K-Drill vs. Lazer Auger

I currently utilize a Strikemaster 137 auger with 10″ chipper bit but really want something that can cut faster and I truly don’t need the 10″ hole size. I am currently torn between just getting a 6″-7″ lazer bit to mount on the power head or purchase a 6″ K-Drill to be able to utilize a battery drill and/or mount on the Strikemaster power head for thicker ice. Price its kind of obvious with the Lazer bit, however the multi-use functionality with the K-drill is a big feature. Anyone have any first hand experience or input that can lead me into my next purchase? Cut speeds between the two? 137 power head ok to use for both?

We compared the 6″ k-drill and the 6″ lazer synthetic side by side last winter, both powered by m18 fuel drills. The Lazer was much faster, almost twice as fast.

Lazer is faster but where you gain your speed back is that with the K-Drill there is no slush in the hole when you done. Also last year during the NAIFC Alma event I learned the real value of the K-Drill. After I was on my 5th set of blades and last set during prefishing we turned to the K-Drill a buddy had. Same sandy areas the K-Drill just wouldn’t dull. Personally I run a Lazer 5 and 6″ hand auger for panfish and a K-Drill 8″ for Walleyes.

Lawrence Luoma

Lawrence Luoma wrote:

Also last year during the NAIFC Alma event I learned the real value of the K-Drill. After I was on my 5th set of blades and last set during prefishing

Please explain why you would need to use 5 sets of blades? I have used my lazer bit on a Tanaka motor for the last 5 years and am yet to replace the blades. I fish the same area? What the heck. Thanks.

@riverruns, sounds like he was fishing a lake where sand blows across the ice.
DT

Fishing the backwaters of the Mississippi just north of Alma, WI. Looking for holes and cuts withing the fingers there. Just hit one grain of sand and gone will your lazer blade be. I was drilling in no mans land a lot. lol

I guess I’ve never experienced that. Lived and fished on the river a long time 40 + years. I just don’t experience sand dulling my blades. I run a Tanaka motor with lazer drill head and that thing just melts through the ice. Over 10 years on the blades on this auger set up. If you can get your hands on a Tanaka drill cheap, buy it.

262R is the Tanaka head I have if that helps. Good luck finding it.

Lawrence Luoma wrote:

After I was on my 5th set of blades and last set during prefishing we turned to the K-Drill a buddy had. Same sandy areas the K-Drill just wouldn’t dull. Personally I run a Lazer 5 and 6″ hand auger for panfish and a K-Drill 8″ for Walleyes.

Lawrence Luoma

Agreed. Love my 8″ lazer for speed but when they’re dull they’re brutal. I’ve also snapped 4 sets of lazer blades, 3 sets in one season! The bolts were plenty snug, I’m not rough on my equipment, they just snapped right through the bolt hole. $160 just like that…

The K-Drill is faster than the chipper but slower than the lazer, but the blades last way longer than the lazer and its super light.

Hmm? Still following this. I looked up the K-drill so I would know what your talking about. So how much faster would it cut than a conventional good auger and does it matter? Seems to be an expensive drill for just the drill head?

I’ve never heard of anyone up and down the river having issues like you are describing here with lazer blabes dulling that quick? That’s got to suck. I’m assuming the auger shaft was bad and put the wrong bite on the blades? Only my assumption.

riverruns wrote:

Hmm? Still following this. I looked up the K-drill so I would know what your talking about. So how much faster would it cut than a conventional good auger and does it matter? Seems to be an expensive drill for just the drill head?

I’ve never heard of anyone up and down the river having issues like you are describing here with lazer blabes dulling that quick? That’s got to suck. I’m assuming the auger shaft was bad and put the wrong bite on the blades? Only my assumption.

Sounds like he was hitting bottom.

Nothing wrong with the auger, not hitting bottom, dirt or sand in or on the ice will ruin a set of blades in a heartbeat. I wrecked many sets before I got a chipper auger just for the dirty ice.

Thanks for the input guys. Anyone ever strapped the k-drill on a Strikemaster power head?

I actually have owned a Tanaka and it’s simply the best gas auger out there. It’s simply the best when paired with a Lazer Hand auger. (blows away the Nils in speed) With that said I’m now going on my fifth year all electric and you simply can’t beat not dealing with gas.

As for the electrics nothing is faster and better battery life than a DeWalt XR 20V and a Lazer hand auger when talking 5″-7″ augers. But once I go to 8″ Auger I love the K-Drill setup.

Unless drilling where I could drill into the sand then I’ll bring out 6″ K-Drill. And yes to answer the question I was drilling off the beaten path to dull the blades but hey I was trying to win a tourney.

Can’t speak to the Mississippi but sand in the ice is fairly common in some areas of the Rainy River. Rule 1 here is never put Lazer blades in that and expect to drill very many holes.

Around 10 years ago I took an older and very abused SM Mag Lazer somebody gave me to Big Lake when SM used to have a repair shop there. They had to reset the bottom of the auger (where the blades mount) to the correct angle because the previous 280 lb owner had banged the auger on the ice when it wouldn’t cut thinking the bottom was iced up. Reason it wouldn’t cut is he tried to sharpen the lazer blades.

We all know you can’t fix stupid but kudos to the SM mechanics for getting that auger to near new shape in less than an hour.

They also included a very important Lazer lesson at no charge with the service. Don’t drill holes in tire tracks or where vehicles have been parked cause you risk hitting sand from tires or that has fallen off the vehicle. Don’t drill out old holes. It may work but drilling new clean ice is less risky. Don’t even think about sharpening Lazer blades other than sending them in to SM or replacing them with new or factory sharpened blades.

I miss that shop! They were reasonable, had everything on hand and made repairs while you waited.

The K drill on a Strikemaster or Eskimo power head is very slow I believe the K Drill is for 500 revaluations per minute I may be wrong on that. I had the same idea putting it on a power head. My buddy could drill a hole by hand with a Mora auger faster than I could drill with the power head. The K drill is great i went through a set of blades last year also because of wind swept ice no cover. They were way better than any Strikemaster blade as others have said. Just my experience.

Uffdapete and Mr Pike – thanks for following up on an old thread. I ended up selling the strikemaster chipper auger and purchasing a kdrill at the Ice show last year and a Dewalt 996. Have nothing but positive things to say with my purchase so far.