He’s Used Stihl String Trimmers For 20 Plus Years

2026 - Volume #50, Issue #4, Page #14

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Lorn Manthey, Wanamingo, Minn.: “When I was old enough to help with yard work on our Minnesota farm, my mother handed me an old metal clipper to ‘clear out that tall grass’ under the fence around our house.
“I didn’t know what carpal tunnel was as a 10-year-old, though I’m sure I had it after 10 min with that miserable device. A month later, she came home with a 30-in. tall version of the same device, mounted on two small wheels. That ‘squeeze cutter’ wasn’t any easier on my hands.
“Perhaps sensing our displeasure with grass clipping, my dad arrived home one day with an electric-powered string trimmer. My four-year-old sister called it a ‘zizz zizz,’ and I used it around the fence, the garage, the windmill and anywhere the electric cord could reach. Within an hour, the yard was whipped clean, and the power cord was shredded. That’s when I learned to repair cords and longed for an even better device.
“Thirty or so years later, I found that device: a gas-powered trimmer with a built-in supply of trim cord. I don’t remember the brand name, but I do remember backing over it after one of our neighbor’s kids set it down in the middle of our driveway. That was before backup cameras.
“Soon, I was unwrapping a Stihl KombiSystem power head, an FS 85T pro model with trimmer and pole saw attachments. Powerful, lightweight and easy to handle, the power head and its associated tools have been tireless performers for more than 20 years. Lately, the FS 85T, in its elderly years, began coughing and sputtering, even after regular Seafoam gas treatments and a tune-up.
“Searching for a replacement, I looked at four different KM gas models and four battery powerhead models, then settled on the 111 R gas model. It’s about a pound and a half heavier than my older model, but the handy shoulder strap makes it easy to carry with any of the five tools I have.
“Starting is easy with three taps on the gas bulb and turning the choke knob. When the engine springs to life, the choke automatically shuts off. It’s a smooth runner, idles quietly and zips to life with plenty of torque when the throttle is squeezed.
“It easily powered through 1-1/2 in. thick brush with the saw blade and 6-in. limbs with the pole chain saw. Handling the trimmer was like a walk in the park.
“Stihl offers a long line of KombiSystem tools, including sweepers, tillers and edgers. For now, I’m more than happy with the five tools I use regularly. If she were still clipping grass, my mother would probably be using a small Stihl battery-powered clipper. Thank goodness those old hand-operated wrist wreckers are long gone.”

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He’s Used Stihl String Trimmers For 20 Plus Years Lorn Manthey, Wanamingo, Minn.: “When I was old enough to help with yard work on our Minnesota farm, my mother handed me an old metal clipper to ‘clear out that tall grass’ under the fence around our house. “I didn’t know what carpal tunnel was as a 10-year-old, though I’m sure I had it after 10 min with that miserable device. A month later, she came home with a 30-in. tall version of the same device, mounted on two small wheels. That ‘squeeze cutter’ wasn’t any easier on my hands. “Perhaps sensing our displeasure with grass clipping, my dad arrived home one day with an electric-powered string trimmer. My four-year-old sister called it a ‘zizz zizz,’ and I used it around the fence, the garage, the windmill and anywhere the electric cord could reach. Within an hour, the yard was whipped clean, and the power cord was shredded. That’s when I learned to repair cords and longed for an even better device. “Thirty or so years later, I found that device: a gas-powered trimmer with a built-in supply of trim cord. I don’t remember the brand name, but I do remember backing over it after one of our neighbor’s kids set it down in the middle of our driveway. That was before backup cameras. “Soon, I was unwrapping a Stihl KombiSystem power head, an FS 85T pro model with trimmer and pole saw attachments. Powerful, lightweight and easy to handle, the power head and its associated tools have been tireless performers for more than 20 years. Lately, the FS 85T, in its elderly years, began coughing and sputtering, even after regular Seafoam gas treatments and a tune-up. “Searching for a replacement, I looked at four different KM gas models and four battery powerhead models, then settled on the 111 R gas model. It’s about a pound and a half heavier than my older model, but the handy shoulder strap makes it easy to carry with any of the five tools I have. “Starting is easy with three taps on the gas bulb and turning the choke knob. When the engine springs to life, the choke automatically shuts off. It’s a smooth runner, idles quietly and zips to life with plenty of torque when the throttle is squeezed. “It easily powered through 1-1/2 in. thick brush with the saw blade and 6-in. limbs with the pole chain saw. Handling the trimmer was like a walk in the park. “Stihl offers a long line of KombiSystem tools, including sweepers, tillers and edgers. For now, I’m more than happy with the five tools I use regularly. If she were still clipping grass, my mother would probably be using a small Stihl battery-powered clipper. Thank goodness those old hand-operated wrist wreckers are long gone.”

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