Nils Failure

[Workemup]

I bought a 6 and 8" nils hand augers last season. I drilled maybe 20-30 holes before the 8" just wouldnt cut anymore. It would just spin out on the surface of the ice. I called nils master, and they told me that it was caused by dirt/sand in the ice. I had not drilled through anything like that, and most of the time i dont fish super shallow anyways. I never put pressure on it, i dont lend it, i dont bang it on the ice, the cap goes on after every use. AND i also oil it when i get home. Still it took a crap on me. I sent it to Frank, and he got it right back to me asap. I was able to get out one last trip with it and it cut great. I feel like its gonna happen again. Thats scary to think that a leaf could screw up an auger blade so bad. If these dont hold up this season, im selling them for lazers. Its ridiculously expensive to to replace a nils head, or send it in to get re-worked. An 8" nils replacement head is like what? 100 dollars!! You gotta be kidding me! The whole damn thing costs 150-175 bucks. Charging more than half the value of the whole deal for just a head is insane.

 I think im talking myself into a lazer...
Then i dont have to be that guy that says no when someone asks to use my auger because they forgot theirs. OR I dont have to be that guy that has to walk 100+ yards every time to drill holes for them, because i dont want them using my nils. Because im such a nice guy;)

[esox_magnum]

I have about 2500 holes on the one Frank sharpened for me 3 years ago....Still going strong....

[drowndin dots]

   I got an 8 inch Nils 3 years ago on Christmas, and when it cuts  there is nothing like it. However everything that has been said here is true. The covers for the 8 are a complete joke, I can't wrap my head around why they won't change to another style. I have 2 heads now and they both need to be sent in again Also the cover slipped off and cut my Transducer cable last season..... I'm rough on the equipment for sure but I still am disappointed with the flaws, for the money spent I expected better.....

[esox_magnum]

Get a Cold Snap over for it, slickest cover on the market....

[drowndin dots]

Get a Cold Snap over for it, slickest cover on the market....

I will, but for what I paid why should I have to upgrade anything??

[esox_magnum]

I agree but the only knock I have against the Nils was the blade cover, happy now with the Cold Snap....

[michiganpolarbear]

Just remember to tap from the top side downward.  It usually only takes a few light taps right where the cutting blade starts it's business (The leading edge directly below the shaft).  Once that edge cuts into the ice, the trailing edges do the rest of the work.    Most damage that I've ever seen on a Tanaka /Nils auger has been in the first 3/4" of the leading edge.
   Something else you can do to check your cutting head is to CAREFULLY run a cotton swab across the top and bottom side of each cutting surface.   If there are any tiny burrs present, they'll catch the fibers of the cotton ball.   Mark the burr with a marking pen then go back and lightly tap the burr(s) down with a soft metal mallet, piece of copper pipe, plastic mallet etc. IF the burr is on the upper side of the cutting blades.  Drag a ceramic stone (preferably round) across the surface from the thick part of the blade to the sharp edge using no pressure.  The blade just needs a slight polish to return to it's great cutting ability !
   If the burr(s) are on the bottom side, take a piece of fine ceramic sharpening stone and LIGHTLY drag that across the burr putting NO DOWNWARD PRESSURE on the stone as you drag it.   It may take a while but once the burr is smooth, your auger should cut like new again.   Just remember to NEVER alter the bottom (underside) of the cutting head.

  If all fails to return your cutting head to original, $20.00 is a darn fair price to pay to get them resharpened by Frank Deluca in Minnesota or Olavi @ Small engine Repair in Mass.
  I've never had Deluca sharpen any heads for me but I've heard nothing but stellar reports about his work. !   Even though he's much farther away, I'm sending him a box of heads to have sharpened this season.
  Hope you get your augers back in action soon !    Being without your Nils on the ice is like leaving your cell phone at home !

thank you i will have to try it out now and see if i did any good the ice up here is crap right now with it raining it will be freezing to night warm tomorrow and back to the daily grind of cold as heck after that so it should be about a week be fore i can test it or two.  any ways thank again for the description... 

[drowndin dots]

I agree but the only knock I have against the Nils was the blade cover, happy now with the Cold Snap....

They look slick as snot, I ordered one.

[Cross-Eye-Jig]

thank you i will have to try it out now and see if i did any good the ice up here is crap right now with it raining it will be freezing to night warm tomorrow and back to the daily grind of cold as heck after that so it should be about a week be fore i can test it or two.  any ways thank again for the description...

Don't get discouraged if it doesn't work the first time.  It takes a bit of practice to learn the right amount of force needed to tweak the leading edge of the blades back into their best cutting angle.
   First time I tried it back in the 80's, it took me a half dozen tries to get it right as I was worried about ruining the head.
   I made a special tool for the main purpose of altering the angle of the Tanaka / Nils cutting head.    It's nothing more than a 6" piece of old copper pipe (3/4") filled with lead.   I ground the edges down smooth after melting the lead and filling the tube.    Same tool that trap shooters use to get a stuck wad out of the barrels of their shotguns !   It's heavy but soft.   Works great !
  The ceramic I use to touch up the blade area is some sort of electrical insulator .
  Looks like big straw.  Wall thickness is about 1/8" and the hole diameter is about 1/2 ".  Bought some pieces at a garage sale a long time ago for 50 cents !
   It really does a nice job on any fine cutting tools !

  Hope you get your auger up and cutting again .

[drowndin dots]

  Great info CEJ 

[Cook078]

I bought a used 6 inch a few years ago....Friday, first time out, I hit mud on the first 4 holes, checking the ice on the way out....still cuts great, so I am guessing there was a bad batch of blades....and like everyone says, no down-pressure ever!

[belowzero]

Keep edges in alignment and sharp, just like bent dull knife won't cut or cut poorly, hand augers are simple instruments, and like anything in life you need to take care of it in order to perform and last, Nils are maybe more fragile than others but that isn't the only fragile thing we use on ice. I just love effortless cutting with Nils.   

[Mini Me]

anyone know what angle to blades should be at? i have a couple ideas to help once I figure this out

[Tangler]

I will be oiling the blades after every outing from here on out.  Thanks for that tip.

One thing to note: my blade did indeed stop working immediately after I let a friend drill 2 holes that morning.  It was all over after that.  It is annoying that it is so delicate, but at least now I know.  NOBODY TOUCHES THE NILS!

I got my blade back from Frank DeLuca on Friday and tested it over the weekend. It cuts incredibly well now.  That thing is way sharper than factory.  My sliced thumb can attest... 

[esox_magnum]

Frank is a master at redoing the blades, have only had him do 1 of my bits 3 years ago and just now getting back to what it was factory... Should have 3-4 more years in it barring I dont hit something in the ice again....Only a select few get to use mine and all are fully aware that if they dull it they pay to have it sent in to Frank, destroy it they replace it....