Ice auger won't bite

[CK Angler]

Originally Posted by drifter

Shimming is not the answer.
Buy new blades, install and go fishing.

^^^ Nailed it

[adogwiththumbs]

Originally Posted by Heavy K

Hey folks -

That said, the first outing this year, of only two , the ice was terrifying, and I did used the auger to "probe" sections of overflow for ice sturdiness, for whatever that was worth

HK

?? If you mean you banged your auger repeatedly on the ice to check safety of said ice...you may need very thick shims.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by adogwiththumbs

?? If you mean you banged your auger repeatedly on the ice to check safety of said ice...you may need very thick shims.

Yup, that would do it.

[kcward]

Wow, lots of ideas. I used a hand auger and then my TML power auger which used the same blades as the hand auger for many years. I was always told not to try and sharpen them, if you don't get your angle right you will make them worse.

They sent shims in the package of blades for a reason!

Every year as my blades would start to get dull (would still feel razor sharp) I would throw some shims in and that would be my que to buy a new set and have them for when it got dull even with the shims.

Shimming is basically setting the angle of the blade at a greater pitch so it bites into the ice better.

From experience, I know that shimming works great. I never have tried to sharpen the blades and can't comment on how well that works but common sense is that it would work fine as long as you are good at that kind of thing.

It sounds like many have commented on shimming not working, but have obviously never had to do it or try it.

So best of luck, keep those old blades and some shims even if you get a new set, as they might get you out of a bind sometime.

[BPman]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

A trick an old timer showed me works in a fix. If your hand auger is not biting good and the blades seem sharp... he took his pocket knife and ran the knife blade down the auger blade on the top side of the auger blade, the side with the angle cut. Two strokes of his pocket knife on each auger blade and the auger chewed 100 times better. The trick saved the day out on the lake.

If your blades seem sharp then all you need to do is reset the edge - similar to tuning up a carving knife with a sharpening steel. On a micro scale the fine edges of your blades have been rolled upward so they don't bite into the ice - like a dull drill in metal. You can reset your blade angle by passing a smooth piece of steel like the back of a sheath knife. shaft of a screwdriver or similar once or twice along the top of the blade at a shallow angle and passing from the centre towards the outside edge. You should have an immediate improvement without shimming or buying new blades. If you decide to shim then pop can metal or similar (1/4" wide and 3 " long) is all you need and it should be placed behind the cutting edge but in front of the fastening bolts to increase your angle of attack. Good luck.

[freeride]

I have the same auger and sometimes it does the same thing just spins on the ice and wont grab at all. I found just simply tapping it on the ice worked for me. Granted after reading all the posts i shouldnt do this, but it works for me and i havent sharpened the blades or replaced them in about 5 years and still going strong.

I think its just a little ice layer that mine gets on the blades themselves or on the bottom of the auger... Just enough to hold it up off the ice so it cant quite catch. It will scratch the surface but not bite into it.

[BPman]

Originally Posted by freeride

I have the same auger and sometimes it does the same thing just spins on the ice and wont grab at all. I found just simply tapping it on the ice worked for me. Granted after reading all the posts i shouldnt do this, but it works for me and i havent sharpened the blades or replaced them in about 5 years and still going strong.

I think its just a little ice layer that mine gets on the blades themselves or on the bottom of the auger... Just enough to hold it up off the ice so it cant quite catch. It will scratch the surface but not bite into it.

I have had that happen too - especially on a really cold day.

BTW, there is a shop in Calgary that will sharpen auger blades - my curved Normark 10" blades cost $20 for the pair. That's a lot better than $60 for a new set. Shorter and flat blades cost less to have sharpened.

Check out Carbide Saw Service Calgary
6527 Bowness Road - across the street from the Bowness library
403 - 288 - 4142

[EZM]

Another vote for sharpen the blades. Unless you really knocked the auger hard enough to throw the angle off ..... but I'm thinking that would have to be pretty hard.

If you want a manual ice auger ...... buy a Nils ...... it cuts an inch a second ....... no other hand auger remotely approaches that speed.

The design is completely different than anything else out there ..... have a look ...... no down pressure required.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AUDlplSNLQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvuAFT3ybNU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umrNewM7gZA

[4x4life]

Am I the only one that sees shimming as the cheapest easiest thing to try first? If it doesn't work, who cares? You're only out 10 cents for the pop can...

[tap33]

What red bullets and BPman said, just like on a skate blade, if your edge is rolled skating is difficult. It will feel sharp, but chances are it has a slight roll. Had this happen a few times and running a knife down the blade works. The blades can stay on the auger while you do this. I would try this before buying new blades.

[Redfrog]

Let us know what works.

[drifter]

Originally Posted by 4x4life

Am I the only one that sees shimming as the cheapest easiest thing to try first? If it doesn't work, who cares? You're only out 10 cents for the pop can...

Go after the root cause of the issue and replace the blades. Why put a band-aid on this and have the problem continue.

[Big Red 250]

So, did the OP ever get this auger to cut holes or did he throw it away and buy a new one?

[Chris88CL]

I've sharpened the blades on my Jiffy Model 76 about 5 times now without any ill effects. You just have to use your head when you look at the blade and how it spins and cuts and sharpen it so the angle is beneficial for that. If it hits the ice too flat, its obviously just going to spin like a top. It needs an angle to "bite". While there may be an ideal angle, as long as its a biting angle it has always worked fine for me.

Your results may vary.

[lambski]

ive used this auger my whole career, i grew up in hinton and some of the lakes i fished had a lot of sand embedded in the ice, if i fished lots over the winter i bought new blades every year, 30 bucks for a piece of mind and a quick hole, im a welder and there are machinests where i work the blades are super hard, forget sharpening in my opinion, get a new set and get out there

[Heavy K]

Originally Posted by Big Red 250

So, did the OP ever get this auger to cut holes or did he throw it away and buy a new one?

All work and no play for this dull fella. Will let you guys know how it works out. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try out the suggestions offered above this coming weekend.

HK

[silver]

Way back in the day ...60s... when my dad bought a hand auger to replace the chisel, there was an instruction book with it. When the auger wouldn't cut any more, the book said to take an iron object like a nail and stroke the top of the blade a time or two. If it cuts too hard, stroke the bottom. This has been mentioned on here a couple of times already, would be what I would try before shimming.

[Heavy K]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Let us know what works.

Hey Folks,

Just thought I’d summarize my efforts with my auger. As mentioned in my initial post, my 5” Finn-bore hand auger somewhat spontaneously stopped biting (despite the edges appearing to razor sharp), and came pretty close to ruining a fishing day. I tried a number of the things suggested above, as follows.

1. “Turning down the edge” with a hard piece of metal. I actually used a fine grain diamond stone. This had some effect, but not much. I took it easy on the edge, though. Giving it a little bit more muscle probably would’ve produced results.

2. Shimming the blades to make them bite more allowed the auger to actually drill holes. I used pieces of a beer can the length of the blade, folded them over, and wedged them under the leading edge of the blade to increase the angle, and thus it ability to bite. One shim per side (that’s two layers of can) got mediocre results, a second shim (that’s four layers worth of can) improved upon this. With three shims the performance was actually pretty good. I was able to drill holes well enough that going fishing was appealing! Too bad I had to work.

3. I decided that I should get the blades professionally sharpened. As suggested, I took them to the fella at Carbide Saw Service in Bowness, who had them ready for me last night. The auger now cuts through ice like butter, without the beer can shims. Maybe not quite as well as when new, but not too far off.

So there you have it. Moral of the story is sharpen your auger blades, even if you don’t think they need it, and don’t use your auger as a walking stick. Also, in a pinch, having a few of those beer can shims made up and stored with your ice fishing gear might be an easy way to salvage an otherwise lost fishing day. That’s what I’ll be doing with the ones I made. I’d love to have a second set of blades, but I can’t find the Finn-bore blades in the 5” version anywhere. If anyone knows where I can get some, speak up please.

Anyhoo, hopefully this is helpful to someone else down the road.

Tight lines,

HK

[Bigwoodsman]

Glad to hear you got it all worked out.

BW

[retten]

Originally Posted by Heavy K

Hey folks -

I'm having issues with my 5" inch Normark Swede-bore hand auger. It's worked brilliantly for 2+ years, but suddenly it won't cut worth a darn. It simply will not bite. I've used the search function and dug through a ton of posts on this subject. The usual suggestion is that blades need sharpening, but I've never mudded the thing and the blades are still sharp to the touch, like sharp enough to shave with. Someone also commented that the pitch of the blades can be altered by using the auger as a walking stick. I find this hard to believe, as the welds and construction at the bit-end look very robust and strong. That said, the first outing this year, of only two , the ice was terrifying, and I did used the auger to "probe" sections of overflow for ice sturdiness, for whatever that was worth. We were then seemingly unable to drill once on firm ice. At the time, I chalked it up to -25 temps and general fiddlefoolery. Turns out I was wrong.


Has any one else got any experience with shimming the blades, and successfully restoring an auger's function? I've heard that one can use a thin piece of metal to do so.

Any further insight?

Thanks folks,

HK

Jig slower and use fresh bait. LOL

[Dean2]

Excellent. I really like hearing how these things turn out. Remote diagnosis is hard so hearing the outcome is kind of satisfying. Thanks and glad it worked out so well.

P.S.
I have seen 5" in many augers, Swede Bore, Jiffy etc, but in the actual Fin Bore I have only ever seen 4.5" and 6. Are you sure it is actually a 5" Fin Bore blade. The 4.5" ones are quite easy to find on Ebay, and at a couple of the big US outlets.

[Heavy K]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Excellent. I really like hearing how these things turn out. Remote diagnosis is hard so hearing the outcome is kind of satisfying. Thanks and glad it worked out so well.

P.S.
I have seen 5" in many augers, Swede Bore, Jiffy etc, but in the actual Fin Bore I have only ever seen 4.5" and 6. Are you sure it is actually a 5" Fin Bore blade. The 4.5" ones are quite easy to find on Ebay, and at a couple of the big US outlets.

I remember it being a 5" auger upon purchase, and the blades say 5" on them, but I'll check.

[Heavy K]

Originally Posted by Heavy K

I’d love to have a second set of blades, but I can’t find the Finn-bore blades in the 5” version anywhere. If anyone knows where I can get some, speak up please.

HK

... and of course by Finn-Bore, I meant Swede-Bore. Thanks for the link Dean2. I hate buying things on line, but I might give it a go.

HK

[Drewski Canuck]

BITE IS FROM THE BURR CAUSED BY SHARPENING TOP SIDE DOWN.

LOSE THE BURR LOSE THE BITE NO MATTER HOW SHARPABLADE.

FILE OR STONE OR STROP from the the top and you regimen.

Drewski