FS 240, FS 240 R
English
14
To cut wild growth and scrub, lower the 
rotating brush knife down onto the 
growth to achieve a chopping effect – 
but keep the tool below waist height at 
all times.
WARNING
Exercise extreme caution when using 
this method of cutting. The higher the 
cutting attachment is off the ground, the 
greater the risk of loss of control and of 
cuttings being thrown sideways.
Use the power tool like a scythe to cut 
grass, i.e. sweep it to and fro in an arc.
WARNING
When cutting woody materials, use the 
left side of the blade to avoid "kickout" 
(blade thrust) situations.
WARNING
Improper use of a brush knife may cause 
it to crack, chip or shatter. Thrown blade 
fragments may seriously or fatally injure 
the operator or bystanders. To reduce 
the risk of injury, avoid contact with hard 
or solid foreign objects such as stones, 
rocks or pieces of metal.
WARNING
When cutting young saplings or other 
woody materials up to 2 cm (3/4 in.) in 
diameter, use the left side of the blade to 
avoid "kickout" situations (see section 
on "Risk of kickout (blade thrust) with all 
rigid cutting blades"). Do not attempt to 
cut woody material with a larger 
diameter, since the blade may catch or 
jerk the power tool forward. This may 
cause damage to the blade or power tool 
or loss of control of the power tool, 
resulting in personal injury. Use a 
circular saw blade for such work.
WARNING
Inspect the brush knife at regular short 
intervals for signs of damage. Do not 
continue working with a damaged brush 
knife. Resharpen the brush knife 
regularly (when it has dulled noticeably).
Using the Circular Saw Blade
Circular saw blades are suitable for 
thinning brush and cutting small trees up 
to a diameter of 4 cm (1 1/2 in.). Do not 
attempt to cut trees with larger 
diameters, since the blade may catch or 
jerk the trimmer / brushcutter forward. 
This may cause damage to the blade or 
loss of control of the power tool and 
result in serious injury. Use a chain saw 
for such work.
WARNING
To reduce the risk that the blade will 
crack and / or break, avoid all contact 
with stones, rocks or the ground. 
Sharpen blades in a timely manner as 
specified – dull teeth may cause the 
blade to crack or shatter.
When a trimmer / brushcutter with a 
circular saw blade is used to cut down 
small trees, STIHL recommends that the 
standard deflector be removed and 
replaced by the special limit stop 
deflector (see chapter on "Mounting the 
Deflector"). This limit stop helps to keep 
the unit positioned against the tree 
during the cutting process. 
Inexperienced users should place the 
left side of the stop against the tree trunk 
before beginning to cut. This will keep 
the trimmer / brushcutter against the tree 
during the cutting operation and will 
reduce the risk of loss of control and 
possible kickout (described above and 
briefly again below).
Before starting the cut, accelerate the 
engine up to full throttle. Perform cut 
with uniform pressure. STIHL 
recommends that the circular saw blade 
002BA214 ST