Abstract: A vegetation trimmer having a blade guard and a drive motor and an elongated drive shaft coupled to the drive motor is disclosed. The blade guard is coupled to the power head assembly, a cutting blade is attached to an output shaft of the power head assembly for rotation relative to the blade guard. The cutting blade being rotatable relative to the blade guard for cutting vegetation when the vegetation trimmer is operational. The blade guard having a diameter larger than a diameter of the cutting blade for protecting the blade and structures near or against where the vegetation trimmer is used. The blade guard defining a plurality of shear openings for receiving vegetation to be cut via the vegetation trimmer.