Sharpening ice auger blades. Questions

[BTomasino]

I wanted to sharpen my auger blades but I am not sure how to go about doing this (Without buying a sharpening tool)

Is there a special tool I can use (file etc...)?

How do I sharpen it? (technique)

Any other tips or idea are appreciated.

Thanks

[docbas]

It is really difficult to sharpen your own blades.  You MUST get the correct angle or you will have ruined your blades.  Have a professional do it.... it will be worth it in the long run.  I have seen many places offer blade exchanges, you send dull ones, they send you sharpened ones, but I have not used this service.  I generally just buy new ones every couple of years, depending on how much use they have gotten.
Hope this helps.

[salmon stalker]

I use a dremmel to sharpen mine. Remember though as mention, if you mess up the angle or you ruin it. Light pressure on the dremmel and follow the angle it has. Takes couple minutes and comes out sharper than brand new.....

[Mugz]

What kind of auger blade?

I have access to a machine shop. I figured the angle of the blade, made a fixture to hold the blade and sharpen it on a surface grinder. Not everyone has this luxury but I have heard of shops that do saw blades, cutlery, etc etc, that will sharpen auger blades for about $5. Look in your yellow pages for a place that sharpens saw blades and call them. Usually a quick turnaround too.

[petrgill]

I just bought a blade sharpening stone at Bass Pro last week (forgot the name) for about $45.  It's basically a honing stone. Have a 10+yr old Jiffy that was given to me that I don't think was ever sharpened. Take the blade off and apply a little pressure and pull it toward you (just like sharpening a knife.  It worked great, went out on the ice the next day and cut right through no problems.  Figure blades cost $25.  The stone will last a long time and won't mar the blades if you do it right.

[stout]

  Go to fish 307 they have a blade exchange thats cheap and easy. Under 8 inch is 10.00 bucks and 8 inch or bigger is 12.00 . If you have blades from china throw them out cause they are junk, get the ones from sweden.

[Icecracka46]

I made a fixture and sharpen my own (machinist). I do ginding for people also.
You can buy a diamond file and easily sharpen them as often as needed too.
Good luck

[SPARKYICE]

i worked in a factory with some old-school tool and die makers, and they taught me alot about edges on steel.

if you blade is a simple edge (with a pfofile like half of a pair of scissors ) the are simple and easy to sharpen. get a good-sized, nice and flat, arkansas stone.
using plenty of fluid - WD40 works very well for all sharpening- work the flat side of the blade in figure 8s on the stone.
you'll feel a scrubbing and grinding at first, and bits of steel will accumulate on the stone. it'll turn grey and "muddy".
this must be flushed off regularly  with the WD40 so the surface of the stone is always clean.
after a bit, the scraping and grinding will diminish to a swishing- swooshing sound, and the blade will want to kind of adhere to the stone with a suction. at this point the flat of the blade will have been honed to a nearly mirror like sheen.
turn the blade over and very lightly work the beveled edge in the same mannor, following the original edge angle.
turn it over again and work the flat till it swooshes again, and then do the bevel again, and then the flat one more time.
you will be able to shave with it,
and the original angle will be intact. the blade will be just a wee bit thinner.
you don't need to get all the deeper nicks out of it.

with a compound edge, ( with 2 bevels, like a knife) it's the same process, but it requires a much more delicate touch to follow the original angle.

heck, buy  a new set and practice with the old ones.a delicate touch, a good stone, and plenty of fluid is the key, a heavy hand will ruin them.
and NO! don't use a file or the grinder on the back of the old lady's can opener!!

[rickf]

Fish 307 does an exchange for great prices you should check them out.

[andercee]

Try to find a guy who can sharpen them locally.  I have a guy that will sharpen my auger blades for $3 a piece.

[mcl79]

Does anyone know the actual angle that the blades should be sharpened at?
Icecracka46 you must have this info.

[mcl79]

My auger is a jiffy legend.

[W.W.IV.]

 I've used the flat mora blades Swedish made and the directions that came with the blades said not to sharpen the flat side. You have to sharpen the angel, I've used a file and stones,the file is quicker. I found that if I didn't take the nicks out they still didn't cut well.Stone the flat lightly to remove any burres. Buy a new set in case the sharpened ones don't cut.If you have a different way that works keep doing it. Good luck.

[walleyeboater]

iceauger.com

[SPARKYICE]

I've used the flat mora blades Swedish made and the directions that came with the blades said not to sharpen the flat side. You have to sharpen the angel, I've used a file and stones,the file is quicker. I found that if I didn't take the nicks out they still didn't cut well.Stone the flat lightly to remove any burres. Buy a new set in case the sharpened ones don't cut.If you have a different way that works keep doing it. Good luck.

i didn't have any directions to follow when i did mine, i asked the advice of the tool and die guys at the shop.
i didn't "sharpen" the flat side so much as polish it, remove the undercut burrs, and returned it to optimum flatness.
i know if that bottom angle is changed, it will never cut. and even with a few knicks remaining, they still cut like the devil.
and yes, you can shave with them. i've repeated this procedure many times, with very good results.
i have an aversion to taking a file to any kind of an edge. diamond file, sure, but they're a different animal.

[W.W.IV.]

 Don't get your hackles up Sparky,there's nothing wrong with the way you did it. I do the angel first and then cleaned up the flat. I don't want to leave nicks because thats why they were dull to start. If you take the time you might as well finish the job. Oh I wouldn't get those blades to close to your neck, I've seen what they do to a finger. By the way I had 42yrs in a machine shop and a good file work fine for me. Now get out there and cut some holes and fill that pail up.

[SPARKYICE]

no worries, just saying what works for me
there's always more than one way to skin a cat, so, i guess if it feels good, do it!

[dkfry]

I've used the flat mora blades Swedish made and the directions that came with the blades said not to sharpen the flat side.

When you sharpen one side of the blade (especially on shaver blades) you will get a small bur/rolled over edge on the opposite side. This bur has to be removed or else the edge will not be near as sharp as it could be. Mora blades will roll the edge easier than any other auger blade I've sharpened. Jiffy chipper blades are the easiest blades to sharpen because they are flat.

I use a fairly small diamond hone and some tool/die stones to sharpen my blades using either a light oil or water to remove swarf.

[joehomey]

I use a small handheld tool that has 2 very hard fixed steel blades which are preset to the correct angle. you just draw this tool across the cutting edge of the blades a few times and you are set. I am sure that this does not get it your blades as sharp as honing, or using a nice arizona stone, but it gets the blades plenty sharp enough to shave ice. the best part is that you can easily bring it along and re-sharpen them before each hole if you want to. no need though, they hold the edge for quite a while. here is a link to the tool i speak of:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0027VRU6C/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=228013&s=hi

[eyestroker]

I use a small handheld tool that has 2 very hard fixed steel blades which are preset to the correct angle. you just draw this tool across the cutting edge of the blades a few times and you are set. I am sure that this does not get it your blades as sharp as honing, or using a nice arizona stone, but it gets the blades plenty sharp enough to shave ice. the best part is that you can easily bring it along and re-sharpen them before each hole if you want to. no need though, they hold the edge for quite a while. here is a link to the tool i speak of:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0027VRU6C/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=228013&s=hi

i just got the strikemaster version of this.  I posted a topic in the equipment thread about whether you could sharpen filet knives with this...  so anybody ever try it?

[UpstateNYiceguy]

Fish 307 does an exchange for great prices you should check them out.

For what it's worth, Fish307 is the best deal going.  They do awesome work too.  Re-sharpens are as sharp, if not sharper than originals and hold an edge for quite a while.

I'm lucky enough to live close by so I can just stop in but they're pretty quick about turning the returns around on the shipping.

[BTomasino]

I use a small handheld tool that has 2 very hard fixed steel blades which are preset to the correct angle. you just draw this tool across the cutting edge of the blades a few times and you are set. I am sure that this does not get it your blades as sharp as honing, or using a nice arizona stone, but it gets the blades plenty sharp enough to shave ice. the best part is that you can easily bring it along and re-sharpen them before each hole if you want to. no need though, they hold the edge for quite a while. here is a link to the tool i speak of:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0027VRU6C/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=228013&s=hi

I actually ordered the same one earlier this week. Thanks for the tip

[250 Keith]

Mine are due for a touch-up.  Has anyone used a Lansky sharpening kit on auger blades?  Should I be concerned about removing any surface hardening treatment from the surface? 

[Drifter_016]

no worries, just saying what works for me
there's always more than one way to skin a cat, so, i guess if it feels good, do it!

And if you sharpen those blades properly you can use them to skin that cat.   

[craiger]

I don't have a stone or a nice file, but I do have some high grit(400, 600, 2000) sand paper left over from a former automotive project. 

My auger is old, and everyone I called gave me the when I called about getting it sharpened.  The first time was the hardest cause I had to knock all the surface rust off, but now it's pretty easy.  With the paper wrapped on a little scrap of hard wood, I use light pressure and make small circles following the angle of the beveled side.  Once I run through all the grits, I hit the bottom with a few passes to get rid of any burrs.   

Works for me, but as always, I welcome any constructive criticism 8)

[Wiener]

craiger,

How long does the edge last when you sharpen the blade like that ?

I sharpen mine as well, and was told to be careful not to overheat the blade or it will become soft and dull easier.

IF you get a good season out of sharpening your blades with sandpaper,  I might switch to that method.

I was using a grinder.


Wiener

[Nor Easter]

For chipper blades, use some wet or dry sand paper face up on a flat surface such as plate steel or glass and make a block of wood or plastic to set under the back of the blade so it holds the blade at the precise angle needed. Wet the sandpaper often to rinse it clean. Depending on how dull, you can start with 220 grit, then to 320-400, then to 600-800, even finer if you want but it's not usually needed any further.

Once you have a nice sheen on the blade, flip it over and carefully just remove the burr. Test it out in front of your bathroom mirror shaving the peach fuzz off your face! 

I would think someone crafty could come up with some sort of jig for curved blades as well. I may need to make one for next year.

[craiger]

This is only my second season ice fishing.  After the initial work I had to do, I'd say I touched it up a couple times last season.  I've only touched it once this year, and that was after I went out four times.  

You definitely don't have to worry about heat with this method.  I have yet to see another auger like mine on the web or in person, so I have to be careful if I want to keep fishing.  That's why I decided to stay away from power tools.  With the exception of a few deeper surface rust spots, I can almost see myself in the steel.      

[Wiener]

I would think someone crafty could come up with some sort of jig for curved blades as well. I may need to make one for next year.

Jiffy has a table mounted "jig" that you can use to sharpen their blades.  but at $25 I think I'll stick to what I have been doing.


Wiener

[Nor Easter]

Wiener,
I can't seem to find the jig you are mentioning. Do you have a link to the page? Thanks.

I have found this type and that type but not a jig in the sense I am meaning.

I suppose I could try my knife sharpening kit similar to (cheaper than) this one (but with only 3 stones) on my old blades to see if I can master it enough to make them cut decently.

Also I am not about to spend what they want for this one considering I don't have what it mounts to to use it. Yikes! even MO-MONEY!!