Oh no! Whats wrong with my Nils?

[O2Fish]

I have only had my Nils out a couple of times since the big purchase and have loved it so far. Until today. When trying to drill, it doesn't seem to want to grab the ice. The center point shoots through just fine but quite frequently the blades would just spin, not grab, and shave the ice instead of dig like it usually does. If you rotate it around and hold it at more of an angle it will start to cut again. Are the blades dull or is the pitch on the blade messed up? The blades feel super sharp(ask my finger) and they cut fine when they catch the ice.

I need some help asap! I really don't want to spend $70 on another cutting head. My $500 is enough for this year!

[harvey lee]

Sounds to me like the pitch is off a boit. Did you drop it or bump the cutting tip.

You could send it to Frank to see if he can sharpeh it up.

It may still feel real sharp but may not cut.

Check this link for franks contact info.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/ub...ice#Post1219226

[Surface Tension]

O2Fish, The blade can be razor shape but have a small burr and it won't cut. If you drilled with any sand on the ice or banged a blade that is enough to goof the blade. The link in my signature will direct you to info for getting that blade cutting again.

[Northlander]

Yup you dulled up in the inner portion of your blades some how. Having to wobble the unit to get the blade to cut is a sure sign. Send it to ST and he will get ya going asap. I hope you took my advice and got a extra blade just for this reason.

[DTro]

Why ask why

I'm on 2 full years of running and gunning and haven't had any issues. When I do, then I send it up to Frank for a $20 bill and I'm good to go for another few years.

[harvey lee]

I agree Dtro. One blemish on a cutting head does not make it a bad auger.

I used one cutting tip for almost two seasons and thats with many, many holes drilled including many on the sandy ice on URL.

[O2Fish]

So it must not have been 100% from the factory huh? I have treated it like my baby and haven't drilled into any noticeable sand or debris. Doesn't make me real happy!

[DTro]

It's understandable being upset about your auger not drilling a hole. These things do happen though. You might have hit something and not noticed maybe, hard to say.

You can go down the road of being upset as far as you want, but in the mean time I would get the blade up to Surface Tension so you have a working auger asap. I think he dropped his price down to $15 and he'll make sure it's working by doing a test drill.

[Northlander]

Every auger I have ever used gets dull/damaged blades. Its not a Nils, strikemaster, Jiffy, eskimo, Huskavarna deal its a auger use deal.

I have had blades go bad a month after I got them because I must have hit something and I have had blades last a season. (I cut a ton of holes and fish almost daily) On my Nils, eskimo, strikemaster and Jiffy. Chipper blades will still cut after some damage. A shaver blade will really suffer with the slightest damage.

[crothmeier]

I'm on my 4th season with my Stx blades, and i cut quite a few holes each year, i's say average to above average use, around home and LOTW. I can tell now that i'll be gettin a new set for next season. $ seasons is plenty good in my book for blade life.

[7outof10]

i am not a big fan of nils but come on people one bad blade dose not make a bad auger..... this year i had a bad set of blades right out of the box for my strikemaster ......

[Rick]

Was the blade iced up? That's the most common issue on any auger.

I always have a spare cutting head on hand. You never know when you will get into a patch of sand from a vehicle dropping snow, melting and freezing back over without knowing you hit the sand.

I've been lucky and no problems for 3 years now and I use mine a LOT. I haven't had to use my spare. Knock on wood.

When I do use it I will send the dull one into Frank to be sharpened and it will be my new spare cutting head.

It's an easy fix.