What Does FS Stand For On Stihl Weed Eaters?

Stihl is a family-owned company that was founded in Germany in 1926 by Swiss-born engineer Andreas Stihl. Stihl tools are still built in Germany, and given the company's German heritage, it's not surprising that its naming conventions are based on the German language. There's a consensus, among those that discuss such things, that the FS found on Stihl weed eaters stands for Freischneider, a German word that roughly translates to line trimmer or brush cutter, depending on the translation tool used.

Model numbers found on other Stihl tools are just as interesting and still derived from their German-language descriptions. For instance, Stihl chainsaws carry a model number starting with MS, which stands for Motosäge, or chainsaw in English. 

The most interesting names however are attached to Stihl's line of handheld and backpack blowers. Stihl handheld blowers are grouped as BG models where the BG stands for Blasgerät, or blower, while the backpack carries the BR model code, short for Blasgerät Rückentragbar, blower that can be carried on your back, according to Google Translate.

Stihl grass trimmers rank well among major brands, and they come in gasoline, battery, and plug-in electric powered FS variants to fit the needs of homeowners and professionals alike. Battery-powered Stihl string trimmer models have an A (for the German Akku which means battery in English) attached to the end of the FS model nomenclature. The FSE 60 model is the only plug-in electric Stihl string trimmer. FSE stands for Freischneider Elektrisch, literally line trimmer electric in English.

Other letters are often tagged onto the end of Stihl string trimmer model numbers, such as E, M, R, C, and X. One example comes from the homeowner string trimmer group, the Stihl FS 56 RC-E Trimmer. 

The addition of the RC-E to the end of the model number means this trimmer features a rounded loop handle, as denoted by the R. The C means it has some built-in comfort feature, in this case it means the trimmer has an Autocut Easyspool line head. Finally, the E stands for Stihl's Easy2Start system.

From the professional trimmer section we find the Stihl FS 111 RX. While we already know the R in the model number stands for the rounded loop handle, the X at the end means it's a lightweight version. Comparing its specs to those of the standard FS 111 equipped with a bike handle, we can see that the FS 111 RX weighs 1.8 pounds less. The addition of the letter M to the model number, as found on the FS 561 C-EM, stands for Stihl's M Tronic electronic ignition and fuel metering system.