Sharpening Auger Blades

  • STXNSTONES
    Central Iowa
    Posts: 20
    #1234797

    I have a power auger, but we don’t get the ice you boys up in Minnesota do and I like to stay mobile. Most of the time I’m on foot dragging a flip over and using a lazer hand auger. Last weekend my blades went bad. Can those blades be sharpened. They seem to want to chip. I’m thinking the it may be just best to buy new blades.

    rkd-jim
    Fountain City, WI.
    Posts: 1606
    #530609

    I buy the resharpened ones from bait shops. Saves $$$ They just take the old ones in trade and have them resharpened for the next guy. I’ve had good luck with them.

    nascarfan
    stillwater,minnesota
    Posts: 261
    #530619

    i used my auger this summer to dig some post holes. just took the blade off and stuck it the grinder and it works as good as new.

    fishinallday
    Montrose Mn
    Posts: 2101
    #530639

    Quote:


    I have a power auger, but we don’t get the ice you boys up in Minnesota do and I like to stay mobile. Most of the time I’m on foot dragging a flip over and using a lazer hand auger. Last weekend my blades went bad. Can those blades be sharpened. They seem to want to chip. I’m thinking the it may be just best to buy new blades.


    The strike master blades are not flat like most others. If you look closley at them they are actually convex. This makes it VERY difficult to sharpen them. You will be better off either buying a brand new set or trading them in at the bait shop.

    Where are you locates at? Maybe somone will know a shop that carries reconditioned blades.

    Good luck.

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #530647

    I got an old Mora hand auger that just can’t cut a hole anymore. I can’t sharpen these blades either, since they are curved.

    You guys know of any place that will swap these out in the south metro? Or, am I stuck paying $20 for new blades (which isn’t that bad, I guess).

    deerdragger
    Posts: 346
    #530710

    I have a 7″ Mora Lazer that I tried swapping the blades out for re-sharpened ones at a local bait shop this winter. Didn’t cut at all with the re-sharpened blades. Wouldn’t even make a bowl shaped impression in the ice and the blades were razor sharp. It’s all about the angle. Spend the extra couple of bucks and buy new blades.

    fishinallday
    Montrose Mn
    Posts: 2101
    #530716

    Quote:


    I got an old Mora hand auger that just can’t cut a hole anymore. I can’t sharpen these blades either, since they are curved.

    You guys know of any place that will swap these out in the south metro? Or, am I stuck paying $20 for new blades (which isn’t that bad, I guess).


    Gary,

    Head over to Wayzata Bait and Tackle the next time you hit Tonka. Tim will hook you up. Make sure you give Tim and Lyle a hard time.

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #530729

    Thanks Chris!
    I’ll tell them you sent me to harrass them!

    Yep, I can’t get my auger to even “bite” anymore, just spins around all over the ice when I crank it around.

    rembrant
    Waterloo,Iowa
    Posts: 168
    #530788

    Mora augers are very weak where the blades attach, these augers also build up alot of ice on the blades….peoples first “thought” is to bang it on the ice to remove the excess ice. As I learned it took about twice and I was drilling holes sideways thru the ice…then would not even drill, even with new blades. So what I did and of the sounds of it a couple others did is bent the flange where the blade bolts on… so save your money on blades and buy a lazer.

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #530792

    are you thinking that maybe the blades are “out of alignment” and the metal bent?

    rkd-jim
    Fountain City, WI.
    Posts: 1606
    #530796

    I used to have a Mora and when you changed the blades there were small shims that came with the auger that had to be used if the pitch of the blades wasn’t right. Also the statement made in one of the posts about “banging the auger to get the ice buildup off” was right on the money. The pitch on the end of the flighting could have been altered by this practice. A little “adjustment” by using a vice grips might be all you need to get it to cut again. He@#, it doesn’t work now, it can’t hurt it!!!

    fishman1
    Dubuque, Iowa
    Posts: 1030
    #530812

    I got tired of buying new auger blades a few years ago and tried my cheap little Speedy Sharp sharpener on the blades. I’ll never buy another set of blades for my auger. The Speedy Sharp costs less than a new set of blades and does a fantastic job of sharpening the cutting edge if the blades are not too-worn. You don’t need to mess with the concave part of the blade, just the edge. I love the Speedy Sharp. It will even sharpen my serrated electric fillet knife blades.

    Eyehunter

    rembrant
    Waterloo,Iowa
    Posts: 168
    #530853

    Gary, yea the flighting or”flange” has lost the angle to cut…shimming it might help a tiny bit. As Jim said you are not out anything to bend,tweak…who knows you might get the angle back and it will cut better than before. If ya figure it out…start a business doing this cuz you will be rich in no time!

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #530858

    LOL!
    I figured something wasn’t quite right…….The blades don’t look/feel dual at all.

    troy seelhammer
    Chatfield, Mn
    Posts: 224
    #529398

    Quote:


    Thanks Chris!
    I’ll tell them you sent me to harrass them!

    Yep, I can’t get my auger to even “bite” anymore, just spins around all over the ice when I crank it around.


    Try turning it the other way

    rembrant
    Waterloo,Iowa
    Posts: 168
    #530867

    Gary,
    If ya figure it out….I’ll be your first customer!

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #530868

    I’m on a mission now!!!

    Expect a report in the early AM tomorrow!!!!!!!

    I’ll make this work!
    If I can make a nice “home-made” “Genz Box”……..Besides, I got the “awesome set of tools”….

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #530870

    Too funny Hammer!!!!!!!!!!!!

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #531194

    SIMPLE FIX!!!!!!!!

    Let me start with my obersvation:
    Measuring the angle of the two blades, I found that one blade was “slightly” more angled and pointed out more. This gave me one of two theories, since I don’t have a new one to compare too.
    1) The blades are suppose to be off-set, with one blade giving a “stonger” cut due to angle, than the other.
    2)The blades are suppose to be “mirror” image of angle to each other, giving an “equal” cut.

    Either or, they were not the same, but not far off either.

    Now, some people stated that the blades got bent, or the frame that holds the blades got bent, either or, throwing the cutting angle off. Makes complete sense, since the blades are razor sharp.

    So, I put a small shim washer between the blade and frame, of each blade. Just one washer, placed closest to the center point. What I was trying to acheive is angling out the blade at the center, to give both blades more of an angle to cut.

    Once done, I measured and basically accomplished nothing.

    So, I removed the shim washer from the lesser of the two angled blades. This gave the blade with the “greater” angle of the two more of an angle.

    Went out to the pond in the back yard………16 turns cut through 6-8 inches of ice.

    Previous, it would have taken 16 turns to probably get 3″, with half those turns spinning around on top of the ice trying to “bite” in.

    So, for those who have this problem, I used a very, very thin washer for a shim. Again, shimming out the blade with the most agressive angle/cut. The shim washer went between the blade and the frame. Only one washer used and that washer placed at the most inner bolt hole.

    I’m satisfied with 16 turns going through 6-8″ of ice!

    rembrant
    Waterloo,Iowa
    Posts: 168
    #531747

    Now you need to get out and use it! Can you say
    BRRRRRRRR!

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #531775

    Got that right!
    Wow, is it cold out!

    I’m staying home this weekend, but plan on chasing some pike next weekend. I’ll be using a gas auger too! This hand auger is good for early, thin ice!

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