Important information on hedge trimmers

So you've bought one of these £ something-something -99p petrol hedge trimmers from something-something 'you can do it' shop down the road. You know of the features on the £400 plus 'pro' hedge trimmers, which would certainly do the job. But you couldn't justify the cost because of the infrequency and the amount of work you have to do. So on you go with your shaky, smoky little machine. All seems reasonable at first, 'could do with a bit more power', doesn't 'like the thick stuff', 'keep having to go over that patch again', 'my arms and hand are beginning to ache', 'and now that it's hot it doesn't want to start'. But worst of all when trying to cut the soft new growth (which is a hedge trimmers most usual task) it jams the blade and tears the hedge.

You naturally think the blade is blunt, but no, it's still sharp. Because of the inferior soft metal of the blades they begin to spread apart loosing the shear action of the blades. You then decide to tighten the blades but you can't. The blade bolts are too flimsy or instead they've used rivets. So they can't be sharpened, they can't be tightened, they can't cut the hedge properly, but they can be thrown away.

You may be able to buy a complete set of new blades and have them fitted by whoever. After all that you're then back to square one and maybe a little wiser !!!!

All Husqvarna hedge trimmers including the 122HD45 (which is only just over £220) have hardened machine ground blades with large adjustable blade bolts. Even when your blades get a little blunt they will still cut because of the rigid blades shear action. In time as the blades loosen the adjustable blade bolt will take out the slack.

All Husqvarna trimmer blades are double action, making a very smooth efficient vibration free cut. Some of the 'cheapos' have singe action blades, you'll know if you've got one of these, they shake like crazy and the machine becomes a blur.

A major part of the hedge trimmer's performance comes from a part you cannot see - the gearbox.

All Husqvarnas have double disc, double con rod drive systems (like a car engine). I mention this because most 'cheapos' and some well known and much more expensive hedge trimmers (I know your name, but I can't mention it) have the ends of the blades made into an elliptical hole which drop over the double discs.

This makes for a cheaper manufacture but it is less efficient and prone to early failure.

All Husqvarnas have blade teeth that shear against each other, some machines (the machine with no name) use what I call catcher/blades (only one tooth cuts against a blunt catcher blade). Also, I've found a lot of these blades to be soft and bend (a hardened blade will always remain true).

As with all Husqvarna machines purchased from us, all hedge trimmers are run up to full temperature and receive 'Peter's Power Tuning Plan' before despatch.