Stihl FS-KM Instruction Manual - Page 11

English 000BA015 KN WARNING If a rotating metal blade strikes a rock or other hard object, sparks may be created, which can ignite flammable materials under certain circumstances. Flammable materials can include dry vegetation and brush, particularly when weather conditions are hot and dry. When there is a risk of fire or wildfire, do not use metal blades around flammable materials or around dry vegetation or brush. Contact your local fire authorities or the U.S. Forestry Service if you have any question about whether vegetation and weather conditions are suitable for the use of a metal blade. WARNING If the head, blade or deflector becomes clogged or stuck, always shut off the engine and make sure the cutting attachment has stopped before cleaning. Grass, weeds, etc. should be cleaned off the blade or from around the head at regular intervals. WARNING To reduce the risk of unintentional rotation of the cutting attachment and injury, always shut off the engine before replacing the cutting attachment. To reduce the risk of injury, always shut off the engine before adjusting the length of the nylon line on manually adjustable mowing heads. WARNING The gearbox becomes hot during operation. To reduce the risk of burn injury, do not touch the gear housing when it is hot. USING THE CUTTING ATTACHMENT For an illustration of the various cutting attachments and instructions on proper mounting see the chapter on "Mounting the Cutting Attachment" in your instruction manual. WARNING To reduce the risk of severe or fatal injury from blade contact and / or loss of control, never attempt to use a metal blade on a power tool for which it is not authorized. Using the Mowing Heads Do not use with mowing line longer than the intended length. With a properly mounted deflector, the built-in linelimiting blade will automatically adjust the line to its proper length. Using the unit with an overly long nylon cutting line increases the load on the engine and reduces its operating speed. This causes the clutch to slip continuously and results in overheating and damage to important components (e.g. clutch, polymer housing components). Such damage could, among other things, cause the cutting attachment to rotate at idle. Mowing heads are to be used only on trimmers / brushcutters equipped with a line-limiting blade in the deflector in order to keep the line at the proper length (see "Main Parts" chapter in your instruction manual). If the lawn edges are planted with trees or bordered by a fence etc., it is best to use a nylon line head. It achieves a "softer" cut with less risk of damaging tree bark etc. than polymer blades. However, the polymer-bladed STIHL PolyCut produces a better cut if there are no plants along the edge of the lawn. Sharpening is not necessary, and worn polymer blades are easily replaced. WARNING To reduce the risk of serious injury, never use wire or metal-reinforced line or other material in place of the nylon FS-KM 9