BOZEMAN, Mont. — Keeping your yard in tip-top shape requires the right tools. A lawn trimmer is essential for keeping those edges neat and tidy. However, if your trimmer isn’t performing like it used ...

As lawn and garden equipment goes, none seems to have as many names as the noble weed trimmer — aka weed wacker, weed eater, weed cutter, string trimmer, strimmer or, in some circles, brush trimmer ...

One of the most essential yard tools beyond a mower is a string trimmer. Without one, there would be countless areas of your property with unsightly, unkempt grass the lawn mower was unable to reach.

Under normal use, you need to advance your string trimmer’s nylon cutting string whenever the tool isn’t cutting effectively. That happens every few minutes or even quicker in tall grass and weeds.