Old eskimo auger problem???

My uncle has an old (1973 or so) eskimo auger. It has a single blade and a cutting point held in with a pin of sorts.

Question is, why would it bounce up and down while cutting a hole? Also it cuts very slowly.

The blade is brand new. The point has been replaced through the years and looks nice and sharp, although someone has touched it up on a belt sander, but it does look good and sharp.

The blade appears to be further down (towards the hole you’d be cutting) on the outside by about 1/4″ than it is near the center of the shaft. So when you are cutting, the outside of the hole would be cutting first. It also has what appears to be a aluminum spacer between the auger and the blade, is this normal?

It is nothing like my eskimo that has 2 blades that contact first in the center and taper up on the outsides. His is opposite of this.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks.

Is the new blade the same as the old blades?? Maybe they changed something over the years???

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Is the new blade the same as the old blades?? Maybe they changed something over the years???

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According to him it looks exactly the same. It did look very new to me, and was very sharp. I don’t totally understand the way that it looks like it will cut from the outside in. Maybe this is normal, but mine is not this way.

He also seems to think the point might not have the exact correct bevel on it. Would this cause it not to cut and jump up and down?

If the blade is the right one and sharp and still cuting slow usually means the pitch is off.

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Is the new blade the same as the old blades?? Maybe they changed something over the years???

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I think you might be onto something here. As much as he thinks he’s got the same blade, I’m betting he’s got a newer single blade made for rotating the other direction.

That might explain a lot of this.