Should I SOAK my TRIMMER LINE in water? WE Called STIHL to find out!
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- Опубліковано 21 лип 2024
- To soak or not to soak? We came across this lawn care debate after tons of comments on our UA-cam channel mentioned it. So we had to find out. Naturally, we called STIHL!
Tune in to watch Chip get on a call with STIHL to end this hot landscaping debate for once and all. Should you soak your string trimmer line in water?
Enjoy.
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[PRODUCTS DISCUSSED IN THE VIDEO]
(1) Stihl Commercial X Line Trimmer Line 2.4mm / .095" Spool
You can browse this product on our online store, here: www.mainstreetmower.com/produ...
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[ VIDEO CHAPTERS ]
00:00 Video Introduction
00:37 THE CALL
02:56 Conclusion
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Seems like yes from brand new it would be a good idea (sitting around for who knows how long) and maybe if it has sat around in the garage or shed for a while. Makes a lot of sense for pros that have it sitting on the thuck (maybe just for an hour in water since you load more).
😢
No. He said that you only put it in water when the line is dry and a little bit brittle.
Rhett
Off a bit but. Is nylon trimmerline close or the same as nylon 3D printer line?
The trimmer line is made out of nylon which is hygroscopic and in order to process nylon (extrude it) the material must have the moisture dried out of it pre-process. Then in order to make the nylon less brittle, the moisture should be re-introduced into the line/part that has been molded/extruded. With nylon being hygroscopic, it will absorb the moisture like a dessicant. I have worked in plastic injection molding for 30 years.
Thanks for the breakdown. Best response so far that I have come across.
Agreed
Thanks ,I just started doing this
So then it's best to soak the line?
Back when I was working at GM, I had a job that involved pushing a plastic nut into a hole in the firewall, using an installation tool that was basically a long steel rod with a rubber knob on the end. The nut was for screws that secured the shifter cables as they passed through the firewall. The nuts became extremely difficult to install after a while, actually giving me a “ tennis elbow”. They tried heating the nuts with a heat lamp but it didn’t work. Then one of the engineers called to supplier and they told him the nuts required some watering from time to time. I always wondered why they came wrapped in a plastic bag inside a cardboard box! So whenever a new box of 10,000 nuts came in I dumped a cup of water in the bag. Problem solved!
That's so cool man. Thank you for sharing.
I dont know about the Trimmer line, But i did soak Myself with Beer one Friday night and went to work on Saturday and i can tell you that Trimming was killing me all day! (This also is just Opinion and not Science tested!)
hahaha love it!🤣
😂
Awh you copied someone else’s comment 😂🥲 how cute
@@user-xc3yb1vk2e Wait, Somebody stole my comment! Damm, Thats Messed up!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
White cable ties turn yellow and fail because they dry out quickly. That's why I always get the black UV rated zip ties. Great video!!
My first trimmer mower over 20 years ago, you bought the heavy line as straight pre cut sticks in a clear poastic tube with a tight cap that had a sponge in the tube that you kept wet.
Great video Mr. Chip. Never knew any plastic could be “revitalized” by soaking it in water. Learn something new everyday. Thank You for the information. Have A Productive Day! 🛻🚤🏖️
Thank you, and you too 🙂
Good information. I may occasionally put the line out in the rain occasionally
I leave mine in a bucket with a tiny hole for the line to come through in my open trailer to keep direct sunlight on the line.
Every so often I put some water in the bucket to build humidity in said bucket. I do notice the line doesn’t fracture or split as much
It returns the elasticity to the line.
A product engineer said for home owners he uses a zip lock bag with a tablespoon of water to allow it to be in a humid environment.
folks go not have to get crazy about it.
It's still good to soak new line just to be on the safe side. Because some of this line sits in very hot warehouses for no telling how long till it gets shipped to the suppliers all over the US.
That's fair. I honestly didn't think about that. Thank you for sharing.
Great advice, i am trying to use an old reel of what was good quality strimmer line and its very brittle , will do tonight
Never had a problem with line breaking the first summer i had my stihl trimmer. After the first winter string broke immediately every time after being in the garage for a season. Soaked it for 2 hours. And been soaking it for about 12 hours prior to use. No breaks. Use all string
Try keeping the trimmer in your basement over the winter, along with any battery-operated tools. .
Nylon (not just trimmer line) likes to have moisture in it because it makes it tougher and more resistant to impact (though technically it does reduce the tensile strength slightly). However, you can't process nylon with the moisture in it because it forms bubbles when you try to melt the plastic. Degrades it, too. So they dry it out first, manufacture the trimmer line and may or may not reintroduce the moisture afterwards. Nylon is really hygroscopic, though, so I suspect this only matters in really hot and dry climates.
Hi, Cool Stihl agent over phone! I really enjoyed him explaining the thing, also he felt to me like friend telling something to friend. COOL !
Polymers are hard because of their molecular structure. To make them "plastic" a plasticizer which is essentially a solvent which is volatile is added. The volatile off-gasses causing the polymer to return to its hard and brittle structure.
The biggest thing is store it in a cool place. I used to keep mine in a small outside utility building, got hot as hell out there in the summer, and my line would sometimes break off up in the bump head which was a beech. It becomes brittle. Keeping it in the sun, same thing. Think dark corner of garage, basement, what ever, just keep out of the sun or heat the best you can. Soak it, then put it back in the sun/heat, you have not accomplished chit.
I'll have to try this I have a old roll of .095 about 3 years old now I noticed just this year not the string on the spool but my weed eater after it's installed and being used it's splitting on the ends it cost to much to just throw away and I'm not using the safety guard so it's not the cutter causing it to split
The manual for my husqvarna trimmer states that soaking the line overnight will make it last longer. It seems to make it softer and more flexible, so it's probably less likely to snap when it hits something solid.
Cool, Thanx! Personally, I use 12 year old single malt scotch, revitalizes the line & I get a buzz...it's a win win.
Hope you're trimmer isn't too tipsy after that
I sip the single malt and put up with the dried out trimmer line. 🤣😂
The answer is yes and it also applies to the polycut blades(which if you look carefully come with some water in the bag from the factory)
I agree... I store my polycut blades in water... makes a huge difference in their toughness. If they get "dry" the become noticeably more brittle and break much easier.
Sounds Good and makes $$ thank you for the tip🏆
You're welcome 🙂
Damn, I should have looked a lot closer on the label of my old big spool of Stihl trimmer line - I gave it away to a friendly small landscaping business owner: the next time I see him I will remind him of this tip on re-moisturizing the dry-rot trimmer line. THANKS
Great. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Interesting. I wonder what type of plastic it is. In 3D printing some types of filament become brittle and have printing problems as they absorb moisture from the air, and a heated filament dryer is used.
Im old enough to remember when plastic/ polymers were water resistant
They still are 🙂
No, you just never understood what plastics were what and what applications each one excelled at. Or which ones are hygroscopic and which ones are hydrophobic.
Nylon has ALWAYS been a hygroscopic plastic. Which is why it's not used for water tanks, 5 gallon buckets, jugs, etc. That's typically reserved for hydrophobic plastics like polyethylene or polypropylene, 2 plastics you also wouldn't use to make string trimmer line.
@@jaywelker5566 there again i understand the english language and if i was to make a coat made out of either type i could still label it water resistant and id be exactly correct in doing so............
@@rustyshepard9659 His point was that they have been water-resistant, mostly waterproof, so there's no point is using verbiage that implies they weren't at some point in the past. What has changed is our use of materials that are more resistant to UV degradation & typical wear & tear or longevity of the materials themselves. Trimmer string by Stihl is likely one that has more plasticity or is more malleable, thus isn't as hard until it's dried out fully, since the harder it is, the more brittle it is. Think of acrylic paint to a certain extent.
@@Gaming_Biker ok i will play along i asume if i lived in a arid area like the desert south west it might make a bit of a difference but hell how much would i really need to weed wack in the desert south west now if i was from the more humid mid south such as where i currently reside its almost 98 % humidity outsi de has been raining every other day now for 2 months im guessing my weed wacker line doesnt need a good soak as the naterual its made of probably wont leach , evaporate lose to much moisture when you can cut the air with a knife im curious though how hot and dry does weed wacker line have to get before it becomes to brittle to be effective my degree in farm business management would suggest probably long after all afore mentioned weeds that needed wacking have since shrivled up and died due to lack of water.
I recently did this with a spool that has been sitting in the garage for several years. It’s been a week. Yard day is coming up so I’ll see if this actually makes a difference.
awesome. do let us know. I am sure a lot of people would like that in this comments section.
Well how did the line work out for you?
Hi, really interesting, but how long does the “water’s effect” last? For example, I let the line soak for two days, than I feed the trimmer head. Than, how long can the line stay in the head before I have to soak it again? I hope I’ve explained well my question. Thank you.
The whole spool or just a working length? I tried this with a cut length and it was much better but as a domestic user the spool would dry out over time through limited use so I will continue to trim say 15' and leave it in a bucket of water for a couple of days before use and I think that will work fine
I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express one time.
I reel off ten meters to have in the truck (still away from light) and keep the rest in a cool dark place under the house.
I have another reel sitting in an icecream bucket of water. But it’s sat like that for years. 😂
For those extremely ❤️🔥 days where there’s hardly any moisture, you trimmer line may need to soak during the summertime ‼️
Getting it out when refilling your trimmer. Viewed 5/21/24 🇺🇸👍🏻
I would say that if you buy in bulk & keep a few rolls on your truck & constantly exposed to UV, you might need to think about this. However, I've never seen rolls stay long enough to justify this type of treatment, so unless Stihl or another brand indicate that the string breaks down quickly, like weeks or months, due to UV exposure, I wouldn't worry about this. Not saying it doesn't or can't happen, but I don't think people will go that long to see a noticeable problem.
If polyamide nylon line is kept in a tightly sealed polyethylene container/bag and only opened during summer when humidity is the highest, there would be little loss of the original 5% moisture content. Then, line installed on a stored trimmer over the winter would be of the most concern. Are the line makers cheaping out on the packaging?
btw, We've open package line that has been inside our non- AC house for 3 years and worked fine this past week.
What this about Honda pulling the 216/217 for sale?
I hear it’s got something to do with the way the cam was built incorrectly as the didn’t let the cam plastic cool down after manufacturing before the next step so they are finding defective engines.😊
My local STIHL mechanic told me the same thing.
You could probably wrap a new spool in cellophane if you're not going to use it for a while. When I'm painting a room in the house, instead of washing the brush out waiting for a coat to dry, I wrap the brush or roller in Saran wrap. Will keep it moist all day.
OK, I happened upon this video and my question is relating to the trimmer head. I have about 5km on the big / bulk spools which i'm not gonna dunk till nearer the time i need to use them. But If soaking revitalises the line then can you take the strimmer head off (i have bump feeds on 2 of my Stihl machines) and dunk / soak the whole head. These are all plastic aside from the bump spring which i believe is stainless steel.
I appreciate you getting this information for us but the extended and extensive questioning was the reason everyone is having to wait on hold.
Very honestly, at least for us, the wait wasn't that bad. It might have only been around 2-3 minute and even then the person on the other end apologized about the wait after answering the phone. STIHL'S customer service is top notch. The little montage we had in the video was directed more toward light humor than criticism but I understand how it could seem the other way.
I'm a beleiver in the soak.
also soak those while blades they sell too😉
Thank you
I wish I would have known that when I had some Husqvarna line that was super brittle and I bought at a lawnmower shop.
I don't know if I threw it away,it was super brutal though and disappointing because it was like you know $10 a donut of it.
now that I know I'm going to take my old line and try this.
Yeah that would be awesome. Do let us know if you felt any difference after soaking it.
Direct and to the point presentation. I've never heard of soaking line, and not about to start now.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching.
I spray mine with würth 2040 ultra from new and get great results from it, dry line just shatters imo. Also i find the twisted line way better than the smooth type.
Ooh that's interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I find the same thing with the twisted star-shaped trimmer line. I've heard a couple of "professionals" claim smooth line runs better from the spool and it doesn't tighten up. From years of personal experience, I've had the exact opposite experience.
Nylon is hygroscopic. It looses moisture when the air is dryer or low humidity. When nylon is dry, it tends to fracture or break. I’ve found that soaking in water replenishes moisture and keeps line from breaking easily
Works good for me on old line
I live in Jamaica. Because most items like trimmer line are bought and shipped to us here after it has been dried out on shelves.
If i buy it here i soak it and it lasts longer.
I mean the difference is sometimes not much with the plants. But it does seem like i use less line on normal trimming.
That's awesome. Thanks for sharing.
I have a big roll of nylon line. Had it for several years and it's not brittle. It sits on a shelf in my garage.
Probably because it's not out in sunlight, it's not drying out and deteriorating at all.
Good to know, thanks for sharing.
I know that monofilament fishing line will absorb water the longer you use it while fishing and become heavier and won't cast as far until it is able to drive back out.
That is the advantage of going ahead and switching to fluorocarbon fishing line. It is not porous and does not absorb water. Just thought I would throw that in.
Maybe store the line in one of those smaller buckets that seal like a 5 gallon paint bucket.
They come in sizes that would fit his trimmer line roll very well. I have several, both square, and round containers.
Often they're used as bulk screw packaging for commercial construction.
Great idea man. That should totally work well for these spools.
@@mainstreetmower , You can often find these in 40 yard trash bins at commercial job sites.
Over the last twenty years, I've found lots of great items just tossed away, because it's too much trouble to store them for large operations.
I'm a Packrat, and proud of it.
When I worked for a Maintenance Company in 1988 89, we ran green machines and soaked the 105 orange line in buckets with soap and water .
It made the line last longer, didn't break as easy or tangle up as much
Good to know. Thanks for sharing Mark 🙂
Yes in the real use world it makes the line last longer as its not brittle and just breaking off. One phone call doesn't amount to much of nothing but an opinion.
@@user-rp3ev5kz2o Agreed. Just wanted to share that opinion. ☺
We were a Green Machine desler back in the day, good stuff ! SDK also manufactured early Shindaiwa stuff . No modern day trimmer can touch the old B45 and it's green counterpart.
Soap is a great idea. When it dried it would coat the line with fatty esters which would tend to seal in moisture.
To me I soak line for really old square spools that are sitting around. I buy in bulk so some boxes of spools take years to use up.
The round line I buy from Husqvarna line doesn't seem to make a difference so I don't soak those.
Seems the shape might matter. No idea, just what I have seen before.
That's great insight. Thank you for sharing.
Yes it it good for it BEFORE it cracks. that way it stays hydrated and WONT crack.. duh.. that guy on the phone is clueless... and.. soak in in glyphosate and it will kill the weeds to are cutting as well.. :)
Good to know, thanks for sharing ☺
*_TRIMMER LINE_* is made from nylon and nylon contains approximately *_20% water,_* when your trimmer line sits out, that water evaporates from the nylon and it becomes *_BRITTLE._* I have a roll of trimmer line that I bought over 6 years ago and I keep in in a bucket of water and it is as good today as the day that I bought it. *_NIOTE: *_** I keep my trimmer line in **_*WELL WATER, NOT TAP WATER WITH CHLORINE IN IT_* if you don't have access to well water you could use *_RAIN WATER._*
Good to know, thanks for sharing.
If you let tap water sit in an open container for a few days, the chlorine will evaporate. People typically do this to water their plants.
*It's spelled *BRITTLE* and *NOTE*
***
@@BKD70 THANK GOD THE SPELLING POLICE ARE ON THE JOB!!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
@@onmyworkbench7000 It worked. You're welcome. I couldn't bear to see an intelligent comment like yours dragged down by poor spelling or lack of proofreading... although it is impossible to achieve, strive for perfection in all that you do, never be content with "good enough".
Nylon does lose some of its flexibility when it dries out, so this is no myth. It loses/absorbs water quite slowly though, and hydrated nylon does not feel wet or moist. If you kink the line and see it easily makes damage then it's likely too dry.
Unless your line is already dried up its enough to keep them in a sealed plastic bag away from direct sunlight. That's a fair bit more practical than having large containers of water sitting around. Especially since it can easily foul over time.
Good to know, thanks for sharing.
Misunderstood. Soaked my whole trimmer in the kiddie pool. Can't get it started.
😂😂😂😂
Wry interesting. Thanks.
You are welcome Andrew 🙂
I have some ten year old Stilh line without that soak symbol, so this is something recent. Soaking does soften the line though.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing
I would’ve never believed that. I might would have if someone told me to spray it with wd-40 or something like that.
I only soak my line in boiling water when I replace the line on the spool. It just makes the line more pliable, is all.
Test it for yourself. Spool of some line and leave it hanging on a nail in your uninsulated shed, or even better, laying in the sun in your landscaping trailer for a year, and leave another off the same spool soaking in water for a year. Now test them both along a chain link fence, then tell me if you are gonna soak your line from now on or not.
Let us know next year ☺
Good Video. Never knew that. Saw you on Blades channel. Thought I'd check you out.
Great, welcome to the channel 🙂
I have started to see line being stored in water so I've wondered why. Great point. But don't do it long term. I wonder how many times one could soak line?
Now, if I could only load the line up properly so it works in the weed whacker! 😅😅😅
haha don't worry about it. We have a proper guide for that too. Check it out here: ua-cam.com/video/nIr2t-bIj4k/v-deo.html
Learned something new
Awesome, that's the goal.
Plastic and oxygen might deteriorate 🤷♀️
Once a week dunk it in water then.
Got it
🚶🚪🦖
I’m gonna try this with zip ties….the dash of my pickup along with the door panels and interior trim
I’m gonna need a swimming pool
Can't believe it would make a difference but I guess it does. Who knew-not me.
Right!
the Sthil manual recommends soaking
But it does make the line last longer. Brittle line is no good so soaking it makes it good again. I personally don’t see any issues with leaving it in a bucket of water all the time
Whatever works for you, works. 🙂
Why not just store it in a bucket of water? Or how do you tell when the water treatment is needed?
They 'suggest' doing it only when you start to see your line get brittle or dried out.
@@mainstreetmower Thanks for the clarification.
It does say it in the Stihl Trimmer Manual overnight😊
No, I dont think so. But their south east office confirmed in the video.
I own three different manufactured trimmer lines and none say it on the labels.
That what I have heard - use on old line that you have had in the shop for a while. I have never done this to new line, just old line.
That's great. Did you notice any improvement in the line after soaking?
It's just like with any plastic. I rejuvenated an old rc car that is almost 40 years old by soaking the plastic parts in water.
I never knew...
Right! And It's right there... a logo on every stihl line.
Bre from chickanic said to do this
She's so cool. Love her.
Nylon is naturally hydroscopic it will absorb water from the air might not need this unless line it dry and brittle. If it's too dry you can use it on youre 3d printer however. As printing nylon wet causes issues
There is no such word as hydroscopic, the correct word is hygroscopic
He did say that it doesn't make it any stronger than its original state. So it would appear it's pointless to soak in water if it doesn't improve or provide a benefit.
It makes the line less brittle, not stronger. Something less brittle is less likely to snap in half when striking another object.
If it prevents it from cracking and breaking off as often then yes, it does extend the life of the trimmer line…🧐
My Milwaukee string was breaking off and gettin twisted inside the head at least 3-4 times a load.. I soaked it and it seem to have worked better. No break offs or getting twisted inside. Could just be luck.. fingers crossed on the next load up 🤞
That's great. Thank you for sharing.
Plastic trimmer line soaking up water ???? I've got a "Banana plantation" at the South Pole, that I would love to sell to you !!!
These days and ages you have to be really specific.. he said soak the trimmer line not soak the whole trimmer in water.. i can see the reveiws now. Um i soaked my whole trimmer in the bath tub and the string is fine but i cant get the trimmer to start!!!!
You must be joking hahaha
Hi. Al Bladez sent me!
Hey, welcome to the channel 🙂
Interesting
I’ll have to try this, I do tend to have lines sitting around for months, what I usually do is spritz it with WD-40 before I use it
Yes give it a try.
That's a silly idea when what you use stands for (W)ater (D)isplacement lol
The answer I wanted was the word 'durability'. Is the dry brittle line less durable, functional or breaks off easier? If the durability is the same you're wasting your efforts.
Durable yes
Nylon or polyethylene is waterproof how will it absorb anything?
nylon absorbs significantly more moisture than PE does. PE, PP and PVC are hydrophobic plastics, Nylon does not fit the same designation and it's not used for making water containment vessels for many of the same reasons (like PE or PP)
Nylon/PA6 is classified as hygroscopic. Along with ABS, PC, PETG
I soak my fishing line but them big fish still break the line sometimes.
Measure line thickness before soaking in water and then measure again afterwards. If there is no significant difference this will be your answer.
Why call when it's instructed on the package?
To confirm.
I got some vintage Bakelite dominoes that are brittle. I wonder if letting them soak in water would revitalize them as well?
Maybe, good luck!
@@mainstreetmower thanks bro
Electrical plastic wrap can and is for some manufactures made from soy! It is biodegradable. Trimmer line might be good if it was made from soy or Hemp!
Possibly, but I know when (Toyota?) wiring harness were insulated with a soy based plastic, mice were getting under hoods and totaling vehicles by eating it.
With new vehicles it’s too expensive to be able to remove harnesses.
Should I keep the trimmer line in water when not in use or just soak it every few months?
I think the general consensus is about soaking them every once in a while when you feel like the line's getting brittle.
@@mainstreetmower thank you
So. How come no one asks how often this process needs to be repeated?
There's no set period of time it depends on your use and how often your line gets brittle (with what i've understood)
😂😂😂 they recommend to shower the line every day
Yes.
I soak mine in a bucket of my kids tears and the yard work does itself.. highly recommended.
I soaked my line too much. When I trim the lawn water sprays everywhere.
Joking !
If line absorbs water you’d be able to check thickness with a digital caliper.
It's only a 1.5-2% absorption. Bring a good caliper! 😉
Wonder if soaking in AmourAll would be better? Hmmm.
Most definitely not.
@@mainstreetmower Joking of course. Trimmer line is a copolymer. When it dries out and gets brittle, it's not losing water so soaking it in water is just getting it wet on the surface. Considering that the tip end of of the line is whizzing along at 600+ miles per hour and being literally melted away from friction with rocks, concrete and chain link fences, I doubt seriously that water does anything at all. If it makes you feel better, go ahead and soak your line.
@@jaydee5156 Check "The Materials Analyst, Part 85: Fixing brittle nylon product with water"...nylon holds 1.5-2% water by volume (finished product).
"Moisture acts as a plasticizer in nylon and therefore reduces strength and stiffness properties but increases elongation and toughness. In general, as moisture content rises, significant increases occur in impact strength and other energy absorbing characteristics of the material," from Amcopolymers "Nylon and Moisture Absorption". It's real and a known characteristic.
What if you soak it and WD-40?
The "WD" in WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement". I suspect it would be of no practical benefit in this case.
I Soak my String A Couple Times A Week Faithfully!!!
Good to know, thanks for sharing.
Same for fishing line, soak it and its alot more supple, trimmer line is the same.
I run newly spooled fishing line under warm water then cool water. It (almost lol) never jumps off the spinning reel spool into a birds nest when out fishing. Warm water seems to reset the line memory off the factory "retail" spool to the spinning reel spool size.
Maybe the line will work better than Stihl products... Ever since covid .. garbage engines. BR 800? I have a Ryobi handheld that's atronger.