# Tool Review: Stihl Kombi 130 with scythe



## smilycook (Jan 13, 2004)

We had been looking for a long time for a tool that will cut down on the time it takes to trim and brush trails. After trying an echo brushcutter with a beaver blade with decided to try the Stihl Kombi with scythe. The echo worked fairly well but was a pain to get in with a bob trailer since you can't break it in half.

The Stihl kombi will break in half and easily fit into a bob trailer and wow does that thing cut!

We had one guy cutting the big stuff with a chainsaw and myself running the Kombi with the scythe and easily brushed 5 to 10 times more trail than we could have done otherwise. I don't know how we did without it!

This tools just rocks and saved us cosiderable time.....can't wait to try another attachment.
http://www.stihlusa.com/multitask/kombi.html

Chris


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## Walt Dizzy (Aug 18, 2003)

*Pictures?*

Do you have any pictures?

Walt


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## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

How thick of a woody stem can the sythe attachment cut? My problem is with brush and weeds that are too light for loppers but too heavy for a string trimmer.


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## smilycook (Jan 13, 2004)

bweide said:


> How thick of a woody stem can the sythe attachment cut? My problem is with brush and weeds that are too light for loppers but too heavy for a string trimmer.


Around 2cm in diameter. It will blow through stuff that a string trimmer can't handle.


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## Fattirewilly (Dec 10, 2001)

Walt Dizzy said:


> Do you have any pictures?
> 
> Walt


Walt,

It looks like this http://www.stihlusa.com/hedgetrimmers/HL100K-135.html

Only with the Kombi, it breaks down in half for travel and the cleaner burning engine. We have one of these too and have used similar Stihl tools with saw blades instead of the trimmer string. The saw blades work okay till you hit a rock, then progress slows quickly, til you break out the file.

This articulating hedge trimmer deal just blows everything out of the water, short of something like a DR trimmer.


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## NEPMTBA (Apr 7, 2007)

What's that baby cost?


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## Fattirewilly (Dec 10, 2001)

NEPMTBA said:


> What's that baby cost?


$350 ish I think but I didn't write the check. You really pay for the breakdown feature.


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## wddamf (Jan 3, 2006)

I absolutely can second (third, forth, etc.??) the recommendation for this device - it's like walking through the brush swinging a "light saber" - just melts through stuff!!


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## blahwtf? (Aug 6, 2005)

i hve also been looking at this system, but witht the 90 powerhead, most of the attachments are about 200-300 each, but i really like the idea of having say 2 heads and a bunch of attachments, rather than one motor per implement, i already have a line trimmer, but i really need a tri blade and not the dinky plastic ones, and every year i end up renting a hedge trimmer to do all the bushes in one go, and usually end up with a watersprouting mess, due to the lack of wanting to re-rent every other season. and the pole saw would be next, im glad to hear this system lives up to the hype.


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## seenvic (Sep 9, 2003)

SORBA CSRA uses that hedge trimmer on a stick with a great deal of satisfaction. 

That and a DR field and brush mower are a hard combo to beat in the greenhouse we live in.


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## wddamf (Jan 3, 2006)

Heh - "greenhouse" - I feel your pain - I'm in New Orleans - weeds grow into trees around here! We've been using a walk-behind string trimmer like this in stead of the brush mowers:

http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/07177374000?qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

.155" string can take down small saplings and is durable, the machine is way light so pushing it around doesn't kill you, and there's no vibration like with a sickle-bar mower.


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## smilycook (Jan 13, 2004)

blahwtf? said:


> i hve also been looking at this system, but witht the 90 powerhead, most of the attachments are about 200-300 each, but i really like the idea of having say 2 heads and a bunch of attachments, rather than one motor per implement, i already have a line trimmer, but i really need a tri blade and not the dinky plastic ones, and every year i end up renting a hedge trimmer to do all the bushes in one go, and usually end up with a watersprouting mess, due to the lack of wanting to re-rent every other season. and the pole saw would be next, im glad to hear this system lives up to the hype.


You might want to consider the 130 powerhead, it really is only about $80 extra and will give you that much more hp to cut with. The breaking in half features really makes this unit portable...


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## barnold74 (Jul 11, 2005)

We use the Power Scythe and love it! It cuts small trees with one swipe, but you should buy the handle with the trigger switch for ease of use. Hearing protect is also recommended.


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## sick4surf (Feb 4, 2004)

We use the troy-bilt version, it's a four stroke and it has an articulating hedge trimmer attachment as well as a chain saw. It's a bit cheaper so we bought two.

Check it out:

http://www.troybilt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_14102_496547_55009_-1

Check the Attachments menu.

http://www.troybilt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category2_10001_14102_54987_54980_54980_-1


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## trev0006 (Mar 29, 2010)

If it folds in two it would be great for travel.



Fattirewilly said:


> Walt,
> 
> It looks like this http://www.stihlusa.com/hedgetrimmers/HL100K-135.htmltirescars
> 
> ...


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## rustybkr (Mar 30, 2010)

That looks awesome!


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## vicky86 (Jan 20, 2010)

Fattirewilly said:


> Walt,
> 
> It looks like this http://www.stihlusa.com/hedgetrimmers/HL100K-135.html
> 
> ...


It look great.


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## smokeuu (May 18, 2008)

how durable is the cultivator?


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## hankthespacecowboy (Jun 10, 2004)

Thanks for the Kombi feedback! I've been wondering about those for several years now...


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## EXPERTRIDER (Feb 13, 2010)

Down here in South FL, the weeds become solid wood in about a week, string trimmers just take way too long. The Stihl FS550 (or the 350, 450) are great brush cutters.
Most of our clearing gets done using Ryobi 4-stroke cutters that we modify with skill-saw carbide-tip blades! We put the 7 1/4" blades for the beginner, and those of us that have been doing it for a while, we use the 10" blades!! 
It's obviously very dangerous, I will not officially recommend it, and a couple well designed washer/spacers are required to make it safer.....but....it cuts thru everything amazingly! 6" trees in seconds! 2-3" tree branches get cut just by touching the branch. We really emphasize safety, and NO ONE get NEAR of these when an operator is using it...but WOW!! We can cut new trail 10X faster than with chainsaws....


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## hankthespacecowboy (Jun 10, 2004)

The ******* in me screams in joy at such an elegantly dangerous and incredibly effective solution...:thumbsup:


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## schulzeee (Mar 11, 2011)

This thread convinced me to buy the Kombi 90 motor with the power scythe. After 5 hours of use this tool is fabulous for tackling the understory plants of west coast rainforest. Salal is the primary target. Also where the plants are really dense this tool makes quick work of the sides and canopy of the trail corridor. And it will 'beaver' through green stems/branches (soft wood species) up to 30mm. The break down feature is essential for carrying in a pack to more remote locations. I think the '90' motor has plenty of power for my needs.


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