How many sets of auger blades?

[Gills-only]

I have never replaced any blades on any auger I have owned. Cover on till I drill holes then back on before I leave the ice. I fish average about 5 days a week, drill anywhere from 10-40 holes a day. No sand where I fish blowing on ice, I hear guys that replace blades yearly. Is that the norm ?  Be the way I had a 5” lazer for 6 yrs and sold to friend, still on same set of blades now have a 6” lazer going on 2 yrs and still sharp as day I bought it. Let hear about your experiences

[Ice Scratcher]

I've never replaced blades either..

Almost 30 years on my gas Eskimo..

I have sharpened them all plenty of times..

<°)))>{

[Chute82]

Secret to not replacing blades is don’t let anyone use your auger

[Gills-only]

I don’t I drill all the holes!!  I have never even sharpened any blades

[HWeber]

If you sharpen/switch blades you'd change your tune.  We got real dirty ice in ND so blades don't last as long but it's amazing how little you notice the difference until you change or sharpen the blades

[Gills-only]

If you sharpen/switch blades you'd change your tune.  We got real dirty ice in ND so blades don't last as long but it's amazing how little you notice the difference until you change or sharpen the blades

.     No dirt or sand blowing around here, lot of guys I see don’t have blade guard on, don’t know how they could get any sharper!!

[Kevin23]

I have never replaced any blades on any auger I have owned. Cover on till I drill holes then back on before I leave the ice. I fish average about 5 days a week, drill anywhere from 10-40 holes a day. No sand where I fish blowing on ice, I hear guys that replace blades yearly. Is that the norm ?  Be the way I had a 5” lazer for 6 yrs and sold to friend, still on same set of blades now have a 6” lazer going on 2 yrs and still sharp as day I bought it. Let hear about your experiences

I could go probably 5-10 years without replacing the blades, but then I'd be one of those guys taking 30 seconds to drill a hole claiming their gas auger seems low on power (as the blades are spinning on top the ice).

I replace blades yearly it seems, I stop right when they are noticeably dull and have them sharpened (I do my own quantum blades, I send off the hand auger blades). I'm sure they have 10,000 holes left on them when I get them sharpened, but I like to drill holes quick and easy. It's only $12 a year, I spend more than that on 2 jigging raps.

[Hooked up]

I fish several times per week and have the same set for the last three years,. They have not been sharpen  I do have a spare set that I take with me if I am going on a trip.

[HWeber]

.     No dirt or sand blowing around here, lot of guys I see don’t have blade guard on, don’t know how they could get any sharper!!

Like I said you won't notice till you switch them but I guess you can save $30 and your ego and continue as you have been

[Gills-only]

Money not a issue, if I can drill they 12” ice in seconds I see no need

[Kevin23]

They may look and feel razor sharp but when you put new (or professionally resharpened) blades on, you will understand why I change so often.

Think of fillet knives, they feel sharp and seem to cut decent but as soon as you hone that edge you see a world of difference for the next few fish.

[Vine Valley]

I agree with earlier post: NEVER let anyone else use your auger.
Also NEVER try to sharpen them ourself unless you absolutely know what your doing.
Many of my friends THOUGHT they knew what they were doing only to ruin their blades.
Went you get home ALWAYS wipe the blades dry with a towel and spray them with WD40.
I send out my blades at the end of the season to get them professionally sharpen.
Even POWER auger blades need to be sharpen.

[bobberbill]

We need a like button. I've had my Lazer for quite a few years. I bought a spare set of blades  if I fish Lk St Clair. Lot of sand frozen in the ice will wreck a set. Fishing on the west side a set will last a long time. Blades are like a good hunting knife. They need to be handled with the utmost care.

[RyanW]

Like I said you won't notice till you switch them but I guess you can save $30 and your ego and continue as you have been

Doesn’t matter how sharp your blades are when they’re covered in ice. The blades on my hand Lazer are just as sharp as the day I got it 8 seasons ago. I see at least 5 more seasons on them unless something drastic and out of my control happens to them. I also don’t have dirty ice in my area which would have me singing a different tune if I did. However, If saving $30 bucks on something that isn’t necessary to begin with is an ego thing, I suppose I could use that money for a larger hat..... Honestly, what does ego have to do with keeping auger blades sharp??? There are way cooler things for ice fishing to get a big head over.

To answer the OP, I guess I already did. I’m still on the set that came with the auger. I would like to get a spare set just to have when I do eventually replace them but every time I’m at the store, I just see better ways to spend that money considering there’s nothing wrong with the set already on my auger.

[Kevin23]

Doesn’t matter how sharp your blades are when they’re covered in ice. The blades on my hand Lazer are just as sharp as the day I got it 8 seasons ago. I see at least 5 more seasons on them unless something drastic and out of my control happens to them. I also don’t have dirty ice in my area which would have me singing a different tune if I did. However, If saving $30 bucks on something that isn’t necessary to begin with is an ego thing, I suppose I could use that money for a larger hat..... Honestly, what does ego have to do with keeping auger blades sharp??? There are way cooler things for ice fishing to get a big head over.

To answer the OP, I guess I already did. I’m still on the set that came with the auger. I would like to get a spare set just to have when I do eventually replace them but every time I’m at the store, I just see better ways to spend that money considering there’s nothing wrong with the set already on my auger.

They get duller every time you turn the handle, but I understand what you mean.

8 seasons for me would be roughly 16,000 holes+. To some, 8 seasons is 50 holes. How many holes do you suspect are on those blades? I feel that is the real question in this thread... Everyone fishes a different way, some people I know fish only weekends when its nice.. so maybe 6 or 7 times a year and drill 2 holes and sit. Last Saturday I drilled over 200 holes trying to find fish away from all the community holes, Sunday I went to a community hole and drilled 2. I'm well over 1000 holes since late Jan, WELL over. Maybe that is why I go through so many more sets of blades than everyone else. 

[RyanW]

They get duller every time you turn the handle.

8 seasons for me would be roughly 16,000 holes+. To some, 8 seasons is 50 holes. How many holes do you suspect are on those blades? I feel that is the real question in this thread... Everyone fishes a different way, some people I know fish only weekends when its nice.. so maybe 6 or 7 times a year and drill 2 holes and sit. Last Saturday I drilled over 200 holes trying to find fish away from all the community holes, Sunday I went to a community hole and drilled 2. I'm well over 1000 holes since late Jan, WELL over. Maybe that is why I go through so many more sets of blades than everyone else. 

Great observation. That is a big factor to consider. My brother is the guy that drills 5 holes a season and just camps out regardless of the bite. I’ve seen him buy more blades than anyone I’ve known but he has an 18 year old son that abuses his gear. To answer your question, I’d say over 8 seasons......about 1,500. Most of those with a Milwaukee and a clam plate. So, you’ve literally drilled 10x as many holes as me. I think that makes you the exception and not the rule. I guarantee there are more guys like me than like you when it comes to drilling holes lol. If I had the means to fish so much to the point where I’m drilling 200 holes a day, I’d be much more concerned about my blades longevity. But I don’t so I’m not. Seems to working out well so far. Like you said though, some days it only takes 2 holes. I usually average about 30 an outing.

[lefty2053]

Every Auger I've owned I bought an extra set of blades when I got the Auger. Never know when you need them. THat being said I do sharpen my blades every other trip. Just a touch up but it makes a big difference.

[DR.SPECKLER]

only blades I have to buy really are when I buy augers at garage sales..my personal  auger blades last 5 to 10 years before needing new ones.sometimes longer.my jiffy blades from 1970 still cut and  my oldest hand auger is a 5" mora from 1980 still has the same blades on it.dont let your buddies use and bang them on the ice.lol.i did buy 3 sets of mini nero blades just because I don't know how long they will be around.

[WYOBEAR]

 You guys must never encounter dirty ice, which is hard to believe.... Now with a chipper blade I can see them lasting longer and even sharpening them yourselves.  They dont have to be perfect.  But not with a shaver.  New blades every year.

[lefty2053]

You guys must never encounter dirty ice, which is hard to believe.... Now with a chipper blade I can see them lasting longer and even sharpening them yourselves.  They dont have to be perfect.  But not with a shaver.  New blades every year.

I have found a lot of Dirty ice and you since you live in the Windy State of Wyoming I know you find it all the time. I used to fish the Wheatland reservoirs and know all about the wind that starts in Ft Collins and stops somewhere up by Gillette.

[WYOBEAR]

You have that backwards buddy.  Colorado sucks so bad that it pulls the air right through Wy

[dogfish]

I have a 7 inch lazer hand auger I bought in 1994.  There is almost no paint left on the auger part and I am on my third top cap (cap you put your top hand on).  Still using the original blades have never touched them.
Never drill dirty ice and no one uses the auger but me!!

[SLAYERFISH]

You have that backwards buddy.  Colorado sucks so bad that it pulls the air right through Wy

You seem to have a problem with Colorado?

[lefty2053]

You seem to have a problem with Colorado?

He is just another Goat Roper. LOL

[WYOBEAR]

I just tell it like I see it.

[SLAYERFISH]

I fish Wyoming 40-50 times/ year.  I have no problems with you Wyomingites!

[reelrusty]

Hmmm...… seems to me sharp auger blades make life easier and more fun. Sharp tongues...not so much.

[Unclegillhunter]

So over the years used an auger for several seasons never had to replace, sharpen blades, upgraded repeat. Guess I have been lucky!
Keep it safe! JDL

[NateD]

Guess we have dirty ice here in CT, used to replace mora blades every year. K drill chipper blades have gone 3 seasons so far without a touch up.

[dukhnter8]

I try to replace/sharpen them every year or so. Just sent 3 sets of lazers to Fish307 for sharpening. Cheap insurance I think. Seems like this year it has taken more effort to cut the ice and the blades are 2 years old but might just be in my head.