Rapala buys Strikemaster

[fisherman-andy]

I havent seen a Tanaka power equipment needing service so as long as one has performed preventative maintenance. However im not saying one wont have issues with the brand. Maybe because the brand itself is few and far in between known on here. And since most of us on here dont even own a Tanaka powered Nils auger, left alone even use one before I would refrain from put downs. All the people i've met or noticed have mentioned to have the opportunity to own a Nils have been very happy campers.

I urge anyone who ever has had an issue with their Tanaka powerhead to give constructive feedback on this thread. It be nice to see how equipment and service quality stands with such a product. As about the only maintenance issues i've seen so far has been the Nils auger bit itself and not the powerhead. There is no short of quality professional grade parts in Tanaka equipment.

On the mention of Tanaka, one should know that what once known as Nikko Tanaka Engineering USA has been long absorbed by Hitachi Koki of USA. So all customer service and inquiry are handle by Hitachi. However the branding of Tanaka is very much alive. Most Tanaka equipement have a warranty of up to 5 years.

Im a SM Solo Lazer Pro owner and have been very happy with it. I wouldn't hesistate one moment to pickup a Tanaka powerhead on a Nils bit if I had the dough. At 21lbs its the lightest power ice auger on the market and fast too. And the only one that can be converted to a hand auger also. You cant even find a used Nils powered Tanaka auger for under $350 no matter how old. Goes to show you how good its holds its value and durability.

It amuses me on hearing how quickly some of you are willing to jump ship from SM just because they were bought out by Rapala. Just because you see a person who's is going to jump off a bridge doesnt mean you should blindly go right along and jump with them. Why?

[pulleye16]

i'm 0/2 with SM augers and hope Rapala can make a better product!

Why's their CS so good? what company doesn't take care of their products during the warranty period? SM did nothing for both my augers when is was out of the warranty period (by a couple months) so how are they better then anyone else? I've never had a company NOT fix a problem when it was still covered!

SM needs WAY WAY WAY better QC as I've never heard of so many problems with one auger company yet the only reason we like them is cause their from MN...and that doesn't fly with me.

I'll take QAULITY over where it's made any day!

[toughguy]

Their customer service was excellent. A few years ago I had one of the old 3 blade augers that would go through blades very quickly. It was a few years old already at that point and I had got it used from a pawn shop. I called their shop to see what they could do about the blades. They said to come on up and they'll let me have my choice of a new lower unit. They gave me a tour, a bag of swag, and I left with a brand new s blade 9" drill. I've been sold on SM ever since.

They've stopped selling the 9" blades in the stores. I hope they continue to sell them online with Rapala.

[brian6715]

Yeah pulleye16 I do not know what you are talking about... I brought my auger in there to try and fix the problem of it locking up as it breaks through the last inch of ice. Not only was my problem fixed in minutes, I walked out with a new set of blades and a 12 inch extension, all free! They didn't even ask me how old the auger was. They had the BEST customer service I have ever seen

[LightningBG]

The best customer service is the one you never need to use.

[IamZombie]

The best customer service is the one you never need to use.

This.

[pulleye16]

The best customer service is the one you never need to use.

x 2

I just read 6 pages of rants about how people are upset that they won't have somewhere to go to fix/service their auger...Maybe we should be buying ones that last!

p.s. This is coming from someone who currently has two SM in the garage! both less then 4 years old and have had 3 handles replaced (one for free),two recoils broke, and one had to be professionally service cause it won't start in 50 pulls!

[Esox_Magnum]

We have a Tanaka motor at work that almost 30 years old, gets used 4-5 times a year, never gets winterized just keep gas in it...As far as I know nothings ever been touched on it, in fact may still have the original spark plug... Thing starts and runs like a dream....I can't say the same for any other 2 stroke we have around the shop....Our 2 year old gass cut off saws been in the shop 3-4 times already and it's a $1500 Stil....The Eskimo post hole auger might run if your lucky on a good day....

[CaptainMusky]

You guys are hilarious. There is no way any engine will run sitting that long with gas in it. Sorry not going to buy it. The Carb will be so gummed up and jets or ports get plugged regardless of who made it. If it makes you feel better thinking that nothing is touched OK. Good for you. Gas breaks down in days not years.

[Esox_Magnum]

What gas is left in my Tanaka now, roughly 1/3 of a tank will still be in it and finished out next December....Been doing this to all my 2 strokes for 20 odd years without a problem....My snowblower still runs on gas from 2 years ago and fires right up and purrrrrs like a kitten...Boat fired right up with gas from last November....

[BryeGuy]

I have a weird feeling you own an Eskimo.....Jiffy maybe?

[CaptainMusky]

4 stroke I can buy it. Not on a 2 stroke. Sorry done this for long enough to know better.

[bowtie]

come on. are people that ignorant? A thread about SM and somebody starts blatting about a different brand auger. Start a new thread to brag about your auger.

[Feathers Rainin]

Hopefully the lures don't start performing like SM augers.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Hopefully the lures don't start performing like SM augers.

Nonsense.

[joneshat11]

Now I don't know if any of these accusations I'm about to say are true but they are my best guess of what truly happened here.

Strikemaster did not actually build any parts of their auger. Basically, they obtained the rights to sell Mora (Sweden Company) drill units and Blades here in the US. They also now obtained to sell Solo (German) power heads to which they attached the units together to create a power auger.

Normark (Rapala) owns these rights to sell Mora everywhere else other than the US. Therefore if you go to the Rapala Canada HSOforum you'll see they already sell Mora augers.

So basically my best guess is that all Strikemaster did was sell the rights to sell Mora in the US to Rapala. Now Rapala has full control to sell Mora worldwide. As for customer service, who really cares because any small engine workshop can fix your auger.

[buzbunni]

What gas is left in my Tanaka now, roughly 1/3 of a tank will still be in it and finished out next December....Been doing this to all my 2 strokes for 20 odd years without a problem....My snowblower still runs on gas from 2 years ago and fires right up and purrrrrs like a kitten...Boat fired right up with gas from last November....

+1

Do the same with my auger, lawnmower, snowblower, and boat as well. All 2-stroke.

Never have a problem.

I do use Seafoam in the gas however.

[Boar]

You guys using aviation gas? or you treating it, seafoam, stabil. I just recently got my 82 susuky MC back from my maechanic, gave me some tips, said, seafoam NOT stabil(that would personal experience)But to fill the tank full, condensation will acurre on the sides of the tank, quickly breaking down the gas. I can see if items are properly stored, but I to have encounterd problems with carbs gumming. Plus these smaller engins these days do not have the high internal compression as older engins of the same make.Im not a mechanic but its just info Ive gatherd from mechanics with years of experience. Dont really know what to believe but what works for me.

[Boar]

You guys using aviation gas? or you treating it, seafoam, stabil. I just recently got my 82 susuky MC back from my maechanic, gave me some tips, said, seafoam NOT stabil(that would personal experience)But to fill the tank full, condensation will acurre on the sides of the tank, quickly breaking down the gas. I can see if items are properly stored, but I to have encounterd problems with carbs gumming. Plus these smaller engins these days do not have the high internal compression as older engins of the same make.Im not a mechanic but its just info Ive gatherd from mechanics with years of experience. Dont really know what to believe but what works for me.

[Boar]

sorry for the DP

[fsnrod]

As far as warranty or service work on your strikemaster auger D-Rock in New Brighton is still going to be doing all the work. I talked to them last week.

[ClownColor]

Hopefully the lures don't start performing like SM augers.

I heard that they will now be making their hooks out of a plastic (ooops sorry), a "composite" material that is "stronger" then the once proven metal hooks! LOL

[fsnrod]

They never had metal hooks on them that were any good anyway maybe plastic hooks would be an improvement.

[ozzie]

I did find out through Tim at H2O in Big Lake right next to the Strikemaster shop will be working on augers and they will be doing all Strikemaster warranty work also. Tim is a good guy that will take care of his customers.

[Majestic]

I wouldn't hesistate one moment to pickup a Tanaka powerhead on a Nils bit if I had the dough. At 21lbs its the lightest power ice auger on the market and fast too. And the only one that can be converted to a hand auger also. You cant even find a used Nils powered Tanaka auger for under $350 no matter how old. Goes to show you how good its holds its value and durability.

The Nils are super reliable, fast and quiet, when ran with synthetics they don't even smoke. I just seen one recently posted in the classifieds here on this site with some other goodies.

I've owned both SM and Nils. They both are awesome augers, both of them have their advantages and disadvantages.

Hard to say what's about to happen though with SM.