27 July 2017
 Categories: Recreation & Sports, Blog

An auger blade is used to cut through the ice when ice fishing. In order to effectively cut through the ice when you need it to, the blade has to be sharpened properly. Here are five tips to keep in mind and utilize when you sharpen your auger blade.

#1 Remove the Blade Carefully

You are going to have to take the blade out of the ice auger. When you do that, you are going to want to make sure that you wear heavy leather gloves so that you don't get hurt by the blades. You are going to have to remove the shims from the blade; be sure to put them aside somewhere safe as you are going to need to use the shims to reattach the blade to the ice auger once it is sharp.

#2 Inspect the Blade

Before you sharpen the blade, spend some time inspecting the blade. As you inspect the blade, you'll realize that only one side of the blade is sharp; that is the way that auger ice blades are supposed to work. Only one side of the blade needs to be sharpened; you don't want to sharpen the other side of the blade. Look at the blade closely so you know which side to sharpen.

#3 Stick to the Right Angle

You also need to pay attention to the angle of the blade. You'll want to match the angle as close as you can when you sharpen it. Do not try to change the angle of the blade as you sharpen the blade. If you change the angle of the blade, it may bend and chip more easily. The angle is specifically set by the manufacturer and it is important that you stick to the right angle of the blade as you sharpen it if you want it to last.

#4 Vary the Grits

When sharpening the blade, you are going to want to vary the grits. It is best to start out with a medium grit sharpening stone and then move onto a fine grit sharpening stone. A coarse grit sharpening stone is only necessary if the blade is really worn out and in really bad shape. Even then, it may be better to replace the blade that it may be to try to sharpen it.

#5 Be Careful With How Much You Sharpen the Blade

Do not over sharpen the blade. You should only sharpen as little as possible to get the blade sharp again. As you sharpen, make sure that you sharpen all sides evenly. You don't want to sharpen once side more than another; that can make the blade unbalanced. 

To learn more and gather the right materials for ice fishing, contact companies like Rocky Mountain Recreation Of Utah Inc.