sharpening auger blades

[pigpen]

How do you all sharpen your auger blades, or do you just get new ones when the old ones dull.  Ive tinkered for years, trying to sharpen the blades on my mora, but I always just end up getting new ones.  Is there a trick, or is it all about getting the angle just right? Thanx

[FullTmeDad]

If there's a trick, I haven't learned it yet. I just bought a hand held sharpener from Cabelas and I'll let you know how (if) it works. I usually send my blades in and have them re-sharpened professionally. Nothing worse that having a whole day on the ice blown because of a dull auger and thick ice.
FTD

[fishercat]

It is all about the angle if you are off just a few degrees you will not cut through beans.  

[pigpen]

It is all about the angle if you are off just a few degrees you will not cut through beans.  

I hear that fishercat!  Is there a general rule as to what the proper angle should be?  I always seem to get my blades razor sharp, but the angle is always off, and the auger just walks all over the ice and barely shaves the surface.

[Polar]

I send my blades in to Pembroke bait and tackle.About 6.50 to sharpen them.

[fishercat]

Pigpen I do not have any idea on the angle they are probly all  just a little diffrent. You could try your local bait shop

[will]

Its odd that no body can sharpen them. It cant be that hard . Can anyone please help us?

[Melbs7]

they not only have to be at the right angle within about a degree....... but they also have to be almost PERFECTLY the same as one another. THAT is why the best results are done with a machine. and if they cost about $6.50 to send off and get sharpened..... i can get a new set of bladed for my Mora 6" fer about $12.00 at Gander. thats worth it to me not to have to hassle with them. Just my simple thoughts.........


Melbs            

[fishboy899]

I just buy new blades.  Every time people I know have tried to sharpen blades they never work right again so I just buy new ones.

[buzzbomb]

Years ago I had an 8" hand auger that was more of an exercise machine than a tool, and when I got replacement blades, they came with sharpening instructions.  You'd take a small, handheld stone and sharpen the cutting edges with tight counterclockwise circles, moving from right to left the length of the blade.  After a few sharpenings, the angle would be diminished, and you'd insert thin shims at the rear of the blade (they were provided with the blades) to restore the original angle.  It worked, but it was nothing like a new auger.  Slices of cigarette pack or papers pack worked too.  Now that I'm careful not to go through dirt or open old holes, my 6" blades last for years!  The sharpener you pull along the blade didn't work for me.

[bigvfb]

It is all about the angle if you are off just a few degrees you will not cut through beans.  

the blades have to be sharpened on the angled side ONLY . if you touch the flat edge with the stones it will ruin the blades

[toph2o]

I saw   a machine that sharpen blades once, but it was $1000 .00. It would not pay to buy one unless you had a good buisness turn over.  I dont remember where I saw it.    I just buy new ones  and keep them on hand           toph2o

[genz_man]

I buy new ones plus keep one pair at all times in packaging just in case me or buddies needs to get thru the trip. They are not expensive enough to worry about that often.

[geeroadoutfitters]

they not only have to be at the right angle within about a degree....... but they also have to be almost PERFECTLY the same as one another. THAT is why the best results are done with a machine. and if they cost about $6.50 to send off and get sharpened..... i can get a new set of bladed for my Mora 6" fer about $12.00 at Gander. thats worth it to me not to have to hassle with them. Just my simple thoughts.........


Melbs             :'(Hey Melbs is that Gander Mtn or what??

                                                            gm

[Cargo]

A little info on myself, I have been fishing scene I was able to walk, like alot of you. Started pan fishing in Michigan and moved out west in 1975. Fished every species out west. But kinda got hooked on eye's.
I have been going to Ft. Peck Reservoir for nearly 20 years. I have caught some wonderful Fish on many of those trips, been froze out, blown off ,etc. I travel several hundred miles on less than adequate roads during the winter. On one of my early trips I planned on staying on the ice for a week. I have spent up to ten days on the ice without every leaving the ice and would travel up to 50 miles by ice. I very rarely fish one spot for two days I am always on the move.
I had not ran into this problem but if you fish enough something can go wrong it will. I was cutting holes and my auger instantly went dull I could not put enough pressure on it to get it to cut. What happened sand had blown off the shore and was froze in layers in the ice. If you have every cut through sand or dirt on ice my advice is leave, go somewhere else. On this trip I was about 7 miles from my  truck so I left all my gear, hopped on my old three wheeler that my date the trip alittle. At my truck I remembered I had an old flat file. realizing I had more time than money and was a long way from home I took my auger off my power head I held it upside down between my legs and started slowly working the point and blade, leaving the blade attached to the auger makes for a natural vise. I did not only sharpen but it was better than before. I still to this day will not go on to the ice without that file. I have been sharpening my auger that way ever scene. You might think I'm crazy try it, it's not high tech. If your going to throw those old blades away anyways you might as well experiment. Good luck, Your buddy Big Ice    
 
 

[Ottawa_fish]

I sharpen my blades myself with a small stone same way as
buzzbomb does. But for some reason it works for me only once,
second time it is usually much worse. I tried to shim them, but it
did not help. Not a big deal though. I use hand augers and blades
are not that expensive.
 
 

[billditrite]

BIG ICE, I WOULD HAVE KILLED FOR A FILE LAST SUNDAY MY BUDDYS 10" JIFFY RAN  FINE CUT REALLY BAD IM SURE I COULD HAVE REDUCED OUR CUTTING TIME AT LEAST BY HALF IF I'D HAD A FILE. WHEN I GOT HOME I WENT IN THE GARAGE GRABBED A LITTLE FILE AND DROPPED IT IN MY PACK!THAT WONT HAPPEN AGAIN.STILL WAITING FOR MY NEW AUGER BIT FOR MY 8" ESKIMO  ORDERED IT FROM MARINE GENERAL,C'MON GUYS GIMME IT   AHHH... INDEPENDENCE WILL BE SWEET

[Ice Gido]

I've picked up a few augers at garage sales because they wouldn't cut ($5 to $10) and have had no problem sharpening the blades.  I just take my time and try to keep the original angles when honing with a stone then I get rid of the burrs with a strope.  The main thing is to keep your stone flat on  the original angle.  If I screw up on the angles a bit,  I just shim the blade when I put it back on the auger.  Works like a charm.

Check out this web site: http://www.tonydean.com/equip.html?sectionid=3004

Good Luck!!