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Looking for Stihl brush cutter parts not available through the US dealer network

Started by C Smith, July 23, 2017, 07:58:19 PM

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C Smith

I have a few acres of brush and vines to clear, so I picked up a Stihl FS560. It's an excellent piece of equipment, however the chisel tooth and three-blade cutters aren't very good at cutting through vines that are jumbled up in heaps.

The European Stihl site shows a blade that should be perfect. Stihl calls it a 'shredder blade' (Part No. 4000 713 3902) and it looks like this:



Does anyone know where to source it in the US? My local dealer called Stihl and told them it was not available here, and my Google skills are letting me down.

Alternatively, does anyone know of a similar blade available domestically?

blueberrymuzik

Try searching that part number on ebay. There is currently one listed on there. It is located in the UK.

C Smith

Thanks. I saw that, but I'm not subject to VAT, which is one reason I'm reluctant to buy abroad.

I can't understand why Stihl doesn't offer that blade and the corresponding guard in the US. It seems like an opportunity for a third-party manufacturer to step in and offer something similar.

Texas-Jim

Osha is the reason, it can in theory kick back and since osha doesn't think your smart enough to use it. According to their rules i cant sell a brush blade to a customer that wants use it on trimmer without handle bars.
What we do in life echoes through eternity.

Nicefeller

Hi CSmith, I was wearing out the brush saw blades constant sharpening. I purchased a 9 inch carbide tipped blade and punched out the center to an inch. Haven't had a chance to try it yet but expect good performance. Noticed a person putting a 10 inch blade on it it because it's possible to find the 1 inch arbor but if you calculate the rotational stresses that's just pushing it beyond design limits.

LeeB

I think this may have been asked before in a different thread, but what about the chainsaw toothed blades? Anyone try them?
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

joe_indi

Sure, we get them here. They are called shredder blades. But they are recommended only for bigger clearing saws.
I am not too sure, but wouldn't a small electric mower be suitable? These metal blades are MS so are mower blades.
It just might be an alternative

DelawhereJoe

Another prime example is that performance kit for the 261, Stihl sells it in Canada just not the US. Also that full chisel 3/8 picco chain in 60 drive links for the 16" 3/8 picco 3003 mount bar, the dealers around here say its unavailable and have never seen or heard of it. I can get the bar but only semi chisel chain.
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C Smith

Quote from: Nicefeller on July 24, 2017, 08:21:53 PM
Hi CSmith, I was wearing out the brush saw blades constant sharpening. I purchased a 9 inch carbide tipped blade and punched out the center to an inch. Haven't had a chance to try it yet but expect good performance. Noticed a person putting a 10 inch blade on it it because it's possible to find the 1 inch arbor but if you calculate the rotational stresses that's just pushing it beyond design limits.

I'm not having an issue with dulling the blade, rather my issue is that the blade only cuts in one plane. My machine will take a 320mm blade (12.56"), so I'm not concerned about the rotational stress, however I don't know the RPM, so I've been shying away from blades that are not recommended by the factory.

Quote from: LeeB on July 25, 2017, 05:49:45 AM
I think this may have been asked before in a different thread, but what about the chainsaw toothed blades? Anyone try them?

Maybe someone has tried it, but I haven't considered it based upon my lack of knowledge about the machine's RPM. The chisel-tooth blade works great for cutting small trees.

Quote from: joe_indi on July 25, 2017, 07:57:58 AM
Sure, we get them here. They are called shredder blades. But they are recommended only for bigger clearing saws.
I am not too sure, but wouldn't a small electric mower be suitable? These metal blades are MS so are mower blades.
It just might be an alternative

My machine is the biggest Stihl makes and the shredder blade is recommended for it, so I should be fine with that.

A mower is not an alternative for my application. I have been pulling invasive vines out of trees and have piles of vines that are 6' high.

Quote from: DelawhereJoe on July 25, 2017, 08:03:24 AM
Another prime example is that performance kit for the 261, Stihl sells it in Canada just not the US. Also that full chisel 3/8 picco chain in 60 drive links for the 16" 3/8 picco 3003 mount bar, the dealers around here say its unavailable and have never seen or heard of it. I can get the bar but only semi chisel chain.

This morning I got hold of a Stihl dealer in the UK. He's willing to send me the stuff at a reasonable cost without VAT. His name is Barry and he and his brother own Skyand Equipment. If you want European Stihl products, give him a shot.

CTYank

I do a lot of brushcutting, all sorts of brush, from weed-overgrown meadows to shrubs & saplings that've gone wild.

Gotta have a solid-steel splined straight shaft. Machines that work well for us: ancient 21 cc Echo, 525 Husqy, 27 cc Tanaka. No need to go bigger- just shortens endurance lugging more iron about. We have a few stihl brushcutters available, suitable also as boat-anchors. Just can't find buyers- went for $600-1200 new.

For degree-of-difficulty up to ~3/4" woody stuff 3- or 4-knife blade, 10-12" work fine, properly sharpened. For bigger woody stuff, "Renegade" 10" 20-tooth carbide blades work fine; about $15 from Amazon. Sharpening costs about same as replacement. We've had very good results with 9" chainsaw-cutter blades; be prepared to be bathed with chips- lots more than with "Renegade" 20-tooth. They're really easy to free-hand file on-site.

Many good brushcutter blades from 8-12" are available from Forester: http://www.forestershop.com/ at very good prices. Seems to me, they all have a niche.
'72 blue Homelite 150
Echo 315, SRM-200DA
Poulan 2400, PP5020, PP4218
RedMax GZ4000, "Mac" 35 cc, Dolmar PS-6100
Husqy 576XP-AT
Tanaka 260 PF Polesaw, TBC-270PFD, ECS-3351B
Mix of mauls
Morso 7110

C Smith

Quote from: CTYank on July 29, 2017, 09:02:19 PM
I do a lot of brushcutting, all sorts of brush, from weed-overgrown meadows to shrubs & saplings that've gone wild.

Gotta have a solid-steel splined straight shaft. Machines that work well for us: ancient 21 cc Echo, 525 Husqy, 27 cc Tanaka. No need to go bigger- just shortens endurance lugging more iron about. We have a few stihl brushcutters available, suitable also as boat-anchors. Just can't find buyers- went for $600-1200 new.

I  already own the saw, so that part of the equation isn't changing.

Quote from: CTYank on July 29, 2017, 09:02:19 PMFor degree-of-difficulty up to ~3/4" woody stuff 3- or 4-knife blade, 10-12" work fine, properly sharpened. For bigger woody stuff, "Renegade" 10" 20-tooth carbide blades work fine; about $15 from Amazon. Sharpening costs about same as replacement. We've had very good results with 9" chainsaw-cutter blades; be prepared to be bathed with chips- lots more than with "Renegade" 20-tooth. They're really easy to free-hand file on-site.

Many good brushcutter blades from 8-12" are available from Forester: http://www.forestershop.com/ at very good prices. Seems to me, they all have a niche.

I have no problem cutting anything with the blades I have. The problem lies in what to do with the debris once it's on the ground. The blade I posted a photo of and others like it have tabs bent parallel to the axis of rotation that shred the debris once it's on the ground.

I don't do this for a living and don't require tools that work across broad field projects, rather I just want tools that accomplish my goal, which is clearing out the forest surrounding my home and shredding the debris in place. I appreciate the input, but nothing on Forester's page does that.

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