Introduction to Weed Whips
A string trimmer, also known as a line trimmer and by the trademarks Strimmer, Weedwacker, Weed Eater and Whipper Snipper, is a garden power tool for cutting grass, small weeds, and groundcover. Instead of a blade, it uses a whirling monofilament line which protrudes from a rotating spindle at the end of a long shaft topped by a gasoline engine or electric motor.
String trimmers are commonly used for cutting low foliage near obstacles or on steep or irregular terrain. Most professional-grade line trimmers take brush cutter attachments for denser vegetation.
The string trimmer was invented in the early 1970s by George Ballas of Houston, Texas, who conceived the idea while watching the revolving action of the cleaning brushes in an automatic car wash. His first trimmer was made by attaching pieces of heavy-duty fishing line to a tin can bolted to an edger. Ballas developed this into what he called the "Weed Eater", since it chewed up the grass and weeds around trees.[citation needed] Originally produced by Houston-based Weed Eaters, Inc., who registered the trademark in 1972, the business changed hands several times and is now owned by Husqvarna.
Corded electric and petrol-engined competitors arrived in the mid '70s, establishing registered trade names such as Whipper Snipper (Black+Decker Canada, 1976), Weedwacker (Sears Roebuck, USA 1978, but first use claimed in 1975) and Strimmer (Black+Decker UK 1977); which like the original Weed Eater have been subsequently used as the generic term for any string trimmer in different regions. From Strimmer has been backformed the colloquial verb "to strim"
A string trimmer works on the principle that a line spun fast enough on its center stiffens by centrifugal force; the faster the hub turns, the more rigid the line. Even round-section nylon line is able to cut grass and slight, woody plants quite well. Some monofilament lines designed for more powerful cutters have an extruded shape, like a star, that helps the line slash the material being cut; the line is thus able to cut quite large woody plants (small shrubs) or at least girdle them effectively. These lines make solid disks less necessary for tough jobs.
Citations:
- Wikipedia Contributors. “String Trimmer.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Feb. 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_trimmer . Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.
- “String Trimmer Cutting Tall Grass.” Pexels, Photograph, https://images.pexels.com/photos/29288279/pexels-photo-29288279.jpeg. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.