STIHL FS131R Best Brush Blade, Install, Review, Demo: What Is The Best One And What Should You Get 

I have a FS 130 with handlebars. The harness that came with it is really useful as it takes the weight off your shoulders. The chisel tooth blade is called a woodcut blade. It cuts grass and saplings like anything. There is an 8 tooth grass blade that's pretty good also. The best is the woodcut blade. This year couldn't get an extra woodcut blade. I got a substitute made by Oregon. It has riveted chainsaw teeth around the outside of the blade. It is the best of them all. Cuts grass great. Been using it to cut small to medium stumps off at ground level. Cut first with chainsaw at waist level. Then come back with brush cutter. Since you are cutting close to the ground, you have to be careful to keep it out of the dirt.

Big Stihl fan here. My first machine was an FR350 backpack. i bought it 2nd hand for £150 over 20 years ago. No idea how many times it got used over that 2+ decade period, definitely in the 100's. Heaven knows how much use it had prior to me getting it as it was used by a professional landscaper from new. I changed about 5 bump heads, 1 carburetor and one flexi shaft in all that time. I also used the 4 tooth blade but was not a fan of that attachment. 1 year ago I had an opportunity to buy a lot of used Stihl and other machinery from the grounds maintenance part of the place where i work. Most of the machines were in excellent condition and some were non runners. The non runners were missing a few little bits such as carb or air intake but effectively hardly used. I also got another backpack brush cutter too. The whole fleet of machines cost me £1200. I placed my old FR350 on ebay and got £500 for that. The new fleet had a wood chipper (not Stihl) but only used once. I sold that for £1200. Now i've recouped all of my original costs, kept a fleet of 8 of the Stihl machines. bought a brand new MS261, a pole saw and carbon extension for the kombi. I am a very happy chappy and the excess cash i made on the other unwanted machines helped me take the Mrs to Jamaica in August for our 30th wedding anniversary. Stihl machines hold their price if they're looked after. I am a fan. 🙂

I’m thinking that might be the blade i need. There’s a ton of Giant Ragweeds I’m trying to deal with and the brush blade would probably do fine with the smaller ones but man they’ll get 2” in diameter sometimes.

Mind sharing your story? I learned the hard way with safety glasses, but never figured a mesh mask was needed

How do you know?

​@@nes999when chopping brush with a string trimmer, it will have a tendency to throw wood splinters and small pebbles. That debris flies at such a velocity it will sting your face or even cut it in a worse case scenario. A mesh screen or a faceshield is definately recommended.

@@19vendetta19 when I use the circular blade on my FS 131, I wear the same gear as I do cutting trees in the bush: safety helmet with mesh screen, ear protectors, and sun flaps (also keeps debris from hitting my neck) , kevlar pants, safety boots, and gloves. When I use the brush blade, I wear my safety helmet, boots and gloves, but usually not the kevlar pants because they get warm pretty quickly and the tall weeds are more out in the open. If you are cutting noxious weeds like wild parsnip or giant hogweed, use extra caution to not get any of the juice on you. Definitely wear long sleeves, gloves and goggles. I’ve even worn disposable tyvek suits when clearing a patch of this stuff. Don’t recommend using a power tool like this to take out poison ivy.

Dad had a DR trimmer I used one time and when I say I got hit with a log it was bad lol

I have to wear both, the helmet/face mask and safety goggles. I've had grass get around the mask and get in my eyes. I've even gone so far as use the goggles with the foam gasket on them.

If you have any question about them just let me know. I would be happy to try and answer them for you.

Stihl is pronounced still unless you have an accent and think your smarter than the average bear

I agree always use the left side of the blade. I can tell you from many years of experience the front and right side of the blade can give a really dangerous kick back slinging the trimmer and you to the right side violently. I have a stihl FS-250R VERY POWERFUL MACHINE and it taught me this very efficiently when taking out a two inch sapling. Thank God nobody was around me when this happened. Be safe out there these blades aint no joke. Especially at wide open throttle.

Nice! I am testing a new trimmer head. I hope to have a review up about it soon. Unfortunately it takes up to .095.

@@RunBikeMike *You should go with the speed feed 450 head, it's a timesaver and certainly worth the money and upgrade since you never have to remove the cap to reload the trimming line. Stihl makes one as well, I can't recall the name of the stihl speed feed head but it is black and white. I run the echo speed feed 450 head on my km131 and I can put around 18 feet of .105 line in that head in 30 seconds or less.*

Nice. I am trying a brand that is like the speed feed 450 but is a lot cheaper. I want to see how long it lasts. I hope a long time but if not I will definitely be getting the 450.

@@RunBikeMike *They have 1 on ebay for $17 that is good. Here it is:* www.ebay.com/itm/Trimmer-Head-78890-21001-For-Speed-Feed-450-STIHL-ECHO-Husqvarna/323742641799?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20201210111314%26meid%3D62f4eaf770c64add804badc0a8cc7362%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D193334586703%26itm%3D323742641799%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv9PairwiseUnbiasedWeb%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851

Sweet thanks. I will check it out

It is called the Darwin Grip and I love it. Here is a link to it. amzn.to/3lcI19v

I've been looking at the DR Trimmer, which one did you get. My property is 209 ft x 209 ft.. a walk behind would be much faster

Which walk-behind brush mower would you recommend for mowing brush along an electric fence on a farm?

That is the Darwin grip. Enjoy your new Stihl 😊

@@RunBikeMike can I ask why you didn’t buy a handle bar machine to begin with?

I never used on and didn’t want to spend the money on something I wasn’t sure I would like. I also got that 131r for the price of the 94r and couldn’t pass it up. Knowing I could buy the Darwin grip making it more comfortable for long use.

@@RunBikeMike well you can’t argue with that price at all. As a stihl dealer my self that’s a absolute steal!

Darne! I wish I would've watched this before I bought all my blades. I'm in Washington and thats probably the blade that would've been the most kick ass on my property. Thank you. I'm gonna check into it.

Ferns! I have tons of thick ferns here, hoping that the chisel tooth saw blade or brush knife work for me.

Also, missing brush cutter guard for grass blade.

10.5 and I appreciate you watching it even though it is not what you are here for. This is just a piece of the puzzle that is mtb trail building. And funny enough my tool videos are more popular than any of my mtb videos. They seem to reach a wide range of people. So it is fun to mix them in every so often.

@@RunBikeMike just a thought... maybe you make a channel just for tool videos? That would be a lot of editing tho

Solid

@@RunBikeMike would agree , very few vids of the comparison, other equipment can be added yet not for the lighter weighted shaft.

Here is a link where you can get one. It is well worth the money. amzn.to/2PXGfgD

Here is the grip I use. amzn.to/3WvAfbC Also some prefer to change the guard but I didn’t. It does help with safety however I feel pretty safe using it with the guard I have on. So personal preference.

no but you could. It might cut even better if you sharpen it.

@@RunBikeMike ok, thanks!

They are optional that have to be bought separately.

It is a Darwin Grip. It is great. amzn.to/3BMwzqY

Ballard inc

While I could not see definitively, it looked as though when the string head was removed and the plate and slightly concave washer came off the bottom of the gearhead, that the plate was put back on and the concave washer put on the inside. If you look at the Stihll instructions on how to assemble it, the large flat cover goes on first, followed by the blade that you want to use and then the concave washer. The stamped steel cap then goes on and the bolt finishes at all. There will be a slight space between the stamped steel cap and the blade you're using. However, all of that is necessary to keep the blade centered and tightened down flat. To use the chisel tooth circular saw- style blade, especially when cutting saplings or brush, the head needs to come from the right hand side of the trunk and cut toward the left, as if you cut from the left to the right, you are inviting serious kickback of the blade and machine.

Hmm I am not sure what would cause that other than the blade being out of balance

@@RunBikeMike I agree, I'll take it to my stihl dealer where I got it, it's still under warranty

No I didn’t but if they put to much in I could see that happening.

Here is a link amzn.to/3pEcymh

Here is where you can buy one. amzn.to/3p1sSgr

I am not sure on that model. I know you need to make sure you have a solid shaft model. Otherwise it could damage the trimmer. I have ran with and without a guard.

Sting is good around the house but for brush go with the 3 blades

String causes less damage to yard plants, fruit tree's, and siding. At high rpms the blade will chip brick, and cut fence wire . I've had the same blade with heavy use for 4 years now, and it still works fantastic . You can go for hours in ruff brush without the worry of running out of string

Is that a solid shaft trimmer? If not then that might cause those issues.

@@RunBikeMike straight shaft Kombi with string trimmer and bush cutter attacments. 3 knife blade went on the brush cutter attachment

@@RunBikeMike it's a 2 piece so it accepts other attachments like leaf blower, edger, pole saw etc

That is the Darwin Grip. It really helps with back pain when using it for a long time. Here is a link for it - Order a Darwin Grip Here on Amazon: amzn.to/36kRJQs. I really enjoy it. Here is a video I made of it a year or so ago. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AE2Q4jPTrqE.html