Strikemaster or Jiffy ?

[Dutch_157]

I need some help here fellas. I am thinking about getting a new iceauger. I narrowed my choices down to an 8 inch strikmaster Lazer or a jiffy Stealth.So which one would you choose? Thanks for the help.

[Deitz Dittrich]

The strikemaster will get threw the ice quicker, do to its shaver blades.. The Jiffy will not need to have the blades shapened all the time becuase its a chipper blade.

I went with the jiffy myself.. because i wanted to save on shapening all the time... I'm sure which ever decision you go with you will be happy!.. they both make very good augers!

enjoy!

[jlm]

Oh boy, here we go! Ford or Chevy LOL. You can't go wrong with either auger or some of the others that you did not mention. I prefer SM because of the great service I have ahd from them. Never owned a Jiffy but they get the job done as well. I would just go out and look for a good deal! Good luck!

[cliffy]

Your going to be happy with either one. This is sorta like the Ford V. Chevy debate.

I have the 10inch Strikemaster and I love it. I have been using it for about three years...punch a lot of holes per season and the blades are still pretty sharp. I fish with a lot of guys that use Jiffy and they seem to do a pretty good job as well. The only reason I went with Strikemaster was to save a little wieght in the portable. Just my 2 cents.

[gspman]

Just get one. They're both good.

[Ole #1]

I've never used a strikemaster, but I do own a Jiffy. My dad has a Jiffy that he's had for 11 years or so, still runs good.

I haven't had any problems with mine in the last 2 seasons, it's a 3 HP 10inch. I think the price was a little better than the comparable strikemaster.

Ole

[jltimm]

A vote for the Strikemaster Laser!Starts right up,no loooong warm up time,not very loud,and does not throw ice up to your knees!

[18 inch Crappie]

Dutch_157, I have run both and just stick to a 2hp 8" or 9" the 3hp take a long time to warm up. Drop me an email I might have something for you [email protected]

[hanson]

I've got a question for you Jiffy guys!

QUESTION- How much effort does it take you to auger a hole?

The last Jiffy I used was a 8" Model 30. It was a 3hp with a single chipper blade. Even when sharp, it took a lot of effort to cut with.

I know with all the improvements in auger design, this is probably a thing of the past but I do know that it doesn't require any effort on my part to cut a hole with my Strikemaster Lazer. I just hold the auger, apply the throttle, and it just pulls itself down through the ice.

[MRWALLEYE2005]

Model 30 is the cheapest and is lightweight. The Stealth is the fastest Jiffy and easiest. 2hp is plenty and the Jiffy Stealth 2hp is lightweight like the strikemaster. Jiffys are longer lasting and you get what you pay for.

[f1sh1nfool]

my 2 horse jiffy pretty much pulls itself through the ice. the only major effort you need is to hold on and keep it from twisting in the hole. last year was my first season with it. i can say that the improvements with adding the de-icer armor are a big help with decreasing freeze ups. its a little heavier than a strike master but i got a good deal on it. oh, i should add that it is a 9 inch auger.

[Ole #1]

There's a big difference in 6 inches of ice and 2 or 3 ft.

I have a 3 hp 10 inch Jiffy(and for 2 or 3 ft of ice, I'm glad I have 3hp) and it works great. I don't think it takes a lot of effort and it punches a hole pretty fast. I have d'icer armor and that keeps ice from buildig up on the blade.

Don't all carbed engines need to warm up a little?

[Deitz Dittrich]

hanson-I have not had that problem. I have heard that if you have the blades at the wrong angle that they can be difficult as well... I dont get threw the ice as fast as a SM, but I have only shapened my blades 1 time since I bought it 4 years ago...

[augernaut]

First time I've ever heard a model 30 called lightweight! LOL!

Honestly, ice thickness has no meaning. The 2hp augers - no matter which brand you choose, will handle thick ice with no problems whatsoever. I don't see any advantages to a 3hp over a 2hp at all. here in N. Wisconsin, a normal winter is about 30" of ice or so, my SM lazermag 8" still screams through that ice depth without a hiccup.

[Ole #1]

If you have an 8 inch blade 2 hp would be fine, but if you have a 10 inch, the extra 1hp does make a difference.

[paperlipz]

If you are fishing from a permanent shelter, I go Jiffy for the blades. (Standard Lazer mag blades do not re-drill holes well at all) If you are a portable fisherman, The Lazer Mag is lighter.

[Pete Riola]

A guy should consider a Nils Master too. I just got mine and I'm looking forward to using it. These augers are fast and they convert to a hand auger in a breeze. Here's what they say on www.nilsmaster.com.

Nils Master has taken the finest power head available on the market today and merged it with undoubtedly the finest auger blade ever designed "to form a more perfect union". This auger system combines a very quick, powerful, very reliable engine and an auger with a blade head made of chromium stainless steel. This blade has no bolts to interfere with the cutting head, is very resistant to rusting and is almost self-sharpening. This blade head and design is the most widely-used in Europe and is used by most of their national ice teams. But it doesn't end there. This revolutionary drill is also dual purpose. If the need for a manual drill arises, the Nils Master power auger quickly converts into a hand auger. In the case of thinner ice or when a silent presentation is preferred, attach the hand crank and in a matter of seconds you have a hand auger. Fabulous! Ice fishermen all over North American will soon agree that the Nils Master is the finest ice auger on the market today.

[jltimm]

Also if you decided to go to a Nils,be prepared to spend another $100-150 more!The Nils also has a 1.3HP motor and is 2lbs. lighter than a Strikemaster 2H.P.I talked at both of thedealers at the show and also found out that the new Strikemaster has a decompression release(for anyone that has a hard time pulling a 2 HP engine over)and a new muffler design,which is quieter and supposedly makes 1/3 HP more than the old style by creating more backpressure.I asked the Nil's guy if they brought the Nil's to the auger competition that Strikemaster has every year and he said they did and got beat by a second,not that the difference in speed between the two really matter.

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JT

[husker95]

Hey Dutch, I have owned both and I prefer my strikemaster! Although I really liked my jiffy the srikemaster just seems like it drills better. If you have a permanant house and need to drill out old holes the strikemaster cuts right through where the jiffy was kind of hard to hold on to when you get towards the bottom of the hole. One thing I would strongly recomend, what ever kind of auger you buy, is to try useing ams oil pre mix oil. You get half the smoke, little to no carb build-up, idles very smooth, just a all around great product for ice augers, and all other 2 cycle motors. A may be a little more spendy, but, you use so much less oil. Ams oil recomends mixing 100:1, no matter what your engine recommends, and they stand behind their product. My auger is a 24:1, I was a little leary at first about this lean of a mix, but after 2 years of heavy use I have switched everything 2-cycle I own over to ams oil! Good luck fishing!

[Raven]

I have had both also. Had problems with the sm and e-mailed their company. They suggested that the auger I had was too much for me to handle:) Told them I was over 6' and weighed about 210 lbs and probably could have lifted the responder over my head. Took it back to Fleet and I have a Jiffy now. No problems and love the thing. Any outfit that responds to a problem like that aint going to get any more business from me.

[spearchucker]

Both Strikemaster and Jiffy use the same engines, so I don't know how one has a better motor than the other. They are both Tecumsehs. All I have heard is to stay away from the 3hp models because they had some issues with them. 2Hp is plenty anyway.

[Northlander]

I had a 3 horse Jiffy and had no issues with it in over 10 years. It was real heavy though. I just bought a new Nilsmaster for just that reason.

[Judd]

Strikemaster if you are Republican, Jiffy if you are democrat, Nils if you are a socialist, Eskimo if you voted for Ralph Nader. I prefer an Ice saw.

[MNice]

Judd LOL.

by far the best reponse on this thread

[Uncle Bill]

Uhggg........This one again.