How To Prevent Your Weed Eater Line From Breaking

While not in use, a weed eater — or string trimmer — can look like a silly contraption. The dangling strands of nylon appear harmless, but that illusion is shattered the instant they start spinning. The whirling strings are fast and sharp enough to make short work of grass, weeds, and even fingers on occasion. Weed eaters can be dangerous, which is why proper handling and maintenance are so important; without it, these machines can also be ineffective. For example, if your weed eater line keeps breaking, it's a sign that something is wrong. While it is normal for the string to wear down and need replacement every now and then, frequent snaps can be a result of anything from a dry line to poor winding technique. In many cases, however, you can reduce string snaps by simply being more mindful of your technique.

Despite how easily they can cut through foliage, weed eaters are very weak against hard surfaces. Even if the string doesn't break immediately upon impact with a rock or post, doing so will wear it down and make it more likely to break in the future. Be mindful when setting the angle at which you edge your grass to ensure the strings won't be scraping against the concrete. 

Another way to cause a weed eater line to break is to use it too aggressively. It shouldn't take much effort for a string trimmer to be effective; it's the end of the string that's doing most of the trimming, and pushing the weed eater too deep into greenery can make the string break in the middle. If you're having trouble cutting through thicker foliage, you likely need a different weed eater string. Whatever you do, just don't try this DIY weed wacker idea that's actually a waste of time.

Using a thin weed eater string to cut denser shrubbery is a recipe for a broken string. There is a lot to consider when choosing the right weed trimmer string for your lawn, but in general, thicker vegetation calls for a thicker string. You may even want to upgrade to a metal string for something more heavy-duty, as long as it is compliant with your machine. Ensuring that whatever string you use is evenly wound up will also prevent it from breaking, as even the small bit of friction created from overlapping strands can cause issues.

A common reason string trimmer line breaks is that it's old or dried out. If your weed eater has been sitting out in the shed for a few months, it's likely that whatever string you last used on it has become brittle, especially if you live in a hot climate (this mostly applies to nylon lines). A brittle line is no good for weed whacking, so you're best off replacing the old spool. However, if you only need one or two more uses out of the weed eater, you may want to try tossing the spool into a bucket of water to rehydrate it. Soaking an old weed eating line for one or two days has been shown to make it a bit more flexible, though this is a short-term solution. You can also do this to a new line, which can be a good idea if you suspect it dried out a bit on the store shelves. Weed eaters are indispensable if you're looking for an easier way to clean up your lawn, so be sure to take care of yours for a simpler time in the garden.