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*2020 Update
Ice auger maintenance is important. Last winter I found myself at a remote lake that took me hours to get to only to find that my auger wouldn’t start. Eventually I got it running long enough to drill a couple holes but I was fuming that my auger wouldn’t work in the first place. I take good care of my equipment and am religious with maintenance but some things you just can’t see coming. If you are looking for a refresher, I wrote a post last year about my ice auger maintenance routine which you can find here.
One thing I didn’t cover in my previous post is auger blade sharpening. I’ve typically sharpened auger blades myself but I have had mixed results. My auger would always cut a bit better but I could never get it to perform like new. This year I decided to have my ice auger blades sharpened by a professional. I began digging through the internet and looking for places that offer ice auger sharpening, but the search was time consuming. Wouldn’t it be better for everyone if that information were all in one place? I thought so too.
I haven’t had much success with it but it’s possible to sharpen auger blades yourself. You may not have a choice if you live in a remote area or are in the middle of a trip and drill through some dirty ice. There are plenty of online resources to help you out; here is one excellent explanation on how it’s done by a user named A7X on IceShanty.com:
https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=309016.0
If your ice auger has a pilot point like my Jiffy does make sure to sharpen that too! The point is just as important as the blade itself. To make things easier for the DIY’ers Jiffy sells a sharpening kit for their ripper blades that makes touch ups more economical. If you have an Eskimo or Ion auger I’ve heard the Lanksy sharpening system (30°) should also work for you.
Lastly a safety note, razor sharp blades need to be protected once you finish drilling your holes or your day of fishing will be cut short by your dog needing some stitches!
Western Canada Ice Auger Blade Sharpening Services:
Alberta
Calgary
- Western Saw
https://www.westernsawscanada.com/ - Carbide Saw Service
- All Blades Canada
https://allblades.ca/
Cardiff
- Leading Edge Sharpening Services
https://www.leadingedgesharpening.ca/
Edmonton
R and R Sharpening– Now Closed- *Lawnmower Hospital – No longer sharpening auger blades
https://www.lawnmowerhosp.com/ - All Blades Canada
https://allblades.ca/
Okotoks
- Foothills Sharpening
Red Deer
- Sportsmen’s Den
https://www.sportsmensden.ca/
British Columbia
Burnaby
- Quality Saw and Knife
https://www.qualitysaw-knife.com/
Kelowna
- Blade Doctor Sharpening Service
https://bladedoctor.ca/
Prince George
- PG Saw and Fabricating
https://www.portablebandsawmill.com/
Surrey
- European Sharpening
https://www.europeansharpening.com/
Victoria
- The Edge Sharpening Company
http://edgesharpening.ca/
Saskatchewan
Moose Jaw
- The Sharpening Den
https://www.thesharpeningden.com/
Regina
- Pokey’s Tackle Shop
https://www.pokeystackle.ca/
Saskatoon
- Accu-Sharp
Manitoba
Winnipeg
- Hand of Gord (also does mail order sharpening)
http://www.thehandofgord.ca/
This list is by no means exhaustive. I’m positive any company that regularly sharpens professional knives, scissors or saw blades is capable of getting the job done. The companies I’ve listed here are named in ice fishing groups, forums, or specifically mention ice augers on their websites. If I’ve missed any please send me a message or comment below! Let’s make this list as complete as possible.
