DRIFTER_016 Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I have the same question Rob. My little 2Hp x 9 inch lightning has THOUSANDS of holes under it's belt thanks to 6 guys all liking to use it when we're on Temagami for a week at a time. Still cuts like it was new and this will be it's 5th year. I think part of the issue is ones like mine use the ripper blades on them and these strikemasters and the likes use the same blades the hand augers use... and they just don't hold up to the abuse of being powered. MIND YOU.. this Tempest is showing it has a serrated tempered blade ! The strikemaster that I bought of Misfish's brother Rob had two normal blades on it just like a hand auger. There are 2 styles of blades in wide use in power augers 1/ Cutting blades like the ones on hand augers and 2/ Ripper blades. Strikemaster and Jiffy use both types depending on auger model. Mine uses the ripper blades which stay sharp longer than the cutting type blades. Until you hit a rock that is. Only done that once. The cutting blades cut through the ice faster but need sharpening more often. Ripper blades are much better when you are drilling dirty ice or redrilling old holes. Out West (Alberta, BC, Yukon, Alaska) there is a lot of dirty ice (due to glacial sediment) and this dulls cutting type blades very quickly. Ripper blades reopen old holes with ease while cutting type blades tend to bind when breaking through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 (edited) I have the ripper on mine.I have been told they can be sharpen with a chainsaw file. And like I have said way too many times.you guys that drill a half hole to sit yer augar in,thats a big NO NO Edited December 10, 2011 by Misfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I have the ripper on mine.I have been told they can be sharpen with a chainsaw file. Yep.. flat file across the face and a small needle file on the "teeth". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 I use the same procedure on my auger blades as I do on my chisels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdambros Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 I was in Costco yesterday in Richmond Hill and they had a dozen of them in stock. I bought an Eskimo last year and used it only one day, it worked like butter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeter Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 Costco was selling them for $339.99 They have dropped the price to $ 289.97 now. I'm on my way back to costco to get my $56.50 price difference back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 wayne, you are correct, correct and correct. the user has either A. stood on the auger to "help it cut". B. let a friend use it who has no clue and might have hit something. or A + B = C. C. is just a tool But I have a 2nd set of blades as backup just in case. I too notice the blades make a huge diff. either ripper or cut like a manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeter Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 Correction on price. Online it says $289.97 When I went there today to get the difference back, they are on for $249.99.. That was $101 cash back, then we spent another $385.oo there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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