chipper blades or lazer blades ?

[793bob]

which of the two are more durably have the lazer pro but i find the blades are going dull fast.thinking about getting a shaft with the chipper blade.does the chipper cut fairly quick as well and is it easier to sharpen

[quijibo]

I was just thinking the same question. I need to get a new drill unit and a local guide recommended a chipper blade. His reasoning was that you can still drill holes with a dull chipper blade, your going back home with a dull lazer blade. He figured that out after hitting a pocket of goose [PoorWordUsage] on a guided trip.

Adam

[websdown]

I have a 20+ year old Strike Master that had the chipper blade. One of the first years that you could by the new shaft with the Lazer blades on i got one. That was aleast 5 years ago or more and i have not bought new blades yet.And it still out cuts my brothers with a brand new chipper blade he bought last week.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

If you want low maintenance blades definately get chipper blades. Id never get shaver blades. I laugh when I see people leaning on their auger, spending minutes to drill one hole. Ive also expierenced it once but I was doing more swearing than laughing then.

[hamms-scooter]

I have both and currently have the 8 1/4" chipper on my strikemaster now. The lazer I have is starting to get dull enough that it will not be going out with me until new blades are on.Yeah it will drill 3-1 to my chipper but it is also a 6" .I sharpened my chipper yesterday and will be goin out tomorrow. It is simple yet still headed to the lake to drill! I drill and move alot so The lazer would be nice but the chipper is quicker now!!

[Dozer]

which of the two are more durably have the lazer pro but i find the blades are going dull fast.thinking about getting a shaft with the chipper blade.does the chipper cut fairly quick as well and is it easier to sharpen

Depending where you are at I will trade you my 8" chipper for your 8" Lazer. Mine is sharp as they come an cuts as good as a chipper can!

[hamms-scooter]

Lazers are so spendy to replace. Got a 6" to help with that but it is not the case...

[Hawg]

I debated the same thing for two years and bought a chipper this year for my Strikemaster. I love it. I know guys like some on here that get years out of the lazer blades but they must get lucky on the blade pitch or something. I was going thru a couple sets a year. Besides that when they are dull you're screwed, they don't cut-period. I'm very happy I got the chipper. I'm a permanant house person so I reopen holes alot.

[Eric Wettschreck]

My experience.........

On brand new equipment a shaver will drill a hole a wee bit quicker than a chipper will. However, after a month nothings brand new anymore and many augers out there, mine included, are well over 10 years old.

Shavers dull much quicker than chippers. Chippers will re-open a frozen hole in a perm shack much better than a shaver.

Chippers will drill holes much better when dull.

If I were thinking aboot what I would do.......I'd go chipper all the way, but this is just me.

[Beast26]

Agree, with most. Chipper is the way to go in my opinion. I have the lazer mag but replaced the auger portion with the chipper blade five years ago after having issues with the blades being dull after a month. The Lazer dulls easily, expensive to replace and hard to sharpen. To me it's a pretty easy choice. Also, there is a reason the 8.25 Strikemaster is the best selling Auger on the market. If you are buying a hand auger I would go with the lazer. The hand auger is the only lazer I have not had problems with.....but mines only a 5" that I use for panfish late and early in the season. Cuts like a knife through butter and never replaced or sharpened the bladed in 8 years.

[Ed Carlson]

I also agree...and it is also easy to sharpen the chipper blades yourself, so that greatly reduces cost and lost time.

[Chode2235]

I dunno. I see those guys leaning all the way over their augers with a chipper blade.

Buddy of mine has a Juffy chipper, and we were drillng a bunch of holes (~15) for a big get together. Needless to say my lazer drilled all the holes except the two he managed to get done.

I dont like my lazer for re-opening holes as much, but for most other ice fishing applications it is hands down the winner for me.

Do you want speed or durability? Thats the primary question you need to ask yourself.

[Jesse Drummer]

I have both and needless to say the lazer stays home all the time! Lazers can be trickey reopening holes and they always buck real bad at the last little bit, some might say they have bent the shaft reopening holes with a lazer and i believe it. I put a new chipper blade on my 200 at the start of this year and still cuts as well now as it did in early december.

Chipper all the way!

If you can get a lazer power head (for speed) with a chipper bit you are set!

[websdown]

Don,t know what to say reopened 4 holes in a friends house today because his buddy was coming out but would be late. No problem getting down or at the bottom of hole. I offered because i have never had a problem opening old holes before with the lazer. I think it makes a big differance on the amount of downward pressure when you think you are close to the bottom.

[hamms-scooter]

I have both and needless to say the lazer stays home all the time! Lazers can be trickey reopening holes and they always buck real bad at the last little bit, some might say they have bent the shaft reopening holes with a lazer and i believe it. I put a new chipper blade on my 200 at the start of this year and still cuts as well now as it did in early december.

Chipper all the way!

If you can get a lazer power head (for speed) with a chipper bit you are set!

How are the power heads any different? The old style tecumseh powerheads were the same. gear ratios are same. Do you mean with the newer solo with different sized motors on lazers?

[hamms-scooter]

I tried my mag chipper today after the fresh file job and it's like new again! Drilled really well!

[New2TheFly]

How are you guys sharpening your chipper blades? Are you using a special file or do you just go at it?

[Ed Carlson]

First off....never use a grinder...it will ruin the temper of the steel making it soft and it will dull quickly from that point on, and it removes too much steel from the blade in an unpredictable manner.

A good 6" or 8" fine grain file will do well on both cutting edges, and is the easiest method to use on the center point.

This is my favorite method to sharpen the main chipper blade.

I find a good easy goof-proof method for the main chipper blade is use 200 grit adhesive grinder pad paper and stick it on a good flat true surface, like a bench. Good and flat is key.

First thing...Blacken out the working edge of the blade with a wide permanent marker, on both sides. Hang in there...I promise this will make more scents in a minute.

Now remove the blade, and be-bur the bottom of the blade first by laying it flat on the sandpaper and being sure to keep the angle true, now make circular rotations to mill out the burr..this usually doesn't take much. Once you see shinny surface across the entire blade..it's done and true.

Next step is Flip the blade to the top working edge, this is surface the one that gets the most wear. Same process, keep the angle true and make circular rotations tell the blackened surface is shinny clear across nice and even..and again...it's good as new.

Center point is key and often neglected the worst of all. A few passed with the file also being sure to keep the angle true, starting from the wide top end off down to the point...count the pass's...do the same on the other side. If you do notice a rolled edge on either side wipe it off with a pass before you start the narrow edged passes.

Simple and easy, works much like a mill job, but anyone can do it with very cheap tools/materials and a good eye to keep the cutting edge angle true.

Hope this helps.

[hamms-scooter]

Good idea with the sand paper... will it keep an edge quite a while doing it this way?

[harvey lee]

Sounds like I will just send my blades to you Ed for a touch up every couple months.

[169Sportsman]

I wouldnt trade my lazer for a chipper unless I was useing it to fish the river or somewhere where you may drill through debris in the ice. I just used a brand new chipper and that thing pulled WAY harder than my old Lazer. I am not a real big guy and i like to drill a lot so the lazer takes my vote. I do replace the blades yearly with brand new ones. And the hand sharpener that Strikemaster sells will give you enough of an edge to get some holes drilled in a pinch.

[stick]

I have a 10" laser and wouldn't trade it for anything. I drill hundreds of holes each year and I have been running the same blades for 5+ years. I always have the blades covered when the auger isn't in use. I have had people actually come over and ask me what I'm using since it cuts so well. My fishing buddy also just got a chipper, and after 2 outings watching me he went out and got the laser. I NEVER put weight on the auger. In fact, the right hand runs the throttle, and my left arm simply wedges between my body and the handle from the rotation of the unit. No downward pressure at all.

I broke a blade due to me being a knucklehead a number of years ago, so I carry a spare, but haven't put them on like I said...in over 5 years.

[hamms-scooter]

When they are sharp they are fast and hard to beat! My bro inlaws 8" lazer is that way right now no pressure and fast as can be!

[wbliceman]

Lazer unless your looking to re open hole.. but then the lazer can still do it. so LAZER!!

[793bob]

i just purchased a new shaft with the chipper blade and am impressed how quick it cuts.hopefully the blades will stay sharper longer.