17
Operation
Scything
 This is the cutting or mowing of large grassy areas by sweep-
ing or swinging the trimmer in a level arc. Use a smooth, easy 
motion. Do not try to hack or chop down the grass. Tilt the ny-
lon line cutting head to direct the debris away from you on the 
scything stroke. Then return without cutting grass for another 
stroke. If you are well protected and do not care whether some 
debris is thrown in your direction, you may scythe in both di-
rections.
Scalping and edging
 Both of these are done with the nylon line cutting head tilted at 
a steep angle. Scalping (A) is removing top growth, leaving the 
earth bare. Edging (B) is trimming the grass back where it has 
spread over a pavement or driveway. During both edging and 
scalping, hold the unit at a steep angle in a position where the 
debris, and any dislodged dirt and stone, will not come back 
towards you even if it ricochets off the hard surface.
 Although the pictures show how to edge and scalp, every op-
erator must find for himself the angles which suit his body size 
and cutting situation.
 For nearly all cutting, it is good to tilt the nylon line cutting head 
so that contact is made on the part of line circle where the line 
is moving away from you and the shield (See appropriate pic-
ture). This results in the debris being thrown away from you.
 Tilting the head to the wrong side will shoot the debris toward 
you. If the nylon line cutting head is held flat to the ground so 
that cutting occurs on the whole line circle, debris will be 
thrown at you, drag will slow the unit, and you will use up a lot 
of line.
 Nylon line cutting head rotates anticlockwise. The knife will be 
on the left side of the shield.
1. Debris
2. Cut on this side
 Do not push the line into tough weeds, trees, or wire fences.
 Pushing the line into chicken wire, chain link fencing or thick 
brush can result in snapped-off line ends being hurled back at 
the operator. The proper way is to cut right up to a barrier, such 
as any of those mentioned, but never run the line into or 
through the obstruction. Do not cut closely to obstruction or 
barrier.
 Avoid nylon line contact with broken wire fencing. Pieces of 
wire broken off by the trimmer can be hurled at high speeds.