Hand augers

[Sundancefisher]

What is your favourite brand and size?

I have strike master mora in 4, 6 and 8 inch

I have a normark 4” fin bore.

I like the fin bore more. Use both with drill attachment. Bolt hole seems to get worn larger over time in both models.

Do people buy new blades or sharpen?

[pinelakeperch]

Interested in hearing this as well. I'm looking to buy an 8in hand auger as backup in case my power auger won't start.

[Isopod]

I would not want to use an 8" hand auger when the ice really thickens up in February and March. Drilling through 3 feet of ice with my 6" hand auger is miserable and usually makes for a "two-hole day" when the ice is really thick.

Bought an 8" power auger some years ago, nowadays I only use the hand auger when the ice is a foot thick or less and I don't feel like lugging out the power auger.

[RayL42]

I have very old 6' Swede-Bore. I sharpen the blades myself. I bought a special tool for this job years 5 ago from wholesale sports and it works reasonably well.

[pikergolf]

Nils USA, in my opinion nothing else comes close.

[Dean2]

In 45 years my power auger has never failed to start. If it did for some reason and I couldn't fix it on the ice, I would come home. Can't imagine carrying a hand auger as a spare, would be more likely to carry a spare power head.

For real thin ice. less than 8 inches I have used hand augers. Of all the ones I have tried the one I liked best is the 6" Eskimo or 5" Strikemaster Lazer (much better than the regular Strikemaster). The US Nils is a great auger, but almost as expensive as a power auger.

[pinelakeperch]

In 45 years my power auger has never failed to start. If it did for some reason and I couldn't fix it on the ice, I would come home. Can't imagine carrying a hand auger as a spare, would be more likely to carry a spare power head.

For real thin ice. less than 8 inches I have used hand augers. Of all the ones I have tried the one I liked best is the 6" Eskimo. The US Nils is a great auger, but almost as expensive as a power auger.

Most of the lake I go to are at least an hour away. I would hate to drive a few hours only to have my auger not start. I've had some issues with bad blades, but never with the power head.

Picking up a brand new 6in hand auger for $20 off of kijiji later today. Beats spending a few hundred on a spare power head, in my opinion.

[Dean2]

Most of the lake I go to are at least an hour away. I would hate to drive a few hours only to have my auger not start. I've had some issues with bad blades, but never with the power head.

Picking up a brand new 6in hand auger for $20 off of kijiji later today. Beats spending a few hundred on a spare power head, in my opinion.

I carry a spare set of sharp blades, shims and a sharpening stone in my tackle box, along with a spare plug. I also usually start the auger before I leave home, just before I load it in the truck and I always pre-start it before the first trip[ of the year. If you believe a hand auger as back up is warranted far be it from me to try and talk you out of it. Was just providing my experience.

P.S. By the way, bad blades show up a lot faster on a hand auger, make sure you keep them razor sharp and well protected from bad bumps.

[PlayDoh]

3 feet of ice? lol. I keep one in my truck, doesn’t take up much room and isn’t heavy. I haven’t seen a hand auger that didn’t work if the blades were sharp. I have a BPS one and it works fine.
I think for the $40 I spent on it, someday it’ll save the day. Would certainly be better than going home. I’d rather auger through 3 feet than tuck tail and go home, lol.
When you think of the effort it takes to pull out and set up a power auger, I doubt it saves all that much energy just using a hand one. Yet id never give up my power auger, as I punch so many holes it probably looks like I’m doing a seismic survey, lol.

[calgarygringo]

If I were to get a hand auger it would be a Nils. Without a doubt the best out there. Take your blades down to Foothills Sharpening in Okotoks. They do a great job for like 10ish bucks and a short drive for you too. I take my auger blades there and have been for years. Have a couple sets so you never run out and they change quick. I carry 2 spares so always have extra. Don't need often but as example Dean and I had a time last year we had sandy ice and it dulled real quick. Did a pit stop on the tailgate with the

emerg tool kit and had a set that cut like butter at our next lake setup in no time.



What is your favourite brand and size?

I have strike master mora in 4, 6 and 8 inch

I have a normark 4” fin bore.

I like the fin bore more. Use both with drill attachment. Bolt hole seems to get worn larger over time in both models.

Do people buy new blades or sharpen?

[Isopod]

Yes, if you are only planning to punch 2 or 3 holes then a hand auger is okay, in fact that's all I used for a good many years. But it is hard drilling when the ice gets thick -- and I've seen it 3.5 feet thick in central Alberta -- it is even worse when it gets warm in March and the ice gets soft and wet and grabs the blades of the auger and can sieze them in the hole. Not to mention that staring down a 6" diameter hole through 3 feet of ice is extreme tunnel-vision if you are doing sight-fishing. There are 8" hand augers but then you've increased the area of the hole by 77%, which also increases your drilling effort by 77%.

When the ice is over a foot thick I can usually drive out on the ice to most of the places I fish, so bringing a power auger along is not an issue. And I like to punch 20 or so holes, making a hand auger impractical after about the end of December.

[Red Bullets]

I prefer an ice chisel over a hand auger. A good chisel will always work. With the chisel I had I could go through a foot of ice in a minute or so. If the ice was 3 feet thick it would take a few minutes. Make a hole any shape or size, even make wide angle holes for a better view. I would sharpen it once in a season. The chisel weighed enough that just the weight cut the ice, not much effort. I sold the chisel I had to another AO member but am going to have another one made from a planer blade.

Stay away from the store bought jiffy chisels. not heavy enough. Also.. if anyone tries a chisel wear a wrist strap attached to the chisel. The first nice ice chisel I had is stabbed in the bottom of Heart Lake to this day.