# Hand Ice Augar



## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I have an 8" Eskimo hand auger with new blades last year.
It doesn't cut the ice as good as I think that it should.
I use it when the ice is under 6" thick and I use the power auger after 6" of ice.

What is the best, quickest, easiest hand auger?
Do you like an 8" or smaller hand auger?


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## REPETER (Oct 3, 2007)

There is no question in my mind...http://www.nilsmaster.com/

After much debate last year I ordered one of those 8" in from Cabela's---it is SWEET!
Burns through holes. I was hand drilling through the 18+ inches at Electric and Strawberry last year. Is it a gas auger? NO! but I never worry about it starting, gas mixing, and it's about $200 less  Plus, if you wanted you can convert it to a gas powered auger easily, and still have the handle in case the gas motor is causing grief!

Highly recommended+++


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

or a hand auger, stick with the 6".
Math will tell you why.
Pi = 3.141 and Pi x Radius squared equals the area of a circle.
So a 6" auger has a radius of 3 squared. 3x3=9, 9x3.141= 28.26 square inches of ice is being cut.
A 8" auger has a radius of 4 squared. 4x4=16, 16x 3.141= 50.25 square inches of ice being cut.
It is a huge difference, 40% more ice being cut with a 8" auger.

Some of you may have seen the adapters that allow you to use your battery drill to spin your auger, let me tell you they work. My 18 volt Dewalt can cut about a 20 holes in 12" of ice per battery. The most important thing with this type of set-up is the auger protector plate. It prevents the auger from going down the hole if it comes out of the drill chuck. I use a 8" diameter round plate to keep my 6" auger from going down the hole.


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## wayner33 (Dec 11, 2007)

Read the reviews on this.
javascriptopWindow('/cabelas/en/templates/product/readonly-item.jsp?id=114491&itemTemplate=products-found&cmCat=EOF',%20'readonly')


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## fishnate (Sep 11, 2007)

I've got an 8" lazer hand auger and it works great, a lot better than my old Mora drill. I must say that the 6" would be much easier for the lone angler but I almost always have my son with me and we work the auger together and we can go through 20" of ice in short order. If I'm alone I can go through 8 to 10" without wearing myself out too bad. I've used it plenty over three seasons and haven't needed to change the blades yet.


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## BerryNut (Dec 29, 2008)

I like this thread, last year I bought an eskimo hand one and it was ok the first time we took it out, it has the beveled blades that "make it easy" to drill the ice. Well we went to fish lake after using the auger twice and it was all we could do to get 8 holes drilled,( with 4 of us taking turns) then we noticed a guy with his family drilling like 4 holes to our 1 and he looked like he was barely turing the thing. I need to know what he had cause i will go buy that one this year.


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

I have one of these. You will be impressed. I can feel when the blades need a swipe of two, then I can feel the difference.
http://www.fishusa.com/StrikeMaster-Laz ... e=googleps


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Can you buy better blades for an Eskimo?
There should be some place that you could get replacement blades like Lazers, that fit an Eskimo.


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## REPETER (Oct 3, 2007)

Grandpa D said:


> Can you buy better blades for an Eskimo?
> There should be some place that you could get replacement blades like Lazers, that fit an Eskimo.


Not even worth it IMO...seriously, let's go out sometime and you can check out my nils


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## Pez Gallo (Dec 27, 2007)

When I used to work at SW, we would get a lot of hand augers back for one of three main reasons-

the blades were dull from use or from people trying to sharpen them 

the blades were bent from people letting the auger bang on the ice/ground etc

or they said the auger wouldn't work when it was their out of shape body that was the issue


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## mrdanner (Sep 21, 2009)

I like to use hand augers for several reason 
1 weight
2 do not have to carry gas
3 they are quit
4 they always start if you protect the blades from abuse
I have been using a 6" auger and always keep a spair set of blades with me.
i have found the a place called fish teck sells refurbush baldes for about half price.


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

I always carry spare blades too. They are really not that expensive and you would be suprised at how easily they can be dulled.

As was mentioned before, never bang the ice surface with the blades. Treat them with care and respect. One of my biggest fears with ice fishing is that I cut myself with my auger. I sliced the toe of a pair of sorels once when a "dull" auger slipped getting the hole started. Scared my to death how easily the blade cut theat boot wide open, barely missing my toe.
The other thing is to look where you plan to drill. If it is near an old hole be extra careful that there is no debris under where you'll be drilling.
I hit a dirt spot once where a persons boot had dirt on it that came off and was covered by snow and ice, I felt the blade stop cutting. Instantly. When I cleaned out the hole I could see the dirt in the ice. Like running it over a flat stone. Several swipes with my sharpener I mentioned above fixed it. Wood chips can also dull the blade, but not as fast.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Thanks for all the responses.
I think that I will just buy a new set of blades for the Eskimo for now.
It does a good enough job on ice that's under 8" thick.

Funny that all augers aren't built equal.


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