# UPDATE/PIX: Stihl Eight Point Grass Cutting Blade



## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I special ordered this 9.1 inch, eight point grass cutting blade for my Stihl KombiMotor multi-tool attachment system and it came in yesterday.



The blade is manufactured for Stihl/Germany in Japan.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I wanted the eight point blade because it can be resharpened with a hand file and is easier to use in grass cutting situations where a string trimmer may not cut as cleanly (fibrous weeds and sedges) or where trimmer string may break off given the density of grass or growth. And it will stand up to sticks, branches and small saplings it might hit.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Here is a close-up of the cutting edge of the blade.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

The reverse side of the blade showing the sharp cutting edges.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

If you order one of these, you also need to order three additional parts. The large shiny metal part is the Rider Plate, the splined metal washer is the Thrust Washer, and the third part is a special nut you will need.

Be sure to ask for these, the blade cannot be used without them. My dealer had all three in stock already.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

The special nut has a recessed area inside of the threaded portion that allows the aircraft nylock nut to be seated fully without coming in contact with the cogs cut into the spindle that drives the blade (or trimmer head, etc.) - be sure to get the correct nut so it can be torqued properly.

I suppose it goes without saying, but no one would want the cutting blades to come loose while it was spinning....

:no:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I have used similar brush cutting blades to clear underbrush and small trees on undeveloped properties I have owned over the years.

You can do a lot of work with these, but Safety First as always.

You can also do a heck of a lot of damage with one too.

Children, pets, and animals should be kept out of the work area.

A skilled operator can really clean up overgrown and previously impassable areas with this type of blade equipped. One man can really clean up an area, especially in terrain where other types of machines cannot go, such as slopes, ravines, arroyos, ditches and in between tightly growing timber.

I am not a skilled operator, but I can hold my own if I have to.... :crazy:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Grass blade was $19.86
Rider Plate was $7.87
Thrust Washer was $5.28
Special Nut was $3.62

Your pricing may vary depending on your location....


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

Are you using it to clean tall grass / brush or fine trimming? Definitely let us know how it works for you.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

DFW_Zoysia said:


> Are you using it to clean tall grass / brush or fine trimming? Definitely let us know how it works for you.


I am actually going to use it on both. I have grass and weeds to address, ragweed, sedges, etc.

I have a neighbor who grows weeds even better than I can. We share a common wooden fence.

I get my weeds under control, and get the property line weeds under control, then it rains hard.

All his weed seeds wash into the drainage swale set under the wooden fence. Weeds then pop up.

I talked to him about his yard; he does not care about it. He just has the weeds cut & waters them.

His yard looks pathetic, but he has autistic children, and now financial problems, so I just let him be.

My string trimmer flails against the wood, mars the wood up and cuts the wood stain off the wood.

So, I am thinking I can use this blade to cut up to the fence, and control the wood fence damage....

I think this will solve the issues. I won't have to have fringed edge weeds & always replace string....

Stihl also offers two other blade types. I may experiment with those too, eventually. This one first.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

@DFW_Zoysia

I will definitely post up how it works, and post some pictures too. Cool weather coming in now, so....


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## SWB (Sep 22, 2018)

I've used that setup for years clearing the saplings that don't ever stop coming every spring. They work extremely well and have even used it to cut small branches.
Another Sthil item that comes in handy for me is the poly blades. They too will cut through the thick Johnson grass in my neighbors fields but allow for some bumping into the fence post's without dulling the blades.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

SWB said:


> I've used that setup for years clearing the saplings that don't ever stop coming every spring. They work extremely well and have even used it to cut small branches.
> Another Sthil item that comes in handy for me is the poly blades. They too will cut through the thick Johnson grass in my neighbors fields but allow for some bumping into the fence post's without dulling the blades.


When I was a young man just starting out, I owned the Ryobi multi-task tool system that allowed the use of attachments to a power head.

I had the trimmer, brushcutter, and multi-tine cultivator.

One day I read where you could put a circular saw plywood blade on the brushcutter and use it for clearing out land, so I bought a Black & Decker blade and tried it out.

That thing was a underbrush clearing beast - if it came into contact with something, it buzzsawed it right off right then and there. I could saw right through saplings, bushes, vines, briars and trees.

I cut many feet of walking trails through the woods behind my house with that saw setup. :nod: :thumbup:

That experience is what led me back to the Stihl variants of that same concept. Great tool to use.


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## SWB (Sep 22, 2018)

FlowRider said:


> SWB said:
> 
> 
> > I've used that setup for years clearing the saplings that don't ever stop coming every spring. They work extremely well and have even used it to cut small branches.
> ...


I have one of those chainsaw blades but have never used it. It's here...I just can't find it.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

@SWB

Yeah, I bought a couple of other blades when I went back to my dealer for another part.

I am going to start a different thread on them, though, because they serve a different purpose....

These blades are incredibly sharp and potentially dangerous; I don't want anyone to get injured....


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

@DFW_Zoysia

I am going to be installing the grass blade today and using it to trim my yards. I'll post up pix later....


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I started to take off my trimmer head to put on the grass cutting blade, and decided not to do that.

I went back to my Stihl/JD/Honda dealer and bought another Kombi trimmer head to use for this.

I wanted to get an extra trimmer head anyway for backup use and easy swapping of line anyway.

So now I will have a dedicated stick edger, string trimmer, and grass cutter brush blade for usage.

I just had enough daylight to mow and trim mow my yard before it got dark, so still need to use it.

But that will have to wait until Tropical Storm Beta quits watering my yards for me - free water, yay!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

So I finally have time to mount the grass blade on the new Kombi system straight shaft trimmer I decided to buy.

I wanted to have a spare trimmer head so when my original head wears out, I can have a replacement on hand, in case the store is closed when I need one. I always like having a backup in place....

Here is the trimmer head as it comes from the factory.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

For those of you who have never done this before, the trimmer head comes with Stihl's tools included, which includes this stop pin, which is inserted into a hole on the trimmer gear housing and into a hole that stops the gear shaft from spinning, so you can loosen, remove, or replace trimmer heads/blades.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

After removing the trimmer head, this is what the thrust plate cover looks like. Note the cogs on the spline of the gear shaft - cue the German guys on "Sprockets."

To get the trimmer head off, you just turn it by hand in a counter-clockwise rotation to remove it.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Closeup of the gear shaft and trimmer head removed.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Business side of thrust plate. The blade slides in on top of the recessed round edge of the gear shaft, and you center it to get it to mount flush to the thrust plate.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

This is the part where some people can get stumped on the install.

The blade needs to be installed so it spins in the proper direction. The problem is: how do you know which way the blade spins if the motor isn't attached?

There is an arrow indicating the rotation of the gear shaft spindle on the deflector guard on the shaft. The blade also has a direction of spin arrow indicator.

The blade also has to be centered on the recessed portion of the gear shaft to make sure it will rotate without wobbling or vibrating under use.

For those of you who like to watch YouTube videos, this is where many of the YouTube guys goof.

Tip: the printed side of the blade faces up (towards the operator and sky) when properly installed.

Please note: the third picture, below, is just to show the direction of rotation arrow - the blade is actually not installed this way...so if yours looks like this, turn your blade over...! :nod:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

This picture shows how the tools Stihl provides with the trimmer head will work to assemble the blade assembly onto the shaft.

The blade goes on first, with the printed direction arrow going up towards the operator/sky, then the thrust washer (be sure the convex side goes down against the blade), then the rider plate, and then the special nylock nut.

The nut goes on in a counter-clockwise direction ("lefty tighty") and gets snugged up to tight by hand.

The rider plate has directional arrows to show how to loosen the nut, so the opposite way tightens it.

Be sure to use the stop pin and provided wrench to tighten the nut, and then you are done!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Closeup of the rider plate directional arrows. I think the other language is ancient Viking. :tease:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

And here it is, all done all through. If you get this far and it looks like this, you deserve a cold one!

Don't pay any attention to that edger blade; that is my next lawn equipment replacement project....


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

And for those of you who prefer YouTube videos, here is one from Stihl you can actually trust...! :thumbup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zqvsRdF6hk


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