IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: servicce on Jan 02, 2021, 03:48 PM
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Hey everyone, I just got the newest version of the Eskimo Pistol Bit Auger with the centering bit. Went out today and that thing wouldn't drill ice for anything! Was having to push down way to hard IMO. This is brand new out of the box! Certainly doesn't drill like all the videos I watched. Using a Milwaukee drill. Power wasnt an issue. Was using low gear.
Anyone else had this issue? This sucks.
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those are shaver blades right?? Sounds like the blades got banged in shipping and are off angle now. Get a new set.
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They are shaver blades. The end cap was on it. Blades couldn't have gotten hit.
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Is it possible the blades are upside down? This does happen.
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2 things , could have been banged at the factory before shipping , are they correctly installed
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Have the same bit. No issues here. Drills plenty of holes all day with little effort. Perhaps a factory defect or blades improperly mounted
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Blades were checked first thing. They are good. My old Pistol Bit (gen1) would cut no issues. This one has the centering bit. I wonder if it's dull? That would keep it from going down to allow the shavers to cut.
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Is it possible the blades are upside down? This does happen.
They are good to go
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I just bought a 8” pistol this year and had the same issue today
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Ugh sounds like quality control issues.
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I just bought a 8” pistol this year and had the same issue today
Where did you get yours from? It was aggravating trying to drill. Dang thing would just spin and not dig.
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Where did you get yours from? It was aggravating trying to drill. Dang thing would just spin and not dig.
centerpoint sharp and not bent?my jiffy with centerpoint if its not sharp it will spin and not dig into the ice either.different situations but same problem.
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centerpoint sharp and not bent?my jiffy with centerpoint if its not sharp it will spin and not dig into the ice either.different situations but same problem.
Seems sharp. Doesn't have much profile like my old jiffy pro 4 had.
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Take it back and get a SM Lite Flite ;) ;D
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Seems sharp. Doesn't have much profile like my old jiffy pro 4 had.
This is a blade problem.
If it's new, just take it back and get a different one.
Otherwise you have one of two things. Blades are dull/not sharp. The pitch of the blades is wrong.
A shaver blade can seem and feel sharp even though it is dull.
When I sharpen them with my gatco sharpener....Sometimes I think the blades are sharp....will go out and try it on the pond.....nope just spins or takes to much pressure to cut. Go back and sharpen the blades for awhile try again and yep.....they are sharp now....áuger cuts.
On shaver blades sharp isn't enough.....you need razor sharp. Like you lightly run your finger down it and you'll have fine cuts on your finger skin.
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I’m betting on clogged with ice around tip.
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I’m betting on clogged with ice around tip.
Nope,,checked
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This is a blade problem.
If it's new, just take it back and get a different one.
Otherwise you have one of two things. Blades are dull/not sharp. The pitch of the blades is wrong.
A shaver blade can seem and feel sharp even though it is dull.
When I sharpen them with my gatco sharpener....Sometimes I think the blades are sharp....will go out and try it on the pond.....nope just spins or takes to much pressure to cut. Go back and sharpen the blades for awhile try again and yep.....they are sharp now....áuger cuts.
On shaver blades sharp isn't enough.....you need razor sharp. Like you lightly run your finger down it and you'll have fine cuts on your finger skin.
Yep, going to call the place on Monday. Something isn't right.
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Yep, going to call the place on Monday. Something isn't right.
What's stamped on the blades? Does it say made in china
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What's stamped on the blades? Does it say made in china
Nothing on blades, but base states made in China
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I got my pistol bit at fleet farm online ..gonna contact customer service and see what they will do
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I used a friends for the first time and it seems like it does need a bit of pressure to cut unlike the my lazer.
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I bought a new Eskimo Pistol Bit 8" this season as well and I am noticing the same thing. I have to apply a bit of pressure with my Milwaukee drill in order to start cutting ice. Coming from a Tanaka/Nils setup, this feels weird to me having to do this, but I love the portability and the even lighter weight setup.
We currently have about 18 inches of ice here in SK and so far and this Pistol Bit/Milwaukee combo is handling it like a champ :tipup:
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Was it an online purchase? If so, it could've been used, damaged, then returned, or it's defective and they keep putting it back in circulation. I ordered a new ION from Scheels, and immediately noticed something wasn't right when the power cord for the charger didn't have a twist tie around it, or being in a little clear bag. Then I noticed the previous owner had filled out the product info, purchased location and date, etc. in the manual. It didn't cut worth a crap when I brought it out this past weekend. I called the bait store nearby and luckily they did have blades for 10" G2, so I bought em and they threw them on. While ice fishing, I called Scheels and they reimbursed me the cost of the new blades.
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I called Eskimo today because my new bit was not cutting..they claim they had a bad batch of blades with the wrong pitch...same problem a couple years ago on my ion ...the ice would build up on the bit and wouldn’t cut and when I called them they said it was a bad batch...I like Eskimo products but you think they would test there products thoroughly before mass producing them
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I called Eskimo today because my new bit was not cutting..they claim they had a bad batch of blades with the wrong pitch...same problem a couple years ago on my ion ...the ice would build up on the bit and wouldn’t cut and when I called them they said it was a bad batch...I like Eskimo products but you think they would test there products thoroughly before mass producing them
A bad pitch could be just a few degrees off.
You can't expect Eskimo to test every piece of gear they sell....
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I called Eskimo today because my new bit was not cutting..they claim they had a bad batch of blades with the wrong pitch...same problem a couple years ago on my ion ...the ice would build up on the bit and wouldn’t cut and when I called them they said it was a bad batch...I like Eskimo products but you think they would test there products thoroughly before mass producing them
Eskimo and ion are the same company.....Ardisan. If you get a new set of blades just have the bad set resharpen ended and they should work fine.
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Not saying they should test every piece of equipment they sell but when you have bought 2 different bits from ardisam and both of them have come not even close to what you would expect out of a ice auger bit it gets frustrating...an ice auger is the most important piece of ice fishing equipment you own and when it’s left me not being able to ice fish on both those occasions and then having to wait a week to get replacements that gets very frustrating.. all this stuff is made in China and there’s no quality control anymore
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Not saying they should test every piece of equipment they sell but when you have bought 2 different bits from ardisam and both of them have come not even close to what you would expect out of a ice auger bit it gets frustrating...an ice auger is the most important piece of ice fishing equipment you own and when it’s left me not being able to ice fish on both those occasions and then having to wait a week to get replacements that gets very frustrating.. all this stuff is made in China and there’s no quality control anymore
I understand and agree.
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Hey everyone, I just got the newest version of the Eskimo Pistol Bit Auger with the centering bit. Went out today and that thing wouldn't drill ice for anything! Was having to push down way to hard IMO. This is brand new out of the box! Certainly doesn't drill like all the videos I watched. Using a Milwaukee drill. Power wasnt an issue. Was using low gear.
Anyone else had this issue? This sucks.
If its complete out of the box, just box it right back up and send it back. No its not how it should drill.
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Why won’t the place you bought it at just replace it? Ion service is GREAT, is there anything you’re not telling us?
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Im positive its the blade pitch, My ion shaver blades came off pitch and would just spin around on the ice. Artisan very good at replacing blades.
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Why won’t the place you bought it at just replace it? Ion service is GREAT, is there anything you’re not telling us?
Ion service is great....I live in a rural area so going to any box store is over 100 miles away...sending stuff back by mail is a pain or they want you to pay shipping in some occasions...it’s just easier to contact the company and they are usually pretty good at fixing the problem by sending replacement parts
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Just bought the 8in. Pistol yesterday and put my Ridged Octane on it. Very happy with how it drills, one of the best things I have bought for ice fishing. I am guessing bad blades?
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If its complete out of the box, just box it right back up and send it back. No its not how it should drill.
Wanted to. Up North Sports sent me to Eskimo. Not pleased. Eskimo is sending me new blades. Still waiting
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Why won’t the place you bought it at just replace it? Ion service is GREAT, is there anything you’re not telling us?
Up North Sports is where I bought it. Online. They sent me to Eskimo who is sending me blades first. Tomorrow will be a week. Not friggun happy
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I called Monday cause my bit didn’t work and got my replacement blades on Saturday
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That would be my last order from Up North Sports. Are they a reputable company or one of those dirty rottin lowball price internet slugs? I’ve never heard of them.
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I got a new 8” pistol bit last week and tried it on Saturday. Wouldn’t drill. I just called them and they said they’re confident it’s a bad batch of blades that went out. They’re sending me new blades and a new centering point. If it doesn’t cut through ice like a hot knife through butter, it’s going back. Question: Did you guys get an extra set of blades in the original box? I did.
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I got a new 8” pistol bit last week and tried it on Saturday. Wouldn’t drill. I just called them and they said they’re confident it’s a bad batch of blades that went out. They’re sending me new blades and a new centering point. If it doesn’t cut through ice like a hot knife through butter, it’s going back. Question: Did you guys get an extra set of blades in the original box? I did.
So both sets of blades you got were bad? I find it hard to believe it is the blades vs something else.
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So both sets of blades you got were bad? I find it hard to believe it is the blades vs something else.
Could just be a bad batch of produced blades ..whether installed on the auger or gifted in the box... some retailers were doing the extra blades as an enticement to purchase.
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So both sets of blades you got were bad? I find it hard to believe it is the blades vs something else.
Nope. I never said that. I drilled with the installed set, wouldn’t drill, used a different auger. Never mounted the other set. Woman on the phone was surprised that the box had an extra set.
She said she’s confident it’s the blades. Known issue. Do you have a pistol bit?
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Blades were checked first thing. They are good. My old Pistol Bit (gen1) would cut no issues. This one has the centering bit. I wonder if it's dull? That would keep it from going down to allow the shavers to cut.
Why not just keep using your first one and send other one back?
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Could just be a bad batch of produced blades ..whether installed on the auger or gifted in the box... some retailers were doing the extra blades as an enticement to purchase.
Good to know. I never mounted the extra set since I didn’t want to take the time to mount them and go out on the ice before calling Eskimo. She said she’d send me an extra set also, assuming the ones in the box were part of the bad batch too.
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Nope. I never said that. I drilled with the installed set, wouldn’t drill, used a different auger. Never mounted the other set. Woman on the phone was surprised that the box had an extra set.
She said she’s confident it’s the blades. Known issue. Do you have a pistol bit?
No I don't own one I was just assuming you already tried the extra set you got in the box. So they could be good huh?
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No I don't own one I was just assuming you already tried the extra set you got in the box. So they could be good huh?
Of course they could be but I’m not going to waste any time with them until I try the new centering point and blades they’re sending me directly so I can troubleshoot with blades they know don’t have a defect.
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If it is the blades I wonder if they had a shipment with blades that have the wrong angle. If that is the case there is a chance the bad blades can be used with a shim of some sort.
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Well I got an 8" pistol auger last Thursday and took it up this weekend and its total junk. Would not drill into the ice at all, even when I leaned on it way more than I have ever leaned on any auger. Switched to the 6" pistol auger and it cuts in same spot like going thru warm butter with no pressure on it at all. I have lots of Eskimo gear and have been pleased with all of it till now. Time to see how their customer service is....cause this is not right.
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Any augurs not made in china ?
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I bought a brand new Ion X 10” 3 years ago. Thing wouldn’t drill worth a damn. I contacted Ion and they sent me a new set of blades.
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I called Eskimo today because my new bit was not cutting..they claim they had a bad batch of blades with the wrong pitch...same problem a couple years ago on my ion ...the ice would build up on the bit and wouldn’t cut and when I called them they said it was a bad batch...I like Eskimo products but you think they would test there products thoroughly before mass producing them
I agree. Just got the new blades tonight. Took them 1 week to go from Wisconsin to Iowa via snail mail. They wouldn't overnight unless I paid for it.
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If its complete out of the box, just box it right back up and send it back. No its not how it should drill.
I agree! However Up North Sports, (I purchased online from them) wouldn't take it back until I talked to Eskimo. Eskimo will not exchange it until I try the new blades which I got tonight 1 week after discussing with them. 1 friggun week!
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Hopefully the new blades help.
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To close this out, new blades solved issue. Also, I noticed the new center bit is 3/16" shorter than the one that was installed when I got it.
Noticed it when comparing everything last night. Works now!
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That is great. Just hang onto those old blades because I think a shim will make them work and/or possibly file down the old center point.
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That is great. Just hang onto those old blades because I think a shim will make them work and/or possibly file down the old center point.
Just send the old blades off to get sharpened and when they resharpen them it will fix the pitch/angles.
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got my replacement blades for the 8" pistol auger in the mail yesterday and put them on last night ... now to test out on the ice. All in all I will say that Eskimo did good by sending these out, took a bit to get them and it sucks that my new auger has been put to the side all this time but... I can't complain too much
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My buddy just put his cordless drill set up together late yesterday ..Dewalt DCD996/Clam Plate/ 8" Eskimo Pistol Bit ...very similar issues would not cut unless extreme pressure was applied ..he will be making phone contact with Eskimo today ..and his auger did come with a package of extra blades..but he has yet to put them on..
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Try shimming the blades. A strip of aluminum between the blade and the auger in front of the mounting screws. A strip of aluminum can or two will probably be all you need.
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Has any member put on the "extra supplied blades" that came in the Eskimo Pistol box ? Were they good and cut well ?
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Has any member put on the "extra supplied blades" that came in the Eskimo Pistol box ? Were they good and cut well ?
Asked the same question early on this thread. Answer was no. I can't imagine why though. That is the first thing I would have done.
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Just let this thread die and let him complain into oblivion! Sh-t happens, no pound of flesh options for the past 200 years.
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This is actually a good thread. I have been contemplating switching over to the pistol bit. If there is a known problem with the blades, I'll wait. Thanks for the info.
and this:
Just send the old blades off to get sharpened and when they resharpen them it will fix the pitch/angles.
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Asked the same question early on this thread. Answer was no. I can't imagine why though. That is the first thing I would have done.
I didn’t put mine on yet because I’m lazy and I have two new sets and a new centering point directly from Eskimo to try. If I put the extra set on and they don’t work, I still haven’t figured out the problem and I wasted time drillin’ when I could be killin’. If I put the blades on that were directly from Eskimo and they don’t work, then it’s an issue with the auger itself, I’m done, it gets returned, problem solved. If they do work, I can try the extra blades in two or three years when I need them. Most likely I’ve already upgraded to a light saber or something. Does that clear it up or do I need to schedule a conference call?
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I didn’t put mine on yet because I’m lazy and I have two new sets and a new centering point directly from Eskimo to try. If I put the extra set on and they don’t work, I still haven’t figured out the problem and I wasted time drillin’ when I could be killin’. If I put the blades on that were directly from Eskimo and they don’t work, then it’s an issue with the auger itself, I’m done, it gets returned, problem solved. If they do work, I can try the extra blades in two or three years when I need them. Most likely I’ve already upgraded to a light saber or something. Does that clear it up or do I need to schedule a conference call?
How did you go about getting the replacement blades and point ? Phone call ? Email ? Buddy of mine just attempted to contact Eskimo via phone on hold for an hour before he gave up . His purchase was from Amazon ..which appears out of stock now ..but could wait till February 1st for $292 ...
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How did you go about getting the replacement blades and point ? Phone call ? Email ? Buddy of mine just attempted to contact Eskimo via phone on hold for an hour before he gave up . His purchase was from Amazon ..which appears out of stock now ..but could wait till February 1st for $292 ...
I called them. Could have got lucky on the time. I also bought mine from Amazon.
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I called them. Could have got lucky on the time. I also bought mine from Amazon.
Thanks ..I will pass it along ..did they require any "proof" Emailed invoice etc ? Or just straight sending them out .
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Thanks ..I will pass it along ..did they require any "proof" Emailed invoice etc ? Or just straight sending them out .
The only thing they asked me for was the serial number
Nick
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Thanks ..I will pass it along ..did they require any "proof" Emailed invoice etc ? Or just straight sending them out .
I did the warranty registration on the product before I called. I would do that first. Lady on the phone was nice and a straight shooter on the issue.
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I did the warranty registration on the product before I called. I would do that first. Lady on the phone was nice and a straight shooter on the issue.
This is most helpful ..he will probably be putting the other set of blades (which were included) on for the weekend ..I will report back on this thread as to the outcome of those blades .
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This is most helpful ..he will probably be putting the other set of blades (which were included) on for the weekend ..I will report back on this thread as to the outcome of those blades .
Good deal. I’ll probably test the replacement parts before next week. Fished with my HT nero/clam plate last weekend.
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Good deal. I’ll probably test the replacement parts before next week. Fished with my HT nero/clam plate last weekend.
Did you file claim via the website or just registerit via the website and then a phone call ? Hope you have a good resolution to this dilemma.
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Did you file claim via the website or just registerit via the website and then a phone call ? Hope you have a good resolution to this dilemma.
I think I just called. If he couldn’t get through initially, I’d file a claim then use the chat function before calling again.
I couldn’t figure out the proper date format for the purchase date when I registered and I used the chat function for help (for example). It was quick so he might be able to get help there.
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I think I just called. If he couldn’t get through initially, I’d file a claim then use the chat function before calling again.
I couldn’t figure out the proper date format for the purchase date when I registered and I used the chat function for help (for example). It was quick so he might be able to get help there.
Ok ..I will tell him to get all the irons in the fire and stoke the fires that need be ...thanks again .
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I didn’t put mine on yet because I’m lazy and I have two new sets and a new centering point directly from Eskimo to try. If I put the extra set on and they don’t work, I still haven’t figured out the problem and I wasted time drillin’ when I could be killin’. If I put the blades on that were directly from Eskimo and they don’t work, then it’s an issue with the auger itself, I’m done, it gets returned, problem solved. If they do work, I can try the extra blades in two or three years when I need them. Most likely I’ve already upgraded to a light saber or something. Does that clear it up or do I need to schedule a conference call?
No conference call needed. Lazy is lazy and since you admit it I see why. I have changed sets of blades on augers many times and a couple of minutes didn't waste any of my time. I always carry extras sets to the lake and the screwdriver to change them. I guess I am just old fashioned and go prepared.
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No conference call needed. Lazy is lazy and since you admit it I see why. I have changed sets of blades on augers many times and a couple of minutes didn't waste any of my time. I always carry extras sets to the lake and the screwdriver to change them. I guess I am just old fashioned and go prepared.
Thank you for understanding and for your contributions to this thread. Case closed.
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Ok so I Facebook messaged Eskimo concerning the best procedure to get replacement blades this was their response..I was doing this for a friend as he could not get through via a phone call and he is not a FB user...thanks to fishslap for pointing me in the right direction.
ESKIMO
Good afternoon . The best thing will to have them get the unit registered. Once it is registered we can look at getting them out some new blades. To register (you can do this for them as well, im ok with that) Please provide me with the following:
Full name
Model number
Serial number
address
phone number
date of purchase
place of purchase.
Thank you
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I have used eskimo customer service a couple times on gas auger issues, they were always REALLY nice and instantly sent me out the parts I needed. Name and serial number is all they needed via email and I had my parts on my doorstep in 1-2 days. One of the best customer services in the business IMO.
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They have gone over and above for me too.
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Thank you for understanding and for your contributions to this thread. Case closed.
Whether or not you tried the included spare is moot... the blades that were on it were defective and deserved replacing under warranty. Even if the spare ones work fine, nothing changes the fact that a warranty claim is needed. Why someone else is upset with you trying the spares, well that doesnt make a lot of sense to me... Eskimo doesn't include two sets so hopefully one works.... IMO lazy would be just putting the spare on and not submitting a warranty claim.
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Whether or not you tried the included spare is moot... the blades that were on it were defective and deserved replacing under warranty. Even if the spare ones work fine, nothing changes the fact that a warranty claim is needed. Why someone else is upset with you trying the spares, well that doesnt make a lot of sense to me... Eskimo doesn't include two sets so hopefully one works.... IMO lazy would be just putting the spare on and not submitting a warranty claim.
Thanks. I agree.
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This has me worried, I just purchased an 8" pistol bit. Maybe i'll drag my old one in the truck just in case for the first trip. Work buddy wants the old one so....
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This has me worried, I just purchased an 8" pistol bit. Maybe i'll drag my old one in the truck just in case for the first trip. Work buddy wants the old one so....
Yeah thats what happened to me I had already ordered it and came on here and saw this thread. Eskimo sent out new blades and I'm happy with the customer service. Make sure when you get it to register it, need serial # that is on a card tied to it, or mine was. Dont like when it happens that way but they did make it right.
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My best guess is that Eskimo "caught" the problem early...and started a quality control/customer service fix .. hence the extra set of blades in the box ...as these extra blades were not advertised in any description I saw . They seem to be doing right by it thus far . Although I could be wrong.. as I haven't heard any one using/installing the "extra" set of blades ...and putting them to use.
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That's exactly what I was thinking. Much easier and cheaper for the end user to just swap them out than to tear apart everything and change out the blades on their end. Seems like a communication nightmare though... Especially when it may seem you have a defect right from the get go.
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Yeah thats what happened to me I had already ordered it and came on here and saw this thread. Eskimo sent out new blades and I'm happy with the customer service. Make sure when you get it to register it, need serial # that is on a card tied to it, or mine was. Dont like when it happens that way but they did make it right.
Well I'm going to take my chances. Sportsmens was out of stock until just a few days ago. I'm going to assume these are "new shipment" and give it a whirl. I'm going to take my nero mini as a backup just in case.
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My best guess is that Eskimo "caught" the problem early...and started a quality control/customer service fix .. hence the extra set of blades in the box ...as these extra blades were not advertised in any description I saw . They seem to be doing right by it thus far . Although I could be wrong.. as I haven't heard any one using/installing the "extra" set of blades ...and putting them to use.
I finally got around to changing out the blades and centering point. The blades that were installed are at a much steeper angle than the ones Eskimo sent. I can see why they wouldn’t cut at all. I’ve shimmed Eskimo blades before on a hand auger that somehow got off angle and I don’t think I’d try to shim these bad ones.
For those who have been asking, the extra set of blades that came with the auger appear to match the angle on the new set that Eskimo sent, so after comparing them I wouldn’t hesitate to use them. All good blade sets also have slightly longer screws. I might test it on the ice next weekend. Sorry, I didn’t test it last weekend since I had my Milwaukee fuel and nero busy actually fishing for these:
(https://i.postimg.cc/hJN8swbh/0846-F17-F-9-FB0-4024-B8-E0-09-B19-C96644-D.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hJN8swbh)
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Did you put any blue loctite on the screws when you installed the new blades Ardisam sent you ?
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Did you put any blue loctite on the screws when you installed the new blades Ardisam sent you ?
Nope. Probably wouldn’t hurt though. I use it on auger shaft bolts but have never needed it on blade screws. You have some come loose?
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finally got on the ice with the replacement blades on the new 8" and am happy to report she cuts like a dream now
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I could drill but with effort, put on the included extra blades after reading this and it is like butter now, I was impressed with the bad blades, even more so now.
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Maybe I' miss understanding things.....
So Eskimo had a bad set of blades on the augers which wouldn't cut. So they put a good set of blades in each box for the customer to swap the blades out and have the áuger working like it should......
People buy the áuger and it doesn't cut.....don't put on the spare set and have Eskimo send them new blades taking days?
1st why wouldn't the customer try the other set right away?
2nd why doesn't Eskimo just tell them to use the correct set they put in the package to fix the problem?
3rd why send a 3rd set to a customer if the second set in the box is to fix the problem?
4th looks like the Customer is coming out on top....2 sets of good blades and a defective set once resharpened for $15 will get them a working pistol bit with 3 sets of good blades.......
Seems a phone call and having the customer informed to put the 2nd set on would solve the problem and downtime for all envolved.
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Maybe I' miss understanding things.....
So Eskimo had a bad set of blades on the augers which wouldn't cut. So they put a good set of blades in each box for the customer to swap the blades out and have the áuger working like it should......
People buy the áuger and it doesn't cut.....don't put on the spare set and have Eskimo send them new blades taking days?
1st why wouldn't the customer try the other set right away?
2nd why doesn't Eskimo just tell them to use the correct set they put in the package to fix the problem?
3rd why send a 3rd set to a customer if the second set in the box is to fix the problem?
4th looks like the Customer is coming out on top....2 sets of good blades and a defective set once resharpened for $15 will get them a working pistol bit with 3 sets of good blades.......
Seems a phone call and having the customer informed to put the 2nd set on would solve the problem and downtime for all envolved.
So yeah that would make sense if there was 1 or 2 point people directing all these communications but who know how many channels these calls are being directed through distributors, and dealers and bait shops etc. I'm also guessing maybe a few people missed the extra blades that were in the box. It's doubtful but plausible.
Remember a couple of the big zingers that happened to clam in the past and then they had to try and get their message out to everyone about the problem and how they were going to resolve it and do returns and all that jazz. I wonder if Eskimo was just trying to avoid all that stuff. Especially if it was just a small occurrence and they could contain it. A third set of blades going out to a handful of people is much cheaper than sending a second set to everyone.
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It’s all because some people think they should get everything for nothing. Bad blades were replaced in the same box, it was explained to the guy, but he insisted on whining for so long he got the second good set for free plus the redone bad ones. Just like the other guy Sheels wouldn’t price match a particular item AND do free shipping, he hates Sheels now and badmouths them. This site is full of people that still think they’re back in the “pound of flesh” days. It’s a good thing they are still a minority. I’m so glad I’m retired now and don’t have to put up with these piss and moaners anymore.
True......but this bass pro and cabelas merger/buyout does suck.....I haven't been able to find a normal priced item on either site since.
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My buddy who set up is a Dewalt DCD996/Clam Plate/ 8" Pistol Bit had issues cutting with the supplied blades on the auger bit..he switched them out for the "extra" set in the box today and he reports just fine..cuts like a new auger totally different.
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Anybody try and sharpen the junk troubled blades ? wondering is it a pitch problem or a material hardness problem...not keeping an edge as the blades I believe are annealed to hold their edge longer?
Anneal : to heat and then cool (a material, such as steel or glass) usually for softening and making less brittle
Each bar, with its intricate twists, bevels and turns, had to be shaped individually. This shaping made some parts of the bars brittle … . To restore their flexibility, all the bars had to be annealed by heating, and then rapidly cooling them.
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I actually had the sense and courtesy to call Eskimo/Ardisan. It was a batch that came with wrong pitch. Unbelievable some freeloaders think they should get the bad ones replaced even though they got replacements in the box.
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I actually had the sense and courtesy to call Eskimo/Ardisan. It was a batch that came with wrong pitch. Unbelievable some freeloaders think they should get the bad ones replaced even though they got replacements in the box.
To be fair some retailers were touting the extra free set of blades ..my best guess is that Eskimo is fully aware what is going on ..and some folks may have gotten two sets of blades that work perfectly fine while others have not .. good customer service will keep the products reputation in good standing.
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To close this out, new blades solved issue. Also, I noticed the new center bit is 3/16" shorter than the one that was installed when I got it.
Noticed it when comparing everything last night. Works now!
So is there a flaw in the centering point that they aren't acknowledging as well? This whole situation, and Eskimos lack of outright acknowledgement of it, seems a little fishy to me.
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So is there a flaw in the centering point that they aren't acknowledging as well? This whole situation, and Eskimos lack of outright acknowledgement of it, seems a little fishy to me.
They knew about it they sent a good set of blades with it. They were all assembled and ready to ship figured out the blade blades and put a good set in the box. I would think if they took the time to change all the blades out they would loose more money than just sending them out with extras. The only thing they could have done better is to put a sheet of paper in there letting people know they need to change the blades out. Perhaps they did and people ignored it. I don't know.
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They knew about it they sent a good set of blades with it. They were all assembled and ready to ship figured out the blade blades and put a good set in the box. I would think if they took the time to change all the blades out they would loose more money than just sending them out with extras. The only thing they could have done better is to put a sheet of paper in there letting people know they need to change the blades out. Perhaps they did and people ignored it. I don't know.
Do they send out a new centering point as well? I don't really care how much time or money it takes a company to fix an issue, that's their problem, why force the consumer to be the one to fix their problem? Most people had to wait for new blades to ship out to them and others didn't even know this was a known problem until they were stranded on the ice without a functional auger.
When Ion had an issue with their 1st gen ION X auger bits they had a tab on their main webpage with exactly how to remedy the situation. I have yet to see anyone other than the Eskimo pro-staff army even acknowledging the issue publicly.
Again, just seems fishy.
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Do they send out a new centering point as well? I don't really care how much time or money it takes a company to fix an issue, that's their problem, why force the consumer to be the one to fix their problem? Most people had to wait for new blades to ship out to them and others didn't even know this was a known problem until they were stranded on the ice without a functional auger.
When Ion had an issue with their 1st gen ION X auger bits they had a tab on their main webpage with exactly how to remedy the situation. I have yet to see anyone other than the Eskimo pro-staff army even acknowledging the issue publicly.
Again, just seems fishy.
It cut with the bad blades, just cuts way better with the new. I probably did 40-50 holes on the bad blades. No new centering point, that was fine. Took a few minutes to change out the blades. Good practice if you need to do it on the ice in the future. I bought 2 augers one had extra set, one didn’t. The one without was a gift and they haven’t had any issues. Sounds like it was isolated and addressed quickly. Hasn’t impacted me negatively or the fishing.
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I actually had the sense and courtesy to call Eskimo/Ardisan. It was a batch that came with wrong pitch. Unbelievable some freeloaders think they should get the bad ones replaced even though they got replacements in the box.
I also called Eskimo/Ardisam. She said it was bad blades and that she would send new ones and a replacement centering point even though I did say anything about the point. I asked if she knew if the extra blades were also bad and she said she knew nothing about extra blades and said she would just send an extra set in case those were bad also. I think there’s a lot of speculation going on in this thread. I can only present the facts. Some speculation by guys that don’t even have the auger!
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I think we can all agree that there is a good reason the extra blades are in there, we just don't know what that is. :)
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Piss and moan, piss and moan. It never ends.
So has anyone complained how much time it cost them to switch blades on the auger & expect reimbursement from eskimo?
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Hi Guys,
First post here. I noticed my pistol bit started "shaving" instead of cutting recently. I bought it a couple months ago but have only drilled maybe 50 holes. I decided the blades were worn out and bought some new ones. After buying them I searched online to see if anyone else was having issues and stumbled upon this forum. When I bought my pistol (November 2020) it only came with one set of blades. I see here that it has since been sold with two sets. I did notice the new blades I bought are a smidge longer than the old ones. Below I have some pictures showing the two. The old ones on top and the new ones on bottom. The last picture shows the wear on the original blades. It was all on the outer edge. The angle of the blades appeared the same to my eyes. I'm not sure if this means anything but thought I'd share what i found. I just put the new blades on tonight so I haven't tried drilling with them. I will let you all know how they do in the next day or two. I have more pictures if there is anything in particular you guys have questions about.
(https://i.postimg.cc/BXBWcRQt/IMG-2396-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BXBWcRQt)
(https://i.postimg.cc/23Cgj2xD/IMG-2398-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/23Cgj2xD)
(https://i.postimg.cc/94nzXr63/IMG-2411-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/94nzXr63)
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It looks more like the damage on the blade came from hitting a pocket of something in the ice like sand or something.
Just looks like it needs to be resharpened. If it was a bad set, when resharpened they would be good.
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Bought my Pistol about a month ago, drill around 50 holes total. Cut great at first, Ice was soft as it was real warm out. Temps dropped down below 0 and had to lean on auger very hard to start the hole. Called Eskimo and told her what was going on and she was very nice. They are sending out new blades and center point this week.
I have a Eskimo hand auger that I have been using on a Clam plate for the last few years, I took those blades and put them on the Pistol and it cuts great. I will just save the new blades for when these old ones dull. Eskimo was very good to work with.
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It looks more like the damage on the blade came from hitting a pocket of something in the ice like sand or something.
Just looks like it needs to be resharpened. If it was a bad set, when resharpened they would be good.
Or dropping the blades on the ice. Once people cut a few thousand holes with a center point, it is impossible not to drop the auger on the ice to start. Those blades are damaged, like I have never seen on any blades I have had. If you can see it in a phone picture, the edge is badly damaged.
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Or dropping the blades on the ice. Once people cut a few thousand holes with a center point, it is impossible not to drop the auger on the ice to start. Those blades are damaged, like I have never seen on any blades I have had. If you can see it in a phone picture, the edge is badly damaged.
The pistol bit has a centering point, so dropping the auger on the ice shouldn't affect the shaver blades if the centering point hits first. I think that's the point you were making, right? It looks like it went through some dirty ice to me.
All in all it looks like eskimo's blade quality is in question this year. Fortunately their customer service makes up for it. Hopefully they make adjustments before next season, two years of bad reviews are hard to come back from.
Side note - Many phone cameras are better quality than the digital camera pictures most of us are familiar with these days. It's pretty impressive.
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So is there a flaw in the centering point that they aren't acknowledging as well? This whole situation, and Eskimos lack of outright acknowledgement of it, seems a little fishy to me.
I don’t know why there would be a flaw in the center point all it does is hold the auger from skipping. Doesn’t do any cutting really.
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I don’t know why there would be a flaw in the center point all it does is hold the auger from skipping. Doesn’t do any cutting really.
I agree, it's just interesting that the new one the guy was sent was a different size than the original one.
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Got the 8" from Marine General Dec 2020. No extra set of blades. Worked like a champ right out of the box. I love it.....so do all my buddies!
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Or dropping the blades on the ice. Once people cut a few thousand holes with a center point, it is impossible not to drop the auger on the ice to start. Those blades are damaged, like I have never seen on any blades I have had. If you can see it in a phone picture, the edge is badly damaged.
Yea I don’t recall dropping the auger at all. I should have shown both blades. They are both damaged the same way and the same distance from the edge. I suppose I may have hit some dirty ice but I don’t fish dirty ice...
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Yea I don’t recall dropping the auger at all. I should have shown both blades. They are both damaged the same way and the same distance from the edge. I suppose I may have hit some dirty ice but I don’t fish dirty ice...
Could just be the hardening process was flawed ..Eskimo admits to the wrong angle ..could be both.. that the ice auger community is experiencing .
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Hi Guys,
First post here. I noticed my pistol bit started "shaving" instead of cutting recently. I bought it a couple months ago but have only drilled maybe 50 holes. I decided the blades were worn out and bought some new ones. After buying them I searched online to see if anyone else was having issues and stumbled upon this forum. When I bought my pistol (November 2020) it only came with one set of blades. I see here that it has since been sold with two sets. I did notice the new blades I bought are a smidge longer than the old ones. Below I have some pictures showing the two. The old ones on top and the new ones on bottom. The last picture shows the wear on the original blades. It was all on the outer edge. The angle of the blades appeared the same to my eyes. I'm not sure if this means anything but thought I'd share what i found. I just put the new blades on tonight so I haven't tried drilling with them. I will let you all know how they do in the next day or two. I have more pictures if there is anything in particular you guys have questions about.
(https://i.postimg.cc/BXBWcRQt/IMG-2396-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BXBWcRQt)
(https://i.postimg.cc/23Cgj2xD/IMG-2398-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/23Cgj2xD)
(https://i.postimg.cc/94nzXr63/IMG-2411-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/94nzXr63)
Hi Guys,
I went out today with the new blades and the pistol bit cut like a dream. I am curious why the replacement ones are a little longer. Also, I'm sure this has been posted on a different thread but I got this adapter and it's super awesome! https://www.deepfreezefishing.com/product-category/accessories/
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Having been reading the last 4 pages of complaints on the pistol bit I feel the need to comment that I purchased one of the original pistol bit without the centering point. I have now used it for two years and hundreds of holes and feel it is by far the best ice fishing purchase I ever made. All of the complaints about the lack of a centering point had me concerned but I quickly learned to start slow until it bit then hammer it. Never have even had a close call with this technique. Sand in the ice dulled my original blades and it just quit cutting. Changed to a set of Mora blades and have never looked back. Love my Pistol bit and highly recommend it. :tipup:
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Having been reading the last 4 pages of complaints on the pistol bit I feel the need to comment that I purchased one of the original pistol bit without the centering point. I have now used it for two years and hundreds of holes and feel it is by far the best ice fishing purchase I ever made. All of the complaints about the lack of a centering point had me concerned but I quickly learned to start slow until it bit then hammer it. Never have even had a close call with this technique. Sand in the ice dulled my original blades and it just quit cutting. Changed to a set of Mora blades and have never looked back. Love my Pistol bit and highly recommend it. :tipup:
X2- I have been using hand auger bits on a drill for 6 years, and just got a pistol bit this year. Wish I had done it sooner! Slower than a Lazer, but so much easier to hold on to, and lighter!
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My buddy who set up is a Dewalt DCD996/Clam Plate/ 8" Pistol Bit had issues cutting with the supplied blades on the auger bit..he switched them out for the "extra" set in the box today and he reports just fine..cuts like a new auger totally different.
I got a chance to use my buddy's set up DCD996/Clam Plate/ 8" Pistol Bit(with new/supplied blades from the box) ..with a 9ah Flexvolt battery ..I was cutting through 17-18 inches of ice/snow ..my thoughts on the set up...it is a beast ..the flighting is very similar to a power head auger so it moved the chips up an out ..its was very powerful I had to "hold" on" during the process ..it was also smooth at break through . My set up Mil 2704/Clam plate/8" HT E-Drill..has about 2 flights to every one flight of the Eskimo Pistol Bit..it seemed faster then my set up ..I also notice the Pistol Bit seemed to cut a larger then 8" hole .
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Hi Guys,
I went out today with the new blades and the pistol bit cut like a dream. I am curious why the replacement ones are a little longer. Also, I'm sure this has been posted on a different thread but I got this adapter and it's super awesome! https://www.deepfreezefishing.com/product-category/accessories/
Thank you for the link, great product! Switch from auger, anchor bit, easy to pack up, actually a real difference maker. Great quality as well.
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Looks like the blade issue is also affecting the ION composite bits as well..this past Saturday my buddies new set up assembled that day ..Mil 2804/Clam plate/ ION 8" Composite .. had issues cutting ..needed some pressure and/or a slight lean to left or right ..although it cut ..50 holes on 12 inches of slush/hard pack/black ice ..it just did not feel right but I wasnt convinced it was the augers fault ..as the ice conditions were rather unique ..yesterday I had a chance to test my set up Mil 2704/Clam Plate/HT 8" E-Drill...as well as a buddies Dewalt 996/Clam Plate/Eskimo Pistol bit 8"..both drilled just fine w/o and additional pressure and/or tilt/lean ..so those members experiencing any cutting issues with the ION should contact ION.
Also for clarification the ION bolted directly onto the Clam Plate (18 mm) w/o any adapters . There may be some IONs floating around the various retailers for those interested ..maybe a deal can be had as well .
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...Changed to a set of Mora blades and have never looked back. Love my Pistol bit and highly recommend it. :tipup:
I had no issues drilling with the Pistol bit until maybe the 3rd or 4th time out this year and the I had to apply a little downward pressure for it to cut. I figured I dulled my blades and couldn't for the life of me find any Mora blades until about a week ago on-sale. I just swapped the blades and yeah, the Eskimo blades had a few really small nicks in them and were slighty rolled in a couple of small spots. It's good to know that the Mora blades fit just fine as I would rather have those on my auger anyway.
...Also, I'm sure this has been posted on a different thread but I got this adapter and it's super awesome! https://www.deepfreezefishing.com/product-category/accessories/
I've added one of these adapters to both my 6 and 8 in auger bits as well and they are really slick.
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I had no issues drilling with the Pistol bit until maybe the 3rd or 4th time out this year and the I had to apply a little downward pressure for it to cut. I figured I dulled my blades and couldn't for the life of me find any Mora blades until about a week ago on-sale. I just swapped the blades and yeah, the Eskimo blades had a few really small nicks in them and were slighty rolled in a couple of small spots. It's good to know that the Mora blades fit just fine as I would rather have those on my auger anyway.
I've added one of these adapters to both my 6 and 8 in auger bits as well and they are really slick.
Care to share where you found them on sale?
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Care to share where you found them on sale?
Joe's Sporting goods had them on sale for about $24 a set. Someone had posted in the deals section here about their ice out sale about a week ago. I was about to share it in my post above but they are back up to $34.99 now.
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Joe's Sporting goods had them on sale for about $24 a set. Someone had posted in the deals section here about their ice out sale about a week ago. I was about to share it in my post above but they are back up to $34.99 now.
Thanks