Down pressure for a NILS 8" hand auger?

[R-K]

Got back into ice fishing last year, bought the 8-in NILS hand auger. It weighs a bunch, but it packs decently well, and it cuts the right size hole that I want. However, it takes a boatload of down pressure to cut. It requires so much pressure, that I can only manage about a couple dozen holes through 12-in ice before I'm completely spent for the day. I'm not sure a kid would be able to even drill a hole with it. This is a bit of an issue when trying to hole hop for crappie or set a run of tip-ups.

Is this normal? Should I be having to lean into the auger so much in order to get the head cutting? Or do I need to send it off to be sharpened by a (the) pro?

[sploke]

Not normal at all...I've used a 6 and 8" Nils, and was amazed at the absolute lack of down pressure needed to cut with these things. Literally none at all beyond the weight of the auger itself.  There's got to be something messed up with your blades.

[DawntoDusk]

No that is not normal, your blades may be dull or the blade pitch is off. Get the blades sharpened or replaced and see how it works.

[R-K]

Well that's fun. It's been like this since I bought it from Cabela's last year...

[Scooby31]

Send it to frank he will make it right. His info is at the top of the page.

[R-K]

That's the plan. I'll contact him to get a turnaround time estimate.

I'll kinda miss the workout aspect of it, but I think I'd rather not kill my friends if they ever go out with me than get a workout in.

[Gunflint]

Send it to frank he will make it right. His info is at the top of the page.

Yup, send it to Frank!

[YFO]

That's the plan. I'll contact him to get a turnaround time estimate.

In my past experience of having used his services several times, I got my cutting head back one week after sending it off to him.  He states that he sharpens, tests, and ships back the same day he receives it, and my experience proves that out.

As an aside, I too have had issues with a brand new Nils purchased from Cabela's not cutting properly.  All I can say is that Frank seems to sharpen the cutting head better than the Nils factory can.

[filetandrelease]

 
 My 8” cuts great bought it 3 years ago it pulls its self through
 http:// Nils Master Authorized Sharpening Service

Contact Info:

Frank DeLuca
5382 Jentoft Road
Saginaw, MN  55779

[email protected]

218.729.7941

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Not normal! My 5 year old 8” Nils still cuts mint. Not down pressure needed!!

[chilly-willy]

Well that's fun. It's been like this since I bought it from Cabela's last year...

Buy a spare head and send old one to frank sharp nils . Seem I had same problem from cabelas it's like they dropped every one of thier augers on the head so you get to pay less for it??  Brand new auger I had same problem with as you cut three hole and was dull boght two new blades for it still useing the the first of the two blades I bought for it 5 yrs ago try ebay and amazon for people sellin new blades Luke reeds sports they sell on bolth ect ect..

[R-K]

Buy a spare head and send old one to frank sharp nils . Seem I had same problem from cabelas it's like they dropped every one of thier augers on the head so you get to pay less for it??  Brand new auger I had same problem with as you cut three hole and was dull boght two new blades for it still useing the the first of the two blades I bought for it 5 yrs ago try ebay and amazon for people sellin new blades Luke reeds sports they sell on bolth ect ect..

Spare heads I am finding online are $130. I think I'm better off buying some $20 used auger as a backup, and sending this head off to Frank. Still a couple weeks away from ice here, so I've got time.

[Gunflint]

I bought a used one cheap and had it sharpened for a spare.

[redneckdan]

Frank is local to me and does an excellent job.

Thank God because in a bad year I drill thousands of holes looking for dead people. I've used every major brand of auger. 6" nils with a milwaukee drill out does them all.

[Maineguy93]

Frank is local to me and does an excellent job.

Thank God because in a bad year I drill thousands of holes looking for dead people. I've used every major brand of auger. 6" nils with a milwaukee drill out does them all.

Sounds interesting..Care to elaborate? 

[Agronomist_at_IA]

My guess is he is an emergency medical tech that must go out looking for bodies after people break through the ice.

[chilly-willy]

Spare heads I am finding online are $130. I think I'm better off buying some $20 used auger as a backup, and sending this head off to Frank. Still a couple weeks away from ice here, so I've got time.

Usally in summer time companies clear out old stock on ebay/amazon ect ect..

 I bought two 8 inch heads for 69.99 each head with free shipping ..

 and ya he's going to want a spare.. cause we all know how touchy nils augers can be ..

And ya frank is the best at doing the sharpening since it's still early I would go to him..

but get a spare cause you thank your self later on if it get dull mid  season. When you got 18 inches of ice and a dull auger.... and  for sure don't want a 8 inch mora or laser to hand crank at all this time of year..

[NateD]

When a nils is cutting well they are awesome, having to baby it sucks though. Got a nero a couple seasons ago and love it, has the same offset handle, pulls itself right through the ice, and blades are cheap.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I'm suprised about all the talk of having to baby a nils. I've never treated mine any different then any other áuger I've had. I've had a cutting head sharpened once since 2014 with normal fishing condition of going out a couple weekends a winter with around 20-30 holes drilled an outing. When I did send it to Frank to sharpen it still was pretty sharp. I can see how it would be possible to bend the cutting head if it was really thrown around, or beat on.......from my experiance though a person would have to be pretty pretty ruff with it.

[chilly-willy]

I can see how it would be possible to bend the cutting head if it was really thrown around, or beat on.......from my experiance though a person would have to be pretty pretty ruff with it.

When there's enough ice and your auger in by hand you don't want the cutting head to crap out that's why I say by a spare cutting head while you can send the one to frank get it sharpened asap ..

The reason for the quote is I got mine from cabelas same thing happened as the op= orignal posters did wich leAves me to think either the shipping service is tossing the augers around or that's why cabelas cleared them out and why I got it so cheap??  the spare cutting heads I bought seemed sharper then origal I bought with the auger..  two heads probably only needed to buy one spare cause I buggered up the orignal one that came with auger trying to sharpen it .. and never sent it in.. the head I got now I going on some ware 3 to 5 years on right now..  had the auger for about 8 years  total. the first 1 year the blade head crapped out..  and debated what to do after that bought two new heads 3 years later and been running my 8 inch same head for 3 to 5 years now would have to look at all sales slips to be certin of dates??  but for sure have not had to baby the new head..  it seems and have not had problems with it but just like the mora auger and laser augers they need sharpeNing too every once in a while seems more often with mora augers..and lasers then nils .??  but to be down and out 2 weeks for sharpining is not bad but like I said your not able to fish wich kind sucks that's why I suggest having a spare head around most even though they are expensive..  of all if your hand augering or even power augering. I don't think people want to be down and out of the game in peak season .. cause I know I don't..


Like we're All saying this is the guy you want to contact you can find him by clicig the sponsor link at top of page..

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=199166

[Agronomist_at_IA]

When there's enough ice and your auger in by hand you don't want the cutting head to crap out that's why I say by a spare cutting head while you can send the one to frank get it sharpened asap ..

The reason for the quote is I got mine from cabelas same thing happened as the op= orignal posters did wich leAves me to think either the shipping service is tossing the augers around or that's why cabelas cleared them out and why I got it so cheap??  the spare cutting heads I bought seemed sharper then origal I bought with the auger..  two heads probably only needed to buy one spare cause I buggered up the orignal one that came with auger trying to sharpen it .. and never sent it in.. the head I got now I going on some ware 3 to 5 years on right now..  had the auger for about 8 years  total. the first 1 year the blade head crapped out..  and debated what to do after that bought two new heads 3 years later and been running my 8 inch same head for 3 to 5 years now would have to look at all sales slips to be certin of dates??  but for sure have not had to baby the new head..  it seems and have not had problems with it but just like the mora auger and laser augers they need sharpeNing too every once in a while seems more often with mora augers..and lasers then nils .??  but to be down and out 2 weeks for sharpining is not bad but like I said your not able to fish wich kind sucks that's why I suggest having a spare head around most even though they are expensive..  of all if your hand augering or even power augering. I don't think people want to be down and out of the game in peak season .. cause I know I don't..

Nope I'd agree with you.

I think The chromium steel or whatever is why the nils heads stay sharp for so long.....must me a stronger steel or something.

What did you get for cutting heads? I picked up a used 8in power point cutting head, and liked the power point so much I sold the regular cutting head and got a 2nd power point. I just found the power point allows a guy to start a hole exactly where you want it, which is nice when your trying to get a hole dead center in the wheel house.

[chilly-willy]

Nope I'd agree with you.

I think The chromium steel or whatever is why the nils heads stay sharp for so long.....must me a stronger steel or something.

What did you get for cutting heads? I picked up a used 8in power point cutting head, and liked the power point so much I sold the regular cutting head and got a 2nd power point. I just found the power point allows a guy to start a hole exactly where you want it, which is nice when your trying to get a hole dead center in the wheel house.

Just regular red cutting heads for nils

[redneckdan]

Sounds interesting..Care to elaborate? 

My guess is he is an emergency medical tech that must go out looking for bodies after people break through the ice.

Yeah something like that.

One technique for using HRD dogs in the winter is to drill a line of holes, let them set a while then run the line with the dog. The scent will come up out of the water. Then move over or to a new location and do it again. A line could be a few or a hundred holes, the grid could be one line or dozens, depending on the search parameters. Its actually kind similar to how we work a structure feature looking for fish. In addition to this, drilling and then chain sawing holes to send down an ROV.
 
It adds up to a lot of holes. The light weight, fast and efficient Nils is a great asset. Gas augers kill my back.

[joefishmore]

Buy a spare head and send old one to frank sharp nils . Seem I had same problem from cabelas it's like they dropped every one of thier augers on the head so you get to pay less for it??  Brand new auger I had same problem with as you cut three hole and was dull boght two new blades for it still useing the the first of the two blades I bought for it 5 yrs ago try ebay and amazon for people sellin new blades Luke reeds sports they sell on bolth ect ect..

Where can you get a black 8 inch replacement head ?

[filetandrelease]

Where can you get a black 8 inch replacement head ?

E-Bay has 5 left $150.00 each
 Free shipping

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Where can you get a black 8 inch replacement head ?

Marine general has them. $139

[Knife2sharp]

"Nils - the best auger, hands down, when looking for dead people!" 

[bigfoot86]

Not normal, owned several augers over the years, strikemaster, Eskimo and the 6" nils I bought a couple years ago.  Nothing tops the ease and performance of the nils.  No pressure needed what so ever, cuts extremely fast with no effort.  You shouldn't be getting a workout.

[Vasquez ice bandits]

 Yes, sounds like it needs to be sharpened. I fish in the New York area so I sent mine to a small engine repair shop in Ashby, MA. Its amazing how easily you can dull out the blade.

[walleyeboater]

IMO, a Nils have to be babied.
That's why anybody fishing with me, I won't them touch it.
In between drilling holes, the cover goes on.
Anything associated with a Nils is expensive.