Walking backward seems to keep the line straight to me.

 

Usually I trim kinda sideways, walking forward but at an angle somewhere between a straight walk and a crab's gait. I can walk straight forward but I only do that on occasion like when I am in a hurry, I find it misses a lot and the angle isn't the same.

But if I'm just goofing off, I can weedeat right or left-handed, with both hands or single handed, trimmer right side up or upside down, throw it from one hand to the next in the air and play with it like that and the other day I figured out how to do it with the trimmer passing behind me lol ! Worst thing is you have to watch that string, it really hurts and for some reason the stihl balances the best, I can't get too fancy with the echo.

 

i edge from right to left mostly walking backwards. The reason i do it like that i think is because if i put the weedeater first it throws stuff at me more.

 

In the direction that usually will leave my teeth intact, my lips not busted, and the occasional piece of gravel isn't lodged up my nose.

 

With a counter-clockwise rotating trimmer, moving right to left allows you to throw the debris away from the area being trimmed....thus less grass in beds. I think technically you are suppose to hold the trimmer with you right hand and use your left hand on the trigger. This way allows you to walk forward, but I was trying it today (again) and it's very awkward.

If there is a commercial trimmer that rotates clockwise, I would probably buy it.

 

walk in the direction of the truck and get the stickedger! pros dont edge with weedeaters!

 

With a counter-clockwise rotating trimmer, moving right to left allows you to throw the debris away from the area being trimmed....thus less grass in beds. I think technically you are suppose to hold the trimmer with you right hand and use your left hand on the trigger. This way allows you to walk forward, but I was trying it today (again) and it's very awkward.

If there is a commercial trimmer that rotates clockwise, I would probably buy it.

I always move left to right with my cc trimmer and I can throw debris anywhere I want, it is a matter of cutting with the side of the string... I don't trim with the front of the line, but with the sides (hence why I trim going kinda sideways). If the right side of the trimmer is angled down, it throws debris away from me... If the left side of the head is facing down, the stuff comes to me.
So, I use the handle to rotate the shaft so that either side of the head is facing down, and I trim like that which allows me to control the direction of the debris.

The opposite would be true of a clockwise trimmer.

btw, once you figure out the string technique you can use the trimmer as a blower to clear debris from sidewalks in a pinch, I've done that a few times when the blower wouldn't start (one day I forgot the blower) but also if the debris is real light, it's kind of like riding over it with the mower, the string creates wind but again you have to angle it down one side or the other to get the direction going.

 

walk in the direction of the truck and get the stickedger! pros dont edge with weedeaters!

1 out of 100 pro's around here wackers not edgers

 

we go either way as long as the debri is shooting away from the windows and glass doors of our houses

 

walk in the direction of the truck and get the stickedger! pros dont edge with weedeaters!

Couldn't have said it better.

 

walk in the direction of the truck and get the stickedger! pros dont edge with weedeaters!

This one does and does it very well.

What's a stickedger?

 

walk in the direction of the truck and get the stickedger! pros dont edge with weedeaters!

That's what I'm sayin', but I didn't actually say it.

 

walk in the direction of the truck and get the stickedger! pros dont edge with weedeaters!

Your RIGHT...(well sort of :waving: ) they edge with an EDGIT!

 

I have to wear saftey glasses cause i get hit in the face with all kinds of crap. I walk forward when i'm doing horizontal work like along a fence and I think I have to move backwards when doing the edges of beds. Some of my customers have quite a few of them would a dedicated edger work well for that sort of thing because I am more or less mangling their bed edges. I do the best I can but...

 

walk in the direction of the truck and get the stickedger! pros dont edge with weedeaters!

Stick edger broke down about 2 years ago. Haven't fixed it yet, real pros don't need edgers. I get the same results with a line trimmer.

 

backwards most of the time!

 

Stick edger broke down about 2 years ago. Haven't fixed it yet, real pros don't need edgers. I get the same results with a line trimmer.

not trying to start an argument but there is absolutely no way you can get the same results from a string trimmer that you do with an edger. With an edger you get a nice defined clean crisp edge.

 

Backwards for short bits of edge and mulch beds... for all else I use the stickedger.

 

I edge with a string trimmer walking frontward or backwards. Backwards does do a better job though. And I can get a nice crisp edge.

For those of you that use stick edgers, doesn't the planting bed or edge (along sidewalk) get bigger when using a stick edger? Correct me where I may be wrong, but all that needs to be done is cut the grass that grows somewhat horizontal towards the bed or walkway. To me that can be done with a grass trimmer. Fill me in, as I don't have a stick edger nor do I feel that I need one for daily lawn cutting.

 

not trying to start an argument but there is absolutely no way you can get the same results from a string trimmer that you do with an edger. With an edger you get a nice defined clean crisp edge.

With almost 20 years of experience I get the same results, it takes a lot of practice. An edger has a spinning blade and a trimmer has spinning line, it's all about accuracy. Edgers are faster on thick turf like bermuda but I mainly deal with Fescue.

 

If you edge with the trimmer, you should be able to see the leading edge of the string for best control over the quality of the cut. I see other LCO's that edge with the trimmer in different ways. The best thing to do is avoid walking backwards. You must be able to see where you are going AND watch the trimmer. You will need to practice edging with the trimmer in front of you as you walk forward.

At the end of the day, the best looking jobs belong to those who use stick edgers. And, they usualy get more jobs done in a day due to saving time with their edgers.

Quality One Lawn Care

 

If they made a commercial trimmer that ran clockwise life would be better when running a trimmer.

 

If they made a commercial trimmer that ran clockwise life would be better when running a trimmer.

I've been saying that for YEARS!

I used to have a straight shaft trimmer that ran clockwise and man did it ever kill me to go back to counter-clockwise.... as it is hard on a man that trims with the right hand on the throttle.

Likewise the same is true with edging with the string trimmer. If you put your right hand on the throttle and turn the trimmer on it's right side... then walk forward edging... you are going to find it throws a lot of stuff up in the air... and a lot of that stuff is going to fly back and hit you square in the face.

So again, just as with trimming, a right hand operator will find the trimmer does a better job while walking backwards and when edging it does a good job and throws the debris away from the operator. But I have walked backwards into my fair share of stuff, which is not cool at all.

 

I go forwards for backwards. When I'm doing along sidewalks I can get a better cut going forward. For those of you that dont think I'm going to make it because I lowball or whatever you want to call it. You should see me work though. I move right along and I do a very good job. I talked to a guy down the street today, he does his yard himself but I gave him a flyer so if he knows anyone that wants there yard cut by someone he can give them my number. He asked me how much I charge for a normal sized yard and I said $30. Tomorrow I'm going to go throughout my neighborhood and put flyers in doors to see if I can get more lawns.

 

not trying to start an argument but there is absolutely no way you can get the same results from a string trimmer that you do with an edger. With an edger you get a nice defined clean crisp edge.

sorry .. but i beg to differ... not arguing with ya.. but i can put a crisp edge with a string trimmer... it is all technique.... you just have to know what your doing....