It doesn’t have to be chipped or broken for you to realize that it is blunt! Do you remember that every day you went out for ice fishing and noticed that your ice auger is making you take longer to get through the ice?
Well, that should have ringed an alarm in your mind. Your ice auger blades are getting blunt and dull and you need to do something about it.
You are wondering: why do I have to sharpen them anyway?
It’s simple, just like any other tool, these blades need to be maintained for them to function efficiently as they did on the very first day you purchased them. We are going to guide you on how to sharpen ice auger blades to help you have enjoyable fishing moments on the ice. Ready?
Even Before You Get Started!
When breaking down the auger to remove the blades ensure you do it slowly and carefully to avoid losing some of the parts that are later used to reassemble it.
Take a keen look. Before you even sharpen them, carefully inspect the side of the blades that need to be sharpened. When doing the entire sharpening process choose a spot where there is enough light to make it perfect!
It’s not always that the blades are blunt! There are other great issues like broken or chipped edges that sharpening may not be the solution. You will probably have to purchase others.
You are aware that you are dealing with metallic items, right? We are just giving a simple warning for this; ensure you wrap the blades with a piece of cloth to prevent the edges from hitting each other when moving them.
Have some gloves on. You can even use your ice fishing gloves for this. The idea is to prevent you from the cuts that may occur when you handling the edges of the blades.
You are ready now, right? Let’s get going!
Step By Step Guide
There are always several ways to do something and how to sharpen ice auger blades is no exception! We are equipping you with two plans; an A and B. Let’s go!
First Method
Ever gone out there and your blades just got blunt even before you managed to drill the hole on the ice? This probably forced you to go home without any fish just because your fish auger blades failed you.
Below is exactly what you could have done on that particular day and your activity could have been just as you had planned. You will need to have with you: three stones, a fine honing stone, a rag, and a course at hand.
You are obviously not sharpening the blades when the ice auger is still intact. So the obvious happens! Tear your ice auger down and examine the condition of the blades and choose the ones that need to be sharpened.
Begin by rubbing the chips, dents, or dings from the canted edge of the blades. This is a simple but important step before we get started!
Grab a course stone and place the blade in its flat position. With the cutting edge facing you, grind the blade upwards until you feel the canted edge.
Rub the blade on a stone that is not too rough and not too smooth at the same position as in step three. Do this continuously until the blade is fully polished.
Grind the blade on a honing stone just like on the previous two steps until it is fully polished and fine.
This step is just a continuation of the previous step. You will be needed to continue honing the blades on the honing stone but at a different angle of between 3 degrees and forty degrees.
Wipe your blade and the result should be a well-shaped and thread width kind of an edge – just what you need for the day!
After sharpening all the blades, reassemble them into the ice auger to make it ready for use.
Second Method
Investing in a file will not be too hard for you, right? It is actually better than having to pay for your blades to be sharpened now and then. This method is commonly known as the foolproof hand auger sharpening method.
Place the file in a flat position to cover the cutting edge in a way that the file goes onto the surface of the blade. In this position, start making slow movements then faster, and slowly the surface will start forming.
Hold the file with one hand and file the blade in an upward motion with the other hand. Most metals are made in a way that they only work in one direction, so this should always make you aware that you should only stroke the edge in a forward motion. After several strokes of this, the cutting edge will be flat and equal.
At this stage just make the final touches to make sure you bring out the best of your blades. Make a few rolls on the straight edge that has already been acquired to make it even more perfect.
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Dos And Don’ts For Your Blades
Don’t force it! In case your blades get blunt when you are out there don’t try lifting your auger and banging it on the ice for it to work. This will actually end up damaging the blades and you will have to get a replacement because the damage will be beyond sharpening.
- When ice auger blades get dull and can’t function again forcing them to drill through the ice will just make it even worse. Save yourself from too much hassle by making sure you have a spare pair of sharp blades with you.
- Ice may build up on your blades and paralyze the whole activity. You can avoid this by simply spraying silicone on your blades and auger. This will prevent the ice from accumulating on them.
- Don’t overdo it! You may think over-sharpening your blades will save you from having to do it so often? You are wrong! In actual fact, you are ruining your auger! It just makes your blades to wear out very fast.
Globo Surf Overview
The worst feeling ever will be going out there very ready with your fishing reel and rod and end up spending the better part of the ice fishing trip trying to dig through an ice block. Well, we are sure every angler can tell how bad this is!
Well sharpened and maintained ice auger blades will give you more confidence while out there and make your work easier. The secret behind sharpening ice auger blades is retaining the factory shape of the edges, simple!
If you have been wondering how to sharpen ice auger blades, you can see the process is easy peasy and you don’t need to be a pro to do it. Every angler has a story to tell; same thing but a different experience every time. The above tips for sharpening ice auger blades will just ensure that your auger will always fall on the positive side of your tales!