If you’re an avid ice fisherman, you know the importance of having a sharp auger blade. It makes drilling through thick ice easier and faster, meaning more time for fishing! If your blade has become dull, there are several ways to sharpen it up to its former glory.
Read on to learn how to sharpen ice auger blades quickly and easily.
Sharpening Tools Needed
The first step in sharpening an ice auger is gathering the necessary tools. You will need either a file or a bench grinder, depending on how much sharpening needs to be done.
The most important thing is that you use the right file or grinder for your blade’s specific material; for instance, if your blade is made of carbon steel, don’t use a diamond-tipped file or grinder on it. A set of safety glasses and gloves are also recommended while sharpening.
How to Sharpen Your Ice Auger Blade
Once you have all the necessary tools, lay out some newspaper or cardboard so that any metal shavings can be collected easily.
Place your blade onto the paper and start sharpening with either your file or grinder – whichever one you chose – in long strokes away from the edge of the blade itself. Remember to keep your strokes even so that all parts of the edge are sharpened evenly!
If using a file, make sure it remains perpendicular to the blade at all times as well as keep pressure on it throughout each stroke; this ensures that all angles of the edge remain uniform when finished.
When finished with one side, switch over to the other side and repeat until both sides are sharpened evenly.
Regular Maintenance
It is important to note that blades should be regularly maintained in order for them to stay sharp for longer periods of time; this means removing rust from them after each fishing trip and occasionally oiling them down with WD40-type oil before storing them away in a dry place between trips.
Regular maintenance will help prevent corrosion and rust buildup which can damage blades if left unchecked over long periods of time.
Conclusion
With proper care and maintenance, keeping your ice auger blades sharp doesn’t have to be difficult!
All it takes is choosing the right tools for your blade’s material type and following our steps listed above – soon enough you’ll have an ice auger that drills through thick ice like butter!
Whether you’re an experienced angler or just beginning your journey into fishing, we hope these tips help make things easier during those cold winter months! Happy fishing!
