How to Sharpen a Stihl Hedger

Stihl manufactures both electric and gas-powered hand-held hedge trimmers. These hedge trimmers have a reciprocating bar lined with teeth that does the cutting when you pull the throttle. If your hedge trimmer blades do not cut as efficiently, or if they increasingly become snagged in brush, it is likely that they need to be sharpened. Stihl recommends you bring your hedge trimmer to an authorized Stihl dealer for sharpening. However, if you have a sharpening file of your own, you can do this at home.

Work bench
Toothbrush
Rag
Sharpening file
Grease

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the spark plug boot if your hedge trimmer is gas-powered. If it is electric, make sure it is unplugged from the wall outlet.
- 2
  Place your Stihl hedge trimmer on a work bench and use an old toothbrush and a rag to first clean debris from the trimmer blades.
- 3
  Grasp the sharpening file in your hand and place it against the first tooth you are going to sharpen.
- 4
  Hold the file down and push it towards the cutting edge of the first tooth using a forward hand stroke. Do not use backward strokes to sharpen the teeth. Instead, lift it off the blade on the backstroke. Repeat this procedure until the tooth feels sharp and then move on to the next tooth; remove as little metal as you possibly can. Do this until all the teeth have been sharpened.
- 5
  Use a rag to wipe off any filing dust that may remain on the teeth after sharpening.
- 6
  Place a small dab of bearing grease on the tip of your rag and wipe down each tooth with it.

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