Need help With Hand Auger Blades

Albertadiver · #1 01-30-2009, 10:41 AM

So I'm wanting to spend the day tommorrow at Pine Lake...

I was out last week, and my hand auger was BRUTAL to get through the ice. We just had the blades sharpened by a mobile knife sharpening company and it worked well to drill a total of about 8 holes over two trips out.

The blades appear to be fairly sharp still so I'm guessing maybe the guy sharpening the blades messed up the angle and now it's not working great, but I'm not 100% sure because the auger worked good for the first few holes.

Should I just try sharpening it again? Or attempt to try to find new blades?

The auger is an oldie, all blue with red handles. I believe it's an 8". I'll check at lunch.

Think it's worth trying to find replacement blades at Wholesale sports? Any other reccomendations in Calgary? I work downtown and live in the NW so I'd like to avoid going to wholesale if possible.

Either way I have the rest of the day today to figure out a solution or fishing tommorrow is out...

Fish Cannon · #2 01-30-2009, 11:30 AM

I couldn't get through the ice 2 weeks ago with my hand auger. Ended up getting the tire iron out of the suv and busting open a couple of old holes.

I bought replacement blades last week and didn't have a problem fishing over the weekend. Only thing is the dull blades and the new blades feel the same sharpness to the touch. Going to play around sharpening the old ones now. I didn't like the feeling of not being able to drill through the ice. Took a couple of beers to get over that.

Mudslide · #3 01-30-2009, 11:50 AM

Do a search on sharpening. Someone posted that you need to leave a little bit of a burr on the back of the blades. Only sharpen the one side. If not here then search Ice Shanty" I Don't know if that helps, I haven't tried it with my old one yet. I have a 2HP Jiffy for sale in the buy and sell section if you get too frustrated.

Cuts ice like budder.

BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES · #4 01-30-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

So I'm wanting to spend the day tommorrow at Pine Lake...

I was out last week, and my hand auger was BRUTAL to get through the ice. We just had the blades sharpened by a mobile knife sharpening company and it worked well to drill a total of about 8 holes over two trips out.

The blades appear to be fairly sharp still so I'm guessing maybe the guy sharpening the blades messed up the angle and now it's not working great, but I'm not 100% sure because the auger worked good for the first few holes.

Should I just try sharpening it again? Or attempt to try to find new blades?

The auger is an oldie, all blue with red handles. I believe it's an 8". I'll check at lunch.

Think it's worth trying to find replacement blades at Wholesale sports? Any other reccomendations in Calgary? I work downtown and live in the NW so I'd like to avoid going to wholesale if possible.

Either way I have the rest of the day today to figure out a solution or fishing tommorrow is out...

Go into the fishnhole or wholesale get new blades , sounds like they weren't sharpened with the right edge. I know sharpening them can be a real pain.Go see if you cant pick up a set of serrated ripper blades , Just take your old blade in with you and you'll be set. Also its tuff using hand auger to drill threw 20 inches of ice, do yourself a favor in the off season get a power auger. But in the meantime do as I suggested.

buckmaster · #5 01-30-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

So I'm wanting to spend the day tommorrow at Pine Lake...

I was out last week, and my hand auger was BRUTAL to get through the ice. We just had the blades sharpened by a mobile knife sharpening company and it worked well to drill a total of about 8 holes over two trips out.

The blades appear to be fairly sharp still so I'm guessing maybe the guy sharpening the blades messed up the angle and now it's not working great, but I'm not 100% sure because the auger worked good for the first few holes.

Should I just try sharpening it again? Or attempt to try to find new blades?

The auger is an oldie, all blue with red handles. I believe it's an 8". I'll check at lunch.

Think it's worth trying to find replacement blades at Wholesale sports? Any other reccomendations in Calgary? I work downtown and live in the NW so I'd like to avoid going to wholesale if possible.

Either way I have the rest of the day today to figure out a solution or fishing tommorrow is out...

Try not to drill a hole over tire tracks. Even the smallest amount of sand will dull the blades and will not cut a hole properly even if you bottomed out your auger on the lake!

Albertadiver · #6 01-30-2009, 12:01 PM

Thanks guys, headed to the fishin hole in the NE.

pikekalk · #7 01-30-2009, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckmaster

Try not to drill a hole over tire tracks. Even the smallest amount of sand will dull the blades and will not cut a hole properly even if you bottomed out your auger on the lake!

i never heard of such a reply.....dont drill over tire tracks..gawd..laffin here....been doing that for 30 yrs and it never dulled a set of blades yet...the problem with ur blades is that the guy who sharpened them didnt have a clue as too how to sharpen these blades...very simple procedure...the bottom edge u must keep flat on the stone....because if u turn up the cutting edge ur never gonna get a hole started...keep the bottom edge or lead side...flat on the stone at all times...the top edge...the drag side...u sharpen just like u would a knife...KEEP STONING...untill u can feel a burr pointing down...its not rocket science...once u have the burr lightly stone it off...holding the blade flat too the stone...now steel the top edge ...place a cut piece of shim stock under blade before tightening..and go fishing....

russian river · #8 01-30-2009, 12:38 PM

ive never heard of serated* blades but i do know that you should never bang your auger on the ice to knock off the ice as that can ding the blades and make them dull.... i know ive done it... and its actually not that hard to find blades for the old hand augers aren't that hard to find good luck

BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES · #9 01-30-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russian river

ive never heard of serated* blades but i do know that you should never bang your auger on the ice to knock off the ice as that can ding the blades and make them dull.... i know ive done it... and its actually not that hard to find blades for the old hand augers aren't that hard to find good luck

check this link out . By far better then the regular flat blades.

http://www.wholesalesports.com/onlin...category=50300

AxeMan · #10 01-30-2009, 01:01 PM

Sounds exactly like my hand auger. Mine was dull and not cutting worth crap so I took a stab at sharpening the blades. I didn't read the other threads, just used common sense. I removed the blades and clamped them in the vise between two blocks of wood. I then used a fine sharp bastard file to sharpen from the top side of the blade only. Pull downward to the cutting edge. You don't want to bugger up or change that cutting angle on the bottom. I finished off the sharpening with a stone to get a razor edge. Again very little with the stone on the bottom edge. I then took a couple of swipes with the file to the auger itself on the blade mounts. I wanted to just increase the cutting angle ever so slightly.
The auger cuts as good as new now, maybe even better.

snot rocket · #11 01-30-2009, 01:31 PM

The best solution is to buy a gas auger............. seriously.

Mudslide · #12 01-30-2009, 02:17 PM

I'm Pretty sure those ripper blades are only for Jiffy power augers. I bet they would be hard to turn manually even if you could get them to fit on a hand auger.

Albertadiver · #13 01-30-2009, 02:19 PM

Picked up a set of blades from the fishin' hole.

Gas auger is around $300.00 bucks, hand auger blades $20.00 bucks + a bit o' exercise.

For now, I'll stay with the old hand auger. I don't even use rods for ice fishing, just some line wrapped around a paint stir stick with a jig and maggots and a bobber. Always worked for me since I was a kid...

BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES · #14 01-30-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudslide

I'm Pretty sure those ripper blades are only for Jiffy power augers. I bet they would be hard to turn manually even if you could get them to fit on a hand auger.

I have them on my 10 inch hand auger , works pretty good but your right takes alot of brute strength to get a hole drilled but works not to shabby.

Mudslide · #15 01-30-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGBADJOHN

I have them on my 10 inch hand auger , works pretty good but your right takes alot of brute strength to get a hole drilled but works not to shabby.

Come Igor: We go to bore some holes, but first, You lift truck: I change tire.

buckmaster · #16 01-30-2009, 06:58 PM

[!!!

gonefishn · #17 01-30-2009, 07:21 PM

Bobbers ice fishing first time i heard of that, lol

deanmc · #18 01-30-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikekalk

i never heard of such a stupid reply.....dont drill over tire tracks..gawd..laffin here....been doing that for 30 yrs and it never dulled a set of blades yet...the problem with ur blades is that the guy who sharpened them didnt have a clue as too how to sharpen these blades...very simple procedure...the bottom edge u must keep flat on the stone....because if u turn up the cutting edge ur never gonna get a hole started...keep the bottom edge or lead side...flat on the stone at all times...the top edge...the drag side...u sharpen just like u would a knife...KEEP STONING...untill u can feel a burr pointing down...its not rocket science...once u have the burr lightly stone it off...holding the blade flat too the stone...now steel the top edge ...place a cut piece of shim stock under blade before tightening..and go fishing....

If you had left the first sentence off your reply you would have seemed helpful instead of bitter.

pecker · #19 01-30-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudslide

Come Igor: We go to bore some holes, but first, You lift truck: I change tire.

x 2

Fish Cannon · #20 01-30-2009, 08:30 PM

X3

pecker · #21 01-30-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Cannon

X3

IGOR - I VONDER IV DEY MAAK AH 12 HINCH AWWGER.

BUD · #22 01-31-2009, 02:50 AM

Crappy tire has them blades too , cheap

Albertadiver · #23 02-01-2009, 09:18 AM

They worked great, and looks like the old blades were sharpened improperly.

Nerdapres' · #24 02-01-2009, 02:44 PM

I always take my blades to Carbide Saw Service in Bowness. My buddy from Red Deer even brings his there. Best $10 you'll ever spend.

I suggest to the original poster to throw out the screwed up blades and get a new set and take them to a saw sharpening place. (Carbide if you're in Calgary)

dodger · #25 02-01-2009, 07:28 PM

Hey gonefishin I also use bobbers all the time when ice fishing. There's many way's to use them but you will learn how someday " young grasshopper ".
Dodger.

geezer55 · #26 02-01-2009, 09:45 PM

When I replaced my blades years ago they came with shims. You have to experiment with the placement and the thickness but they have worked great in changing the angle of the and cutting power of the auger.

Hunter Trav · #27 02-03-2009, 03:58 PM

I have an old hand auger the same as the one you mentioned (blue and red). I bought it new in the box from a co-worker, its an old 8" Mora. Best auger I've ever used. As for everyone saying buy a power auger, I say BS, I have out drilled more than a few power augers, and I have drilled 3-4 holes before some guys can even get they auger started. Not that a good power auger isn't nice to have, as I have used some really good ones, drilling hole by hand isn't as bad as all these guys make it out to be. The trick is to keep them blades sharp. I sharpen mine every other trip out, takes about 10 minutes to do, and it seems like it cuts better everytime I resharpen it...

The Fisherman Guy · #28 02-03-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

Gas auger is around $300.00 bucks, hand auger blades $20.00 bucks + a bit o' exercise.

x2! I love when my buddies are mucking with their auger and can't get it started. I have lines in by the time they get theirs going, and they almost always get their hands covered in oil and fuel, and wonder why they are'nt catching any fish!

Plus, how many guys here have a hand auger as a backup to their power auger in case they cannot get it to start?? Can't drill a hole very quick with a power auger that refuses to run.

Yeah sure my one shoulder may get sore, and lopsided by the end of the season, but hey it offsets my other forearm!

Albertadiver · #29 02-03-2009, 11:04 PM

Hey, The Fisherman Guy, we need to have a fish'off one of these days. Compare shacks. Maybe you can show me a thing or two about Burb's. Never got one, and I'd like to.

Lets figure out a place and date and give things a shot for a day?

I'll bring the diet fresca's (as BBJ calls them...)

The Fisherman Guy · #30 02-03-2009, 11:25 PM

PM sent divemaster