to measure one at the shop

 

[ChuckMI]

This sharpens with a 3/16" file, the same file I sharpen my chainsaw with. It is durable and lasts a long time. Carbide blades are fine but when they are dull, you have to buy another one.

 

[ATH]

Thanks ATH, Do you know what the arbor size is? My FS 311 is 20mm although I'm sure I could use a bushing if the Scarlet is larger.

Finally remembered to check when at the shop...it is 1" - per the package (and measurement...)

 

[kenmbz]

I have been using renegade hybrids.
They are carbide and I have a lot of tall grass mixed in with thick (1-3") autumn olive and honeysuckle.
I use a Stihl FS110 with bicycle handles.
I am just replacing the first blade after many hours of use through the winter season clearing 1000's of square feet of very overgrown areas. Think berry thorns stems, faux grape vines etc.
I have the Stihl scratcher and the one that looks similar to a flat chainsaw chain, but both bogged down in the Stilt-grass we get here now in the woods.

 

[JD Guy]

I have been using renegade hybrids.
They are carbide and I have a lot of tall grass mixed in with thick (1-3") autumn olive and honeysuckle.
I use a Stihl FS110 with bicycle handles.
I am just replacing the first blade after many hours of use through the winter season clearing 1000's of square feet of very overgrown areas. Think berry thorns stems, faux grape vines etc.
I have the Stihl scratcher and the one that looks similar to a flat chainsaw chain, but both bogged down in the Stilt-grass we get here now in the woods.

Thank you for your reply! I too have some vines but mostly it is small trees growing along field edges and fence lines. The trees are anywhere from 1-3 inches and my FS 311 also has handlebars and plenty of blade speed but the Stihl blades just don't work well on the small trees. They are sweet gum, cedar and some water oak. Guess I will try a Renegade and see if it's an improvement .

 

[ChuckMI]

A carbide blade with an FS311 will have no problems with 3" trees. Just stand out of the way so the tree doesn't hit you on the head.

 

[Amundrr]

The Swedish made blade «Strandklingan» is very good. Many Swedish and Norwegian forest workers use this blade.
You can get it in hard metal and regular. Have a look here.
https://www.strandklingan.com/products/strandklingan/

 

[JD Guy]

The Swedish made blade «Strandklingan» is very good. Many Swedish and Norwegian forest workers use this blade.
You can get it in hard metal and regular. Have a look here.
https://www.strandklingan.com/products/strandklingan/

Thank You I will do some internet search to see if I can find them here in the US. My grandparents came to the US from Sweden.

 

[computeruser]

The Stihl 8”/22t blade that has a chainsaw style cutter tooth works great. Easy to sharpen in the field freehand. I usually touch up every tank.

 

[scottr]

This sharpens with a 3/16" file, the same file I sharpen my chainsaw with. It is durable and lasts a long time. Carbide blades are fine but when they are dull, you have to buy another one.

Carbide blades can be sharpened with diamond hones .

 

[JD Guy]

The Stihl 8”/22t blade that has a chainsaw style cutter tooth works great. Easy to sharpen in the field freehand. I usually touch up every tank.

View attachment 993666

Thanks, that's what I am currently using but looking for a blade that would stay sharp longer. Agree that filing is not difficult just time consuming.

 

[JD Guy]

Carbide blades can be sharpened with diamond hones .

I figured as much. Are the diamond hones readily available?

 

[Boredrob]

Carbide blades can be sharpened with diamond hones .

I use the 40 dollar saw blade sharpener from harbor freight. Works on all skill/ miter/ brush cutter blades.

For blades on my 545 I use the husqy scarlett or the Kurt 36 tooth carbide. I used the forester chainsaw tooth one once and didn't like it very much. I have it on a shindaiwa now.

 

[JD Guy]

Update: I have been on some other projects of late and not made any Renegade blade purchase, besides it's been 90's and killer humidity here in SC so waiting for a cool spell