How to use a petrol strimmer
Updated: October 2026
How to use a petrol strimmer, on the shafts in the [petrol grass trimmer comparison](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/petrol-grass-trimmer), starts with the head clear of the ground and the harness on before you open the throttle. These listings are eSkde, SIP, LADAMI and Ark Mat machines, not STIHL FS models. The order is the shape of a start from STIHL’s UK guide for its own trimmers. Your choke may be labelled differently. Products Compared used those public steps on 23 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
How to use a petrol strimmer, on the shafts in the petrol grass trimmer comparison, starts with the head clear of the ground and the harness on before you open the throttle.
How to use a petrol strimmer, on the shafts in the petrol grass trimmer comparison, starts with the head clear of the ground and the harness on before you open the throttle. These listings are eSkde, SIP, LADAMI and Ark Mat machines, not STIHL FS models. The order is the shape of a start from STIHL’s UK guide for its own trimmers. Your choke may be labelled differently. Products Compared used those public steps on 23 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Fuel | Harness | Heads | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  eSkde eSkde BC52-S23 petrol strimmer | 2-stroke; ratio not stated | Double shoulder harness | Nylon head and metal blade; width cell 255 mm | 8.0 | about £120 | View offer |
| Best value |  eSkde eSkde MT52-S23 5-in-1 | 2-stroke; ratio not stated | Double shoulder harness | Strimmer, brush cutter, hedge trimmer, chainsaw, extension pole; width cell 41 cm | 7.4 | about £143.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  SIP SIP SIP-08230 4-stroke trimmer | Straight petrol claimed; no premix | Adjustable harness and hip pad | 430 mm line head and 255 mm 3-blade | 6.2 | about £142.04 | View offer |
On this page
Before the cord moves
Fill the tank only with the fuel that engine is built for. The ratio, if it needs one, is on the two-stroke strimmer fuel mix page. The LADAMI bullets say 25:1. STIHL and Husqvarna say 50:1 for their own engines. The SIP bullets say you do not premix. If the can does not match the card on this engine, stop.
Fit the guard that belongs to the head. A line guard and a blade guard are not interchangeable. The Health and Safety Executive has told users to take multi-piece metal chain flails out of use. Do not fit one. Check long grass for hedgehogs before you cut. Ground the machine so the guard and the engine supports take the weight, with the cutting tool clear of the soil. If a blade nut already turns in your fingers, do not start it.
A cold start, then a warm one
On STIHL’s UK page for its own models, you press the primer at least five times, set the choke as that card says, and hold the shaft down. Pull until you feel resistance, then pull sharply, and guide the cord back instead of letting it snap. Blip the throttle so the choke drops to run, and only then clip the harness. That primer count is STIHL’s. An eSkde, a SIP or an Ark Mat may use another lever. Read the card in front of you.
A warm restart is still a grounded start, usually with the choke off. BC52 reviews describe a pulley that stopped returning, the 5-in-1 reviews a starter that failed twice, and the SIP reviews a cord and a choke that snapped. If the cord or the choke has already failed, a harder pull is how parts leave the housing.
Harness and both hands
You cannot judge a 7 kg bull-horn shaft from a lift in the kitchen. Both eSkde listings name a double shoulder harness. The SIP names an adjustable harness and a hip pad. The Ark Mat names a double harness on a 13.2 kg cell. The LADAMI bullets name a shoulder strap with a hip protector, beside 15.3 kg. Clip in before you hold the throttle open. An FS 55 hook height is a shape of fit for a different model, not a screw setting on an eSkde.
On the BC52, the harness works once it is set and feels heavy when it sits too low. On the SIP, reviewers call the harness poor or awkward. If you cannot keep both hands on the bull horns, stop and refit the straps.
When to stop
Stop when a blade nut will not stay tight. Only the SIP bullets print a left-hand thread warning. Do not assume an eSkde or an Ark Mat uses the same thread. One SIP review says the blade kept coming loose and calls it a danger. That is one account in 14 reviews, and it is still a reason to stop.
Stop when a joint rattles or a screw has left the head. Ark Mat reviews include a chainsaw screw that fell out, and on the eSkde 5-in-1 a pin can bend. Stop if the cord will not return, or if you smell petrol on a hot engine after a spill.
Common questions
Do I start a petrol strimmer on the ground?
Yes. Ground it so the guard and the engine supports carry it, with the cutting tool clear of the ground. STIHL’s UK start page is the source of that order for STIHL models. These five listings are not FS models, so follow the labels on your own engine.
What is the difference between a cold start and a warm start?
A cold engine usually needs choke and primer. STIHL’s page says at least five primer presses, a sharp pull, a guided return, then a throttle blip so the choke drops to run. A warm engine often starts with the choke off. If your lever is marked differently, the card on the machine wins.
When do I clip the harness?
After the engine is in the run position, and before you open the throttle and walk. STIHL clips the harness at the end of its start sequence. On a 7 kg bull-horn tool you only learn the balance once the straps are set. The FS 55 hook height is not a setting for these ASINs.
What if the pull cord or the choke snaps?
Stop. Reviews here already describe a BC52 pulley that stopped returning, a 5-in-1 starter that failed twice, a SIP cord that snapped before the first start, and a SIP choke that snapped. Pulling harder is not a repair. Use the seller, the warranty note on the listing, or a dealer. This page has no strip-down.
Which way does a blade nut turn?
Only the SIP bullets print a left-hand thread warning, so check that nut the way those bullets describe, before every cut. Do not copy the direction onto an eSkde or an Ark Mat unless their own card says the same thing. If the blade is already coming loose, stop. One SIP review describes that as a danger.
Can I fit a chain flail?
No. The Health and Safety Executive has said multi-piece metal chain flails should be taken out of use on brush cutters. Use the nylon line or the metal blade supplied with the tool, and fit the guard that matches that head.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources from the research digest. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these five listings are the figures in the saved pages. Compared on 23 October 2026.
- B&Q grass trimmer and brushcutter buying guide (retrieved 23 October 2026)
- STIHL grass trimmer fuel mixture (retrieved 23 October 2026)
- Husqvarna UK: how to mix fuel for grass trimmers and brushcutters (retrieved 23 October 2026)
- Outdoor noise regulations 2001, Schedule 3 (retrieved 23 October 2026)
- GOV.UK noise nuisances: how councils deal with complaints (retrieved 23 October 2026)
- HSE petrol storage (retrieved 23 October 2026)
- HSE safety bulletin: brush-cutter chain flails (retrieved 23 October 2026)
- Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 23 October 2026)