Question about blades sharpening vs buying new blades?

[noobzer0]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if i should buy new pair of blade instead of sharpening them,
and does anyone know places that i can get them sharpen ( preferably in Worcester county ) ? and how much would it cost vs buying new one?
Thank you

[craiger]

Sharpening take practice, but it is doable if you have a sharpening stone or some automotive sandpaper on a block.  I don't know of any shops locally, but fish307.com has a reasonably priced blade exchange program.  A user on here (A7x) posted a great thread about it in the mass board this year, should be pretty easy to find.

[captain54]

I sent 3 sets back last year to someplace in NY. It cost 30 bucks with shipping that same price as one new set. They did a good job on they,but I use a Jiffy pro 4 with all the ice this year.

[Hookemup]

It's a lot easier and a lot less aggravating to just put on a new set of blades every season!

[stripernut]

I have a couple sets, as one gets dull I put a sharpened pair on and drop off the dull pair for sharpening... There is a guy in the Orange Athol area that does a good job. I just drop them off at Flaggs and in a short time I can pick them up ready for next time...

[Jschumacher]

Just make sure if you have them sharppened they know what there doing. Nothing worse than getting out there and the blades wouldn't cut budda. Had that happen a few years back. Now I buy new and keep a resharppened set. Fish307 does have a good program.

[flaggs]

Carboneaus in Worcester on Grafton Street.

I sharpen my own. by hand. with a course, then fine flat stone, then like posted here finishing touches with an fine grit emory cloth. Mint.

Shu, how did your cut?  btw: My auger gave up the same govnah spring that yours did.... must be sumthin about the Champ!!!!

Flaggs!

[fishingeek]

You can sharpen all the blades you want but there's nothing that cuts like new blades.

[flaggs]

You can sharpen all the blades you want but there's nothing that cuts like new blades.

not if its done right... I would challenge your assertion.

the key is done right, take your time. new blades can be $$$  re-sharpening correctly, 000

Flaggs!

[A7X]

You can sharpen all the blades you want but there's nothing that cuts like new blades.

Not even close bud...

I can honestly sharpen blades better than new in most cases... There's no love put into most auger blades, knives, chisels, etc, etc in mass production, they can be sharper than factory instead of just pumping em out for production... Yes I am a professional, background as a tool and die maker... Please don't spread rumors, but I guess that's what the interwebs are for... You're egging people on to spend more $$ for no good reason, which is a major no no in my book, sorry... (Maybe you've had a bad experience with a shotty sharpening service or you don't have the skills needed to sharpen blades properly, maybe both, idk what the case is) and you're giving the factory way too much credit... How can you possibly think that only the factory can put a good edge on the same piece of steel in production? Why can't the edge be restored to the same quality if not better on the same blade? Hmmmm... They must use some sort of wizardry or magical equipment?

[MrE1979]

Carboneaus in Worcester on Grafton Street.

I sharpen my own. by hand. with a course, then fine flat stone, then like posted here finishing touches with an fine grit emory cloth. Mint.

Shu, how did your cut?  btw: My auger gave up the same govnah spring that yours did.... must be sumthin about the Champ!!!!

Flaggs!

Not a good year for augers.  Yours, Jeff's, Wally's, Fred's and mine have all had issues.  Unfortunately Fred's blew up.

[Jschumacher]

Carboneaus in Worcester on Grafton Street.

I sharpen my own. by hand. with a course, then fine flat stone, then like posted here finishing touches with an fine grit emory cloth. Mint.

Shu, how did your cut?  btw: My auger gave up the same govnah spring that yours did.... must be sumthin about the Champ!!!!

Flaggs!

Mine turned out to be the little piece on the carb the spring attaches to. Got a new carb coming off ebay. Hope that piece is on it. It blasted through that 30+ inches of ice on the champ before it broke. Blades were awesome. Thanks Roger.

[noobzer0]

  thank you everyone for great informations, i will try to sharpen my own, but will also buy 1 spare set to keep while sharpening the other ...

[ALMA0930]

http://www.odtool.com/      call first, im sure they will do em..drop em in the mail.  I allways have a spare set on hand, just in case

[A7X]

thank you everyone for great informations, i will try to sharpen my own, but will also buy 1 spare set to keep while sharpening the other ...

Definitly good to have two sets... That way there's no rush while you're sharpening...

[fishingeek]

Not even close bud...

I can honestly sharpen blades better than new in most cases... There's no love put into most auger blades, knives, chisels, etc, etc in mass production, they can be sharper than factory instead of just pumping em out for production... Yes I am a professional, background as a tool and die maker... Please don't spread rumors, but I guess that's what the interwebs are for... You're egging people on to spend more $$ for no good reason, which is a major no no in my book, sorry... (Maybe you've had a bad experience with a shotty sharpening service or you don't have the skills needed to sharpen blades properly, maybe both, idk what the case is) and you're giving the factory way too much credit... How can you possibly think that only the factory can put a good edge on the same piece of steel in production? Why can't the edge be restored to the same quality if not better on the same blade? Hmmmm... They must use some sort of wizardry or magical equipment?

I'm not insulting your profession nor I'm spreading rumors or telling people to spend money for no good reason. I don't know how you got that Please reread my comment. I just gave my humble opinion which is what the internet is for I'm not bashing people or making assumptions. If I am then I guess the internet has made people soft.

As for blades yes I have tried to sharpen them. Some are successful others not. I find the curvier blades are harder to sharpen because of the angle and curvature. . I'm no expertise but in my experience I find it easier to buy a new pair. I make mine last 4-5 seasons before replacing it so it's not like I have money up the arse to buy a new blade every year.

[A7X]

Fishingeek,

Read your post again, it says to me that you can sharpen all the blades you want but there's nothing that cuts like new blades... Therfore saying not to bother sharpening and just buy new if you want them to cut like new, that's what I got from it and that's far from the truth...

There's no tone of voice via the Internet, I'm not trying to put you down (I should learn to type nicer  )... I've seen you around here and you seem like a good person and I was not typing in anger 

It's just that I don't want people to be afraid of learning to sharpen their blades themselves, which is a great skill to learn... Or be afraid of using a GOOD sharpening service and spend more money than needed... We all work hard for our money...

Blades with a radius are a bit harder to sharpen... Different technique, same concept... I understand where you're statement comes from if you meant it's easier to buy new blades than to sharpen, that is true for most, even for myself... it's less work haha... but I wasn't getting that from your post...

Sorry for the confusion 

Here's an article I wrote on sharpening blades at home if anyone is interested...
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=309016.0

[fishingeek]

That's the great thing about the internet. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs or viewpoint. I wasn't trying to make a debatable argument just expressing my concerns and the frustrations of sharpening an old blade compared to buying a new one. I try to engage in a rational and intelligent dialogue over the internet and not try to feel too opinionated for a discussion. Some people handle criticism well others don't. Got to take the good with the bad. I appreciate your feedback and expertise. This is why I love IceShanty 

I own an 8" strikemaster lazer hand auger and have tried several times to sharpen it. The auger came with the cheap chinese blade at first that would stall on the final cut. After many attempts to sharpen it I finally tossed those outs and got the Swedish blades. I'm on my 3rd season with it and still cut like day one. Hopefully I can learn how to sharpen them correctly. Gonna take a read on the link later today. Thanks A7X.

[GrizlyGarou]

That's the great thing about the internet. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs or viewpoint. I wasn't trying to make a debatable argument just expressing my concerns and the frustrations of sharpening an old blade compared to buying a new one. I try to engage in a rational and intelligent dialogue over the internet and not try to feel too opinionated for a discussion. Some people handle criticism well others don't. Got to take the good with the bad. I appreciate your feedback and expertise. This is why I love IceShanty 

I own an 8" strikemaster lazer hand auger and have tried several times to sharpen it. The auger came with the cheap chinese blade at first that would stall on the final cut. After many attempts to sharpen it I finally tossed those outs and got the Swedish blades. I'm on my 3rd season with it and still cut like day one. Hopefully I can learn how to sharpen them correctly. Gonna take a read on the link later today. Thanks A7X.

I'll show you how to sharpen your blades, man. It's not easy, but it's not hard either. I might ask for a carp spot, never caught one of them...

[fishingeek]

I might have to take you up on that offer. Plenty of carp spot on the Concord and Merrimack River and not enough anglers.

[Spoondangler]

Yeah I did mine for the first time this season. Super easy to do (used a diamond stone, then a 1000/6000 sharpening stone). If i didn't own them for kitchen knives I might use a service. The stones are great to own though for all sharpening and about 40 bucks for the stone and a diamond stone on amazon. The care you can give your blades does make them many times sharper then the factory (at least on my augers factory blades). I am no expert sharpener either, this was only my 2-3rd time sharpening anythig with them. Just don't sharpen the flat side that sits on the ice, just sharpens the other side that cuts the ice with the larger angle.