How long does your SM Lazer blades last you?

[fisherman-andy]

As title says, how long does your Strikemaster lazer blades last you? I heard all sorts of feedbacks, forever, 2 weeks, 1 season etc. Some even go through as much as 2 or 3 sets a season?

My original set went almost 2 months and maybe 100 holes before dulling where it need some sort of minimal down pressure to drill. Used them that way for the last 3 years.

I slapped on a brand new pair last week and it drilled like dream. However it hasnt made it through 50 holes and its already skipping and not drilling without some down pressure. Again. I am certain if I slap on another new pair it will cut like a butter again but im skeptical of the wear & tear quality of the blades now.

I am well of of pitch issues and dirty ice problems. But this isnt the case here and I dont have those issues. My current blades are as sharp as it was unwrapped from the package a week ago. I use the snaps caps protective cover. But now they dont cut without minimal down pressure. Im contemplating on slapping the Eskimo drill unit on my Solo power head.

[Esox_Magnum]

When I ran the Lazer at best I got 1 season a set, some years not even a full season... My Nils gets 5 or more seasons between sharpenings....

[vman11]

I've been cutting with mine since Thanksgiving and have not missed a beat. The ice I've cut is clean - if I was fishing rivers or shallow prairie lakes the results, for any blade for that matter, might be different.

[JSK76]

I have 224 drill on my Solo Magnum. I had a set last almost 2 years and then I drilled into the bottom of the lake by accident, so of coarse there shot. Put new blades on it and used it for a 4 day LOW trip, drilled great burned little more then a tank of gas and then on one hole it just didn't want to drill anymore. So I had one set last 4 days! Had SM check the pitch and they did say is was ever so slightly off. Bought an ION and haven't even put the new blades on the SM yet.

[thatoneguy]

Going on 5 years for mine, and I don't know how many hundred (thousand?) holes. I'll probably sharpen them soon though.

[WingDing2]

10 yrs on mine does require some down pressure though. Maybe its time for a new set?

[IceHawk]

Dirty ice etc can cause blades to go dull fast. Pitch problems can also cause cutting issues. As far as blade longetivity I usally change out each yr sometimes midseason,but mind you I usally go through 4 gallons of gas a season so you can imagine how many holes cut that is!

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I'm on 3 years and thousands of holes on my original set.

[Esox_Magnum]

Are you guys with several years using lazer or chipper blades? All my friends with Lazer types never get more than a season out of theirs...My buddy is on his 2nd set for the year and those wont make the end of the year...

[IceHawk]

lazer blades here.

[vman11]

Yep, lazers for me too.

The pitch is really critical. If your auger gets bumped, dropped, or whatever it won't matter how sharp your blades are.

[choppermn27]

Love how so many people bag on lazer augers being no good.

Don't buy them if you don't like them.

I've had my lazer bit for 5 years here and am just now looking to replace the blades.

I don't drill a lot of holes when I go out so I'd say it depends on how much you use the auger.

If you drill 20 holes a day you will prob need blades twice a year I drill 30-50 a year and would say you should be able to get 1 year out of a set of blades minimum.

If you drill 20 holes a day get a chipper blade because they last forever and cut even being off pitch.

Or go Nils I guess they are worth the cost of being double of a lazer bit.

One thing I won't do is try and redrill holes with a lazer that fails and screws your pitch making your auger worthless until you bring it to D Rock to fix the pitch which is what I'm going todo when I get my blades replaced it still cuts nice but not as nice as new.

U nils fans are funny I may get one because you are so convincing there are no other options.

[DTro]

when I had a Nils I had to have it sharpened every year, 2 is the longest I went.

I know guys that dulled theirs on the first trip out.

It's a shaver type blade it can happen to ANY brand.

Keep a spare set, cutting head, etc. Don't base the life of your blade on the name brand of the auger.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

2.5 HP Solo Lazer for me. In 10 years with a chipper, I was on my 3rd set. A lot has to do with the ice you drill. 80% of my holes are up north on clean untouched ice.

[aanderud]

I am on my second year with the solo/strikemaster, and it's working fine. I imagine I'll easily finish this year and maybe even next year before I need new ones. Hard to say though -- when they go, they go fast, just like the Nils.

It's amazing how an auger like the Nils or the Lazer can cut so wonderfully one day and then won't drill through butter the next. I've experienced this with the Nils and with the lazer hand auger. When they're dull, they don't just work a little worse -- they don't work at all!

Like Dtro said -- keep a spare set, or have one withing driving distance, if you want to always guarantee you'll be drilling at the end of a weekend-long trip. Otherwise, use a chipper blade.

[wishing for walleyes]

I went 9 years on my jiffy stealth ripper blades.They were still cutting alright...just wanted to see if it would cut faster again with new blades...it does.

[harvey lee]

Year 3 for my Lazer blades and I believe I fish much more than the avergae guy.

I had to take my auger bit to StrikeMaster to have the pitch checked and he asked me why I bought a set of new blades, he said your's are still like new.

So, I have an extra set to use in 3-4 more years unless I drop the auger bit on the ground or ice at a bad angle.

[harvey lee]

Love how so many people bag on lazer augers being no good.

Don't buy them if you don't like them.

I've had my lazer bit for 5 years here and am just now looking to replace the blades.

I don't drill a lot of holes when I go out so I'd say it depends on how much you use the auger.

If you drill 20 holes a day you will prob need blades twice a year I drill 30-50 a year and would say you should be able to get 1 year out of a set of blades minimum.

If you drill 20 holes a day get a chipper blade because they last forever and cut even being off pitch.

Or go Nils I guess they are worth the cost of being double of a lazer bit.

One thing I won't do is try and redrill holes with a lazer that fails and screws your pitch making your auger worthless until you bring it to D Rock to fix the pitch which is what I'm going todo when I get my blades replaced it still cuts nice but not as nice as new.

U nils fans are funny I may get one because you are so convincing there are no other options.

On average I drill 20-30 holes in one outing at a minimum. I am sure I fish more than the average cat per week and after 3 years, still sharp blades and on the original set.

If someone went throught 2 sets of blades a year, you must be kinda tough of the blades as the Lazer blades for me, have been the best I have ever owned.

NO, I am not a pro staff for StrikeMaster, just a very happy customer.

My Nils, great auger but about 1.5 years per cutting head if I stayed off Upper Red with the sandy ice.

My Lazer is just as good as my Nils as far as performance and starting. Both are great augers if one takes care of them.

[Eric_Kruger]

i drill 70-80 holes a trip and still have the original SM composite bit with original blades.. They are the same lazer type just a different mounting set up. I think the reason mine have lasted so long is because they are protected y the round housing on the synthetic bit. I have friends that try my auger and go out to buy new blades for their lazer bits....seems like none of them get two seasons out of blades

[live4chrome]

I drill up to 100 holes a day. Usually get about a season out of them

[broman]

Mine were fine until I went to Red Lake. Now they're dull. 3 seasons.

[fisherman-andy]

I dont know how some of you can claim 5 to 10 years let alone the single season without dulling the blades. I just dont see it plausible. If they dont cut without you having to use any sort of down pressure there consider dull to me.

I drill about 20-60 holes on a single outing and may get out only once if lucky twice a week unless on a planned trip.

So when I said earlier that I may try the Eskimo drill on the Solo powerhead I wasnt kidding..

I had the Eskimo Quantum 8" auger drill laying around and decided to put my Solo head on it. It fits but apparently the head does not seat deep enough to bolt it through the opposite end without having to drill out a larger diameter hole on the Eskimo drill bit.

So I picked up my old unused quick connect adapter which is long enough to seat into the Eskimo drill bit and allow me to either bolt it our put the hitch pin through. I then can connect and mount the Strikemaster solo powerhead.

Quick notes:

- Quick Connect adapter adds 2 lbs weight and extra 4"-5" height.

- Both Strikemaster 8" drill and Eskimo 8" drill weigh the same 11 lbs

- Total weight with adapter, drill assembly, powerhead: 28 lbs.

Hopefully I cant take it out for a spin and compare drilling speeds between the Strikemaster drill (if it will cut without pressure) and the Eskimo drill.

And the results:

[magicstix]

I probably drill the most holes out of anyone I know, this is what I get.

2-4yrs on 8" lazer, i forget how many estimated holes, a lot though. I also usually fish non-motorized lakes and when I do fish vehicle traveled lakes I try not to drill into tracks or sand, sometimes its unaviodable/accidental buried under snow. Lucky my blades have never junked out just didn't make nice chips.

6" lazer 4-5yrs, easily 600+ holes. Mostly panfish lakes. Again blades still drilled fine but didn't make nice chips.

Nils 8"- 2yrs. Still a lot of holes though. But again mostly bigger species fish lakes, vehicle traveled. Again just didn't make good chips.

Andy you should like that Quantum blade a lot. Good choice. That was the best part of the eskimos I owned, just had bad luck with the rest of the auger/gearbox.

Also have never had to put down pressure on blades.

[Eric_Kruger]

I can honestly say with mine I dont need any down pressure. I can hold the handle with one hand, and rest the other on my stomach and it pulls down through the ice. and it weighs under 20 lbs with the solo 2.5 head and strike lite bit.

[harvey lee]

Andy, I was very suprised when the tech at StrikeMaster told me my blades were like new after 3 years of use. I had ordered new blades online as I thought I was going to need them soon. He said, they are as good as the new ones you purchased.

So, after 3 years, I will keep cutting with the original blades until they are dull.

Yes, my auger still pulls through the ice without me using any downforce.

Amazing yes, but true.