OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums General Discussion Forum Off Topics Trimmer Line

I've just been reading about soaking your trimmer line in water for 24 hours before use. Does this actually achieve anything or is it just a wind-up!

Danny

sounds stupid. it's nylon or plastic..

speedy

Hi Danny and Speedy,

I've heard of people storing the line in water ,the idea is old trimmer line dries out and becomes brittle so
soaking the line in water is meant to make the line more flexible so it doesn't break as quickly.

I haven't tried soaking the line myself as I don't often cut grass with a line trimmer.

Stihl recommend using water on the trimmer line.

https://www.stihl.com/the-correct-way-to-store-brushcutters.aspx

Cheers
Max.

Hmm, so I’ve been doing it incorrectly for 35 years. I’m going to have to work out how to store a full roll of trimmer line in water. Maybe an old 20kg rat bait bucket?

Would my roll be damaged?

The above post had a “ tongue in cheek “ emoji when I hit the reply button. Something has gone amiss.

Please take my post in the humorous vein intended.

Nylon certainly does absorb water but line breaking has never been a problem for me and I've used a lot of line over decades without soaking before use or during storage.

Currently I have four spool heads loaded with Stihl, Husky and Echo line. Line wears down but only ever breaks if it gets tangled in fence wire.

Maybe people with breaking problems are using crappy line, or there is a sharp edge on their spool eyelets.

How does an oil based substance soak in water? That's assuming nylon is basically solid oil like plastic.

Look up "nylon hygroscopic".

I shall.

I can't get the emoji things on either!

I read before about the line being hygroscopic but surely this would mean it pulls the moisture from the atmosphere (like regular brake fluid) negating the need to soak it?

Danny

Nylon looks a lot different under a microscope, Looking on another site with a survey ,sixty something percent
of people said they would not soak the line in water before using and thirty something percent said they do
soak the trimmer line in water and believe it makes a difference.

I had some Couch grass to cut with a trimmer but it didn't mater what trimmer I tried none worked very well,
even 1/8 of an inch line just broke straight away ,I tried a metal blade and that was useless too , I was going
to sharpen the metal blade and try again but just ended up poisoning the Couch grass and that worked well.



Cheers
Max.