Author Topic: Recutting old holes ??? (Read 3455 times)

fishinfanatic · « **on:** Feb 16, 2009, 10:00 PM »

I've heard if you recut an old hole with a hand auger, it will dull your blades. Truth or fiction

?

panfishman13 · « **Reply #1 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 10:06 PM »

i think it's just harder to cut but i wouldn't be surprised if it did

i c · « **Reply #2 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 10:10 PM »

always wondered the same thing,always wondered if it was better for my drill to drill through three inches of refroze or 20 inches of fresh.i know its faster to drill the three inches with my hand auger.

fishwiz4 · « **Reply #3 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 10:11 PM »

i dont think it dulls your blades at all. it is much more difficult if you dont get the auger lined up at the exact same angle as the first time you made the cut, but it shouldnt dull the blade(s). ice is ice

hunterdan1 · « **Reply #4 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 10:12 PM »

Truth I don't know why but it will dull your auger

RickTheRock · « **Reply #5 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 10:24 PM »

Personally I think that when ice has reformed in an old hole it is black ice and is harder, thus possibly dulling the blades quicker. Just my two cents.
Rock

mk_bovee · « **Reply #6 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 11:37 PM »

re-cutting old holes wont dull your blades, heck, thats what the lazers were designed for. the only thing it will do is make the drilling chore easier and shorter, drilling thru 3 inches of ice rather than 20+ inches

ive done it thousands of times, and so far ive only had to replace my blades twice, and that was only because i let them get rusty, not because redrilling old holes dulled the blades.

tom1234505 · « **Reply #7 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 11:55 PM »

mk bovee is right. i do the same thing and my blades have lasted 2 years and i haven't replaced them yet and they're still razor sharp.

perch chaser · « **Reply #8 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 03:30 AM »

I was told that a strikemaster laser will be ok to cut old holes but not a mora

rgfixit · « **Reply #9 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 04:15 AM »

Not a problem for a good auger like Fin Bor or Nils....do it all the time.
RG

we3jeepers · « **Reply #10 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 06:54 AM »

I have been doing that every time out this year, only I have been drilling into a 6" hole with an 8" auger. its only been 3" or so. Not a big deal. Also someone said something about it being black ice and maybe thats why...... all my holes I have been doing have had black ice the last few inches before it punches thru.

firegems · « **Reply #11 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 07:14 AM »

Tried it yesterday and gave up on it! Edges were harder because hole was freezing towards the middle....auger kept hanging up! punched a hole in middle for Vex and bore a new hole a foot away to fish out of...won't bother trying that again!

michianafisherman · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 07:24 AM »

I was on over twenty inches of ice this weekend and made about ten holes with my gator. I charged it up using an extension cord from the Lodge I was staying at. I don't think I got a full charge or I have drilled so many more hole this season that I just finally dulled my blades. Went out at 4am and started cutting holes and barely made enough holes for the shanties and not enough power left for the tip-ups. Learned my lesson, more batteries to change out or make sure I have the blades as sharp as possible.
So what I ended up doing was moving over to where I fished the day before and used a spud to open all the holes. it didn't take very long to chip them out.

SPARKYICE · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 07:47 AM »

i don't think any one "kind"of ice has the ability to dull a blade more than another.
when redrilling holes, the auger has a tendancy to grab and catch on the sides of the hole, which could lead to bending the blades, thus changing the angle of attack. a surgically sharp blade wont cut butter if the angle is wrong.
someone mentioned a spud, this would be the way to open old holes.

jiml · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 07:51 AM »

Here is my 2 cents......from experiences just yesterday. I use an 8 inch hand auger and had no trouble at all cutting through refrozen 10 and 12 inch holes. On the other hand I tried cutting through some refrozen 8 inch holes (same size as my auger) and I just kept hanging up......when I finally broke through it was a pain getting the auger back out. I think if you keep pulling up on an auger that is stuck it may bend the blades and not cut as well. Bottom lind for me is that I'll drill refrozen holes that are bigger than my auger only.

Lobes · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 08:24 AM »

I have never had a problem drilling one of my old holes (same size) with my Lazers. The Mora won't do it without causing major problems.

NBG

BlueDuck · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 08:48 AM »

I don't know if it dull the blade any faster but it sure hangs up. I have tried it lots of times and it don't work for me.

jkoegel · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 08:55 AM »

It wont dull your blades, Ice is a lot softer than steel. White or black ice, doesn't matter. What kills the auger is the hang-ups. If you force the auger you can knock the blades out of alignment changing the cutting angle, after this happens it wont matter how sharp they are, cutting is going to be difficult.
After breaking through, let the blades pass the ice chunks remaining in the hole and use the upper flutes of the auger to break them free, then the auger will pull out easily without hitting the blades on the way out.

WANNABFISHIN · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 09:00 AM »

Quote from: jiml on Feb 17, 2009, 07:51 AM

Here is my 2 cents......from experiences just yesterday. I use an 8 inch hand auger and had no trouble at all cutting through refrozen 10 and 12 inch holes. On the other hand I tried cutting through some refrozen 8 inch holes (same size as my auger) and I just kept hanging up......when I finally broke through it was a pain getting the auger back out. I think if you keep pulling up on an auger that is stuck it may bend the blades and not cut as well. Bottom lind for me is that I'll drill refrozen holes that are bigger than my auger only.

I know this is off topic but, i see people talking about 12" holes on here once in a while. Can you tell me if there is a brand with a 12" auger or if
these are homemade? I would like to upgrade from my 10"

Scott Steil · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 09:06 AM »

Getting in a little late on this one but I thought I would offer my 2 cents anyway. Cutting old holes does not dull your auger, hand or electric. Usually the ice in an old hole is going to be solid clear ice which can make it seem like more work. The real problem with opening an old hole is when you start hitting water. You add a lot more resistance trying to cut through a partial hole when there is water and slush in the old hole. In addition, your auger will want to "cut" or dig more than it is supposed to which really makes it tough. For the most part it is easier just to cut a new hole.

Scott Steil

pooley · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 09:10 AM »

i use a spud for old holes.

BwayCGuy · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 05:24 PM »

I'll bring a small spud with me (mostly incase of the "monster won't fit through the hole!

), but most of the time i'll just drill a new hole. But i've always had real trouble trying to drill through old holes with my hand auger, and with my short patience will usually pass or spud it!

Neversink Jimmy · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 05:28 PM »

I've been wondering about the claims of "not redrilling old holes" for quite awhile...

I do it nearly everyday on my lake, and have never seen any issues... Although, the auger does like to hang up a little during those last few turns, but it always does as I am punching thru anyway.

It's nice to see this question answered finally! It always seemed odd to hear that it was bad for an auger.

It's only frozen water, after all!

snot rocket · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 06:50 PM »

I'm guessing (edumicated guess of course) is it's a matter of getting hung up or bound up in the hole rather than dulling your blades. I've never tried it myself. just my .02

Snot Rocket

trapper2000 · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 06:58 PM »

i know the old spoon augers and i think moras suggested not to but lazers you could

brokenline · « **Reply #25 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 07:41 PM »

i think the best auger to re drill a hole is a old spoon type auger. the moras get hung up really bad! it works if the holes are 10" and 2 inches of ice on them with a 6 inch

Shadrap · « **Reply #26 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 08:29 PM »

Yep. The old spoon augers. Lazers work pretty good. Others not.

i c · « **Reply #27 on:** Feb 18, 2009, 12:12 AM »

when im cutting through an old hole and i bust through it gets a little caught up but i just keep turning it clockwise as i bring it back up and it solved this problem.

trapper2000 · « **Reply #28 on:** Feb 18, 2009, 12:54 AM »

i actually still have the papers that came with my spoon auger and it states not to ever redrill a hole! i remeber buying it thought it was the greatest thing since peanut butter lol

northernnyice · « **Reply #29 on:** Feb 18, 2009, 08:41 PM »

if its an old hole that im re-opening i just use the spud

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Author Topic: Recutting old holes ??? (Read 3455 times)