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Just checking to see if other ice fisherman have noticed if their auger blades have dulled faster than usual this year. I recently purchased a Nils hand auger, drilled 11 holes and then it quit. The Nils reps say that there is sand/debris in the ice causing it to dull quickly. I note that some other Nil's users have had the same problem this year. I'm not sure if blaming it on the ice is a valid accusation.
I used my strikemaster hand auger without a problem with it dulling. My eskimo power auger was dull to begin with. Anyone else have any opinions?
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I definitely have had a similar problem with my Eskimo 8 inch blade gas auger.
I like fishing the West side of Rockport. I have noticed that without the usual snow cover this year, the gravel pit on the West side of Rockport has stirred up quite a bit of dust that blows onto the ice with the wind. The large trucks that haul the dirt material also track much mud and dirt debris onto Highway 32. This dirt/dust also finds its way to the ice surface. The light snowfall that was present covered the ice and prevented visually seeing this dirt debris.
On my last trip up there, I had drilled about 9 holes for our fishing party. On the tenth hole my auger just quit drilling as though the blades had become unattached from the auger. I looked closely where I had been drilling and could see what appeared to be sand like material mixed in with the ice chips from the fishing hole. My thoughts are that the dirt/debris acts like sandpaper and really does a number on the razor sharp blades. BTW my Quantum blades were new at the start of the season.
Drilling with the auger close to the State Park Marina was never a problem for me.
Maybe other Rockport fishermen have similar stories?
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That is where my new Nils quit. East side of Rockport 3 good holes and the 4th was a no go. Only had 5 other holes on it from Scofield. Maybe the grit in the ice is the culprit.
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Mine seem to be holding a egde.. Ive noticed that ice will build up and not allow ice shavings to pass up and out..Acting just like dull blades.. I just rock my auger side to side while drilling.. Breaks the build up of ice.. just sayin'
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Pack it in
PACK IT OUT !
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I have no doubt that the micro-debris has an effect on blades but I'll be willing to bet my left turn signal that no one noticed it as drastically as us Nils users. [:/]
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I'll have to agree with you on that one! I spoke with Frank Deluca and he said that dull blades have been a huge business boom for him this year, usually it is a problem with chipping, damage, etc. He said that the Nils goes dull very quickly (which has been our case) rather than gradually (which has been the case with my other augers). I just wish it wasn't so fast-it didn't give me any warning, one hole was fine, the next was a no-dig!
I can understand the high likelihood of debris on the ice as mentioned by farklefish as it has been an open winter but this has been a first for me and I never noticed it before using the Nils!
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