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There are others on here far better with machines than me, and I'm sure they'll be along, and I hope I'm not being patronising, but there should be a reason why the blades have seized. If you are using the hedge cutter a lot then I wouldn't have said annual servicing is enough.
Have you checked that the gear box/head is greased?
Do you clean / lubricate the blades after each use? Are you sure sap hasn't dried and stuck the blades together?
sorry should of made it clear I do servicing generally on it ie greasing etc every month but send it for a full service once a year - no sap hasn't dried - taken head off nothing looks stuff and well lubricated - looks like it is in the main gearbox body something has broken I guess -
Only ever own Stihl, but I've found long handled hedge cutter gear heads are only good for three- four years, on the older style of sthil. The new ones I can't say mines still going, but the blades are only really can't good for three years.
I Only started to buy in to Sthil battery hedge cutters this year they are sublime! Couldn't say how long they last. They don't have the grunt for thicker stuff, but they are so nice to use.
ok so probably no good for me then as I have to cut thicker stuff - thanks for your reply
I use mine this morning to cut the top off a laylandi hedge, it hadn't been cut for two years, it did fine. But I had to get the petrol poll saw out for a few bits.
You should try a demo one, I wish a brought them years ago!
I find cordless is is a joy to use on hedges which just need regular trimming and existing shape and height maintaining but i find petrol has the edge on the bigger jobs but i understand from what i learn on here that there are stihl cordless models capable of tackling heavy trimming jobs but its a matter of choosing the right model for that particular job .
I have never quite understood if there is stihl dedicated cordless all rounder hedge trimmer which will cut fine stuff and the really thick stuff ?
My stihl hedge trimmer blade which will fit petrol and cordless is over three years old and still cuts like a knife through butter although the gearbox is a bit greedy for grease , its done lots of work .
I wonder if your blade has being sharpened , as a dealer told me never to sharpen a lazer cut blade if it doesn't need sharpening as it will dull it and it will never perform like new and put strain on the gearbox .
I am no expert but took his word for it .
Not heard about no sharpening blades. My dealers never mentioned that.
There's Stihl how to sharpen hedge cutter blade videos on-line. I sharpen mine when there blunt. I find that once the touching worn down in the inside they just don't cut fine anymore, like edge shear's.
Yes i agree i watch those videos myself in fact i recently bought a lazer cut blade which came with sharpening instructions we can only trust the advice has being tried and tested and learn from experoence , I believe its possible to sharpen them but the edge wont last before it needs doing again .
i dont know if such a hedge cutter exists which takes multiple types of blades for light and tough jpbs ,with various shaft extensions or telescopic and a sort of hybrid cross with optional fuel tank or cordless facility , it would be a winner in my opinion
thank you all for your comments - I think I will go down the cordless route - most of my work is thinner hedging - I still have a small petrol hedge cutter just not a long reach pole so that should do the thicker stuff - thanks again
i find if doing tops of hedges and some neglected thick trunk pieces often missed or not cut to correct level by previous gardener, so requiring considerable reduction, the stihl HTA85 telescopic pole chainsaw is my go-to piece of kit. but in general the HLA85 long reach trimmer is perfectly adequate