IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: optimus140 on Feb 04, 2019, 12:41 PM
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What kind of hand augers are people using that they would recommend? I have an old six inch mora that is just an absolute dog that I can’t put up with anymore. Need to upgrade, and I’m thinking maybe a 4 or 5 inch hand auger, possibly strike master laser or Eskimo barracuda. Anything else I should look at, or does anyone have experience with either of those hand augers? Thanks for your thoughts.
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Nero Mini gets my vote.
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The laser has worked for me, havnt used it as a hand auger i na long time though, have the attachment to use with a cordless drill
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I just got a mini nero and it cuts so fast by hand plus blades are super cheap.strikemaster lazer would be my other choice.i still like moras tho too.they cut great with sharp blades.
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Yeah X2 on the Mini Nero. http://htice.com/mini-nero-telescopic-russian-hand-auger/
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Times 2 on the Mini Nero. Excellent value. Maybe not as silky as a Nils but a lot less temperamental. And convertible to drill power if you choose that option. Check out the YouTube videos though some are in Russian you can at least see how they cut.
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What kind of hand augers are people using that they would recommend? I have an old six inch mora that is just an absolute dog that I can’t put up with anymore. Need to upgrade, and I’m thinking maybe a 4 or 5 inch hand auger, possibly strike master laser or Eskimo barracuda. Anything else I should look at, or does anyone have experience with either of those hand augers? Thanks for your thoughts.
Maybe the blades on your Mora just need to be sharpened or replaced, or has it always been a dog?
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1) We just put a new set of blades on a 30-year-old Mora and it is serving my son well. The questions from defish are good.
2) Lazer hand augers ROCK. I was very impressed with I tried one.
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Maybe the blades on your Mora just need to be sharpened or replaced, or has it always been a dog?
It’s always been rough, but it was free so I can’t complain too much. It’s also probably from the 80s or 90s. I did get the strike master sharpener this season and tried sharpening the blades, but it didn’t help; too far gone. They need replaced, and at that price point for new blades I figure I might as well upgrade. I borrowed a kind stranger’s hand auger on the ice, an Eskimo I believe, and the difference was huge. So I’m thinking about upgrading over replacing blades.
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Thanks all who mentioned mini nero; that wasn’t on my radar before. I’ll mull that over.
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I, like most others, will upvote the Mini Nero.
I just got on this season. The thing is amazing. Was telling my fishing partner about how much I love it and he talked about how he will stick to his electric. Handed him my Mini Nero and told him to check the ice. "Oh sure, make me cut through the ice with the hand auger." He cuts through the ice and says "Not that bad but the offset handles might take a bit to get used to." I stick down my ruler to measure the ice, and say 16 inches. His response, "That cut through 16 inches of ice that easy!?"
I absolutely love the thing as a hand auger and they are not as expensive as the Nils.
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Yup, Nero Mini is an awesome hand auger, and even better with a drill attached! Just got a 6" this year and it just flies through the ice.
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Lazer
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Lazer 5”
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Lazer 5”
X2
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Love my Nils, 5 incher ;effortless drilling.
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X2
X3
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Normally a larger hole would be more effort to drill, but I've been using my 7" Nero over my 5" Mora even as the ice has gotten thicker here. I've yet to use my power auger this season.
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Was going to say stick with mora and get the laser conversion but by the time done you should just buy a laser auger..laser conversion link below requires modifiing the adaptors at link and buying laser blades.. buy that time you can just pay for a new laser 6 inch..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/STRIKEMASTER-MORA-TO-LAZER-BLADE-ICE-AUGER-ADAPTER-CONVERSION-KIT-6-INCH/131116710577?hash=item1e872a3ab1:g:xcAAAOxypNtSlljQ (https://www.ebay.com/itm/STRIKEMASTER-MORA-TO-LAZER-BLADE-ICE-AUGER-ADAPTER-CONVERSION-KIT-6-INCH/131116710577?hash=item1e872a3ab1:g:xcAAAOxypNtSlljQ)
Unless it's a mora boren auger with off set handle like a nils I would just get the laser.. also iam trying to manufacture a off set handle privately to sell on ebay sooner or later so will see what I can come up with??
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Lazer 5", cuts so darn easy have only lost 1 fish (giant crappie) due to hole size issues. Have an 8" nills that I never take out since I got the lazer 6 years ago - just can't keep the nills in good cutting condition so I couldn't recommend that at all.
Same blades on the lazer that came with it 6 years ago, they don't cut as nice as they used too but not bad enough to make me shell out for new ones!
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5 or 6 Mora out of Big Lake MN that takes curved blades. Frabill 5 that takes curved blades. Get a used hand auger that takes curved blades,Lazer. Any of these will rocket through the ice.
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Nero mini with the drill adapter.
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I started out with a 5 inch mora, nice auger.
Then upgraded to a 5 inch Laser, nice improvement.
I now use a 6 inch Nils, WOW what a machine. Cuts like butter. @) @) @)
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I don't think they are made anymore, but the Lazer lite synthetics with the Mora nova head on them is a real reliable setup with a drill. I have two 160mm and a 120mm. The 160 can take a powerpoint if desired.
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Nils
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Mora finbore iii pro series. I bought this 3 years ago and it still cuts through 12 inches of ice like it was butter. Highly recommended
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Nils. 4 years in, prob 500 holes, still cut like new.
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Nero mini 5"
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Lazer 8"
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im still using my old 6"jiffy. I use it with a drill now though. does all I need an auger to do.
if I was going to buy a new hand auger to be used as such it would be a lazer 6". no more hand cranking 8"ers for me anymore. or any auger for that matter. haha
bottom line make an adapter for a drill and use the jiffy you already have.
note: if your jiffy doesn't cut very aggressively shim the blades with beer can shims. I did mine 30yrs ago and so have several others I have met over the years.
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im still using my old 6"jiffy. I use it with a drill now though. does all I need an auger to do.
if I was going to buy a new hand auger to be used as such it would be a lazer 6". no more hand cranking 8"ers for me anymore. or any auger for that matter. haha
bottom line make an adapter for a drill and use the jiffy you already have.
note: if your jiffy doesn't cut very aggressively shim the blades with beer can shims. I did mine 30yrs ago and so have several others I have met over the years.
I'd love to see a picture or more details on how you shim you blades. Not that I need to do it on mine but I always love to know more.
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I just have the plain 6" strike master. As long as the blades aren't too bad I can usually zip through the ice pretty quickly. Had one a few years ago where the handles were offset and it was a beast to use.
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Have had my Lazer for quite a few years. Blades sharpened once (prof) and bought a new set once. I use it as a hand auger until the ice gets thick, and then hook my drill to it. Nice thing about a Lazer is it will cut through and old frozen over hole with ease. That was a big one for me in my hardside shanty.
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Fin-Bore III whatever size hole you like. Same blades as the lazer, but with offset handle for better efficency in turning compared to a lazer. I put new blades on mine every year and it cuts as good as a nils, without the tempermental powerhead like a nils.
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Iv'e cut hundreds of holes with my 8" Fin Bore, same blades for the last 4 years, I haven't touched them, still cuts through ice like butter.
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I'd love to see a picture or more details on how you shim you blades. Not that I need to do it on mine but I always love to know more.
place the shim under the edge side of where they mount and it will tilt the edge more of an angle towards the ice. before I did this it just shaved snow cones. lol all you need to do is loosen the screws enough to slide the shim under the edge. start with one and add if needed. copy?
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I had same problem, I was killing myself with the mora new blades were 34.00 but mora cost me 39.00 40 years ago. I bought the Lazer for backup when gas Tanaka is not needed.
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I have had a 4 inch LASER for 20 years. Still cuts like new. About a 1/2 inch a turn. Love it. I have an 8inch Eskimo power auger that I use if the ice gets to thick, or if I'm in a Derby etc...
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place the shim under the edge side of where they mount and it will tilt the edge more of an angle towards the ice. before I did this it just shaved snow cones. lol all you need to do is loosen the screws enough to slide the shim under the edge. start with one and add if needed. copy?
And please WEAR LEATHER GLOVES to do this!
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I would maybe try new blades for your Mora first. My Mora works fine. Yeah, the Lazer and Nils are going to work better. I don't know if it is worth the extra $80-$200 though. I think if you need to shim it, the drill is out of alignment. I shimmed my Mag 2000 with a pop can. It worked okay. When I replaced the drill, it cut like butter.
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I have a Mora 8" that might have been bent and only would shave light shavings. I put .062 under both blades and now she cuts really good with my Ridgid Octane drill.
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First I’d try to get your blades professionally sharpened or replaced. If that really doesn’t do it for you, then get something with offset handles, like the nero. The flat shaver blades like the mora are easier to turn, while the angled blades like lazers and Nero cut more per turn but take more effort. The offset handles may take a bit of getting use to, but make the turning much easier. I really think that’s the main reason people have been swearing by nills augers even though they are so expensive. Good thing the Nero also has the offset handles to give people more options.
I personally use a 7” lazer hand auger, and recently also a 8” eskimo (flat blade like the mora), but I have them paired with a m18 drill and clam plate.
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I've drilled hundreds of holes with my 6" Nils through 30+ inches of ice. The only reason I bought an 8" Lithium Lazer was because a 6" hole is too small for my traps. If battery power doesn't work over the long haul I'll get an 8" Nils. Fin-bore and Mora Nova are also excellent but not sold in USA.