Do you need to sharpen auger blades? Sharpening an ice auger blade is not a difficult task. If you have enough patience, then you can easily complete this task within 5 minutes. So, how to sharpen ice auger blades in less than an hour.
Approximately, 33.23% of fishermen are using this blade in their fishing journey. This blade helps professional fishermen to make a hole in the ice. After making a hole, they can easily catch fish from the water.
If you are a beginner, then you need to know the process of sharpening an auger blade. Otherwise, you have to spend extra money on it. In this content, I’m going to share with you the step-by-step guideline and other factors that you should know. So, sit on your favorite coach and enjoy the whole content.
Why Should We Sharpen Ice Auger Blades?
Auger blades are the most popular blades. This blade is especially popular among the professional fishermen who need to make a hole. If you live in an ice region, then you know how difficult it is to catch fish.
Ice auger blades can help any fishermen in this regard. But, if you don’t want to spend extra money and save your time then you should know the sharpening process.
So, here are the 3 reasons that will help you to understand the reasons to sharpen ice auger blades:
(i) Need less force: The first and foremost reason to sharpen an auger blade is that it will require less force. If your blades are not sharp, then you need more force to make a hole in the ice.
(ii) Smooth cutting: If you want to make a smooth cut, then you should use a sharp blade. A sharp blade can help you to make a hole within a short time. On the other hand, a blunt blade will take more time and effort.
(iii) safety: The last valid reason to sharpen an auger blade is safety. If your blades are not sharp, then it may slip from your hand and hurt you. So, it is better to use a sharp blade to avoid any accidents.
So, all the points indicate that you should know the sharpening process of blades.
03 Best Ways To Sharpen Ice Auger Blades
There are lots of ways to sharpen an ice auger blade. Some of them are primitive and some of them are most advanced. You can use any of them. It depends on a person’s preference.
Primitive Methods
“Old is Gold”. If you love to use a primitive method then we respect your decision. Sometimes, the primitive method is better than the advanced method.
Here are two primitive ways to sharpen your blade easily:
1) With Stone
This is one of the oldest ways to sharpen a blade. In this method, you have to use a stone to sharpen your ice auger blade. Here are following steps:
01: First of all, you need to find a good quality stone.
02: After that, you have to put the blade on the stone.
03: Then, you need to hold the blade with one hand and stone with another hand.
04: After that, you need to move the blade in a circular motion on the stone.
05: You need to do it until the blade becomes sharp.
2) With File
This is another primitive way to sharpen a blade. In this method, you have to use a file. Let’s see some steps:
Step 01: First of all, you need to find a good quality file.
Step 02: Now, you have to put the blade on the file.
Step 03: You must grasp the blade with one hand and file with the other..
Step 04: You must then move the blade in a forward and backward motion on the file, which is what you’re going to do..
So, You must continue doing so until the blade has a sharp edge.
Advanced Method
If you are not comfortable with the primitive methods, then you can try advanced methods. It takes less time and less effort. Here is another advance sharpening method:
1) With a professional sharpener
Some companies are producing sharpeners to avoid extra hassle and time. There are lots of professional sharpeners out there. But, we suggest our favourite Strike Master Ice Augers Sharpener. Let’s see how can you sharpen your blade with this sharpener:
01: The first thing you need to do is to find the correct size carbide for your blade.
02: You need to put the carbide in the correct position.
03: Now, it’s time to turn on the machine and wait for a few seconds.
04: You will see that your blade is getting sharper and spinning rods.
So, these are the steps that you need to follow if you want to use a professional sharpener.
Best Ice Augers Sharpener: Strike Master Sharpener.
If you want to avoid extra hassle and have pretty enough budget on sharpener, then we will recommend you to buy “Strike Master Sharpener”. This sharper is especially useful for catching fish in ice regions.
So, why Strike Master and not others?
Before buying something, we mainly focus on two general criteria:
(i) The product which has less price but quality product.
(ii) That product must be user friendly and have good reviews.
Advantages
Strike Master not only follows these two criteria but has some good features too. Some of its features make it different from others. Let’s see what are they:
(i) Carbide Tipped Material: For a good sharpener carbide tipped material is ideal. The experts always suggest choosing carbide tipped products. Because this type of product takes less time to sharpen.
(ii) Easy To Use: It is easy to use. There are no complex functions on it. So, any beginner can use it with less effort. Even if you haven’t previous experience on ice auger blades, then you can also use it without any hesitation.
(iii) Lightweight: It is very light in weight. So, you can easily carry it on your fishing rods.
Disadvantages
We don’t promote products. We always try to give an honest review on a product. Besides the advantages, it also has some disadvantages.
(i) Limited Use: It can only be used to sharpen ice auger blades. You can’t use it for other purposes.
(ii) Not So Durable: It is not too durable. With regular use, it can damage easily.
So, it depends on your personal choice. If you love the key features of this product, then you can buy it. But, if you want to use it for a longer period, then we will suggest you to go for other options.
How Sharp Should Ice Auger Blades Be?
Sometimes we don’t know the exact answer to this question. It depends on the types of auger and how frequently you use it. If you are a professional fisherman, then you have to sharpen it after every 3-4 uses.
But, if you are a beginner or use it occasionally, then you can use it 6-7 times. After that, you need to sharpen the blades for better performance. The more you use it, the more frequently you need to sharpen it.
So, how can you understand that your blades need to sharpen? There are several signs that indicate you should sharpen the blades as soon as possible. Let’s see those signs-
- The performance of your auger is decreased.
- It takes more time and effort to make a hole in the ice.
- You feel more vibration while using it.
- Your auger makes a strange sound while drilling.
- You see some metal pieces in the hole.
These are the most common signs. If you see any signs from them, then it’s time to sharpen the blades.
How Long Do Ice Auger Blades Last?
Some manufacturers provide the warranty but actually, it depends on the quality of the blade. If you use a high-quality blade, then it will last for years. But if you use a low-quality blade, then it will last for a few months only.
Besides this, there are other factors that affect the longevity of an ice auger blade. Let’s see what those are.
- Frequency of use: An ice auger will not last for long if you use it on a daily basis.
- Maintenance: You need to take care of your ice auger. If you use it in a proper way, then it will serve you for years.
So, try to take care of your blades and don’t consider buying a quality blade. Don’t buy cheap blades. It’s not only a waste of time but also money.
Final Word
Sharpening an ice auger blade can boost your performance. It doesn’t even matter how experienced you are. Because, a sharp blade helps everyone to make a hole within a short time. If you don’t have enough time to sharpen your blades before going ice fishing, then you can use a dull blade. But, that may consume more time and energy.
So, it is good to have a sharpener with you always. There are different types of ice auger sharpeners available in the market. You can choose any one of them according to your preference and convenience. Thanks for your great effort.