I am looking to buy a good manual auger,don't do a ton of ice fishing. want to find a well built product. what brand should I look for?
I've been looking @ strikeMaster Lazer augers.Look pretty good?

I cant speak for any other brands but i am a huge fan of the nils master high speed auger. I am only a little bit slower than a gas auger and if you want to make cocktails on the ice you dont need to bring a knife to cut your limes this thing will cut em right up. I am on my second season with it, 3 years two fishing seasons and it works great. I should probably get it sharpened. Only about 6 inches of ice right now and the hole is drilled in about 10 seconds. I think it was around 150 bucks and i am very pleased with it.

Nils
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If you're not going to drill a million holes, a Strikemaster Mora can be had for less than $50. A 5 or 6 inch hole is all you need unless you are targeting sturgeon or bikini whales. :rotf2: I'd have bougfht a Nils, but I'm kinda cheap.

Just snagged a gas auger yesterday. :bounce:

i have both the strike master lazer and nil's both in 8".... I owned a mora at one time... both of the first two were better( less work) than the Mora.... the strike master is only slightly more work than the nils and the blades can be bought localy... the nils head needs to be sent away to have it sharpened...if you afford the coin go with the nils..

Bought a Strikemaster lazer 7" Auger. Do not have it yet ,will let you know how it works. 78.00 free shipping.

2nd the nils, I have the 8" mora, it is mora work than you want to do on the weekends for sure. first set of blades from factory broke, 2nd set is a little better. Get the Nils.

Drilled 10 holes today,Went pretty easy,I,m Happy. About 8" to 12" of ice.

Strikemaster or Nils. Like said earlier, the Nils is a bit better, but more hastle to get blades properly resharpened. I have a Strikemaster in 5 and 7", five is for panfish, cuts like butter. 20 seconds for 8" of ice.

Drilled 10 holes today,Went pretty easy,I,m Happy. About 8" to 12" of ice.

Where did you have a foot of ice?

There's a foot of ice up in my neck of the woods....it's here
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if'n ya have the right type of long (usually antique -like me) leverage
bar that has a good chisel point on it... it doesn't take very long to chip
out a hole any size you want .

if'n ya have the right type of long (usually antique -like me) leverage
bar that has a good chisel point on it... it doesn't take very long to chip
out a hole any size you want .

yea.. and your shoulders will be junk.. you'll sweat like a pig and freeze your onions off all day.. once you stop sweating..no matter what you wear... chisels are fine early in the season... i fished on 19" of ice of Saturday...the "thin" spots had 16".

yea.. and your shoulders will be junk.. you'll sweat like a pig and freeze your onions off all day.. once you stop sweating..no matter what you wear... chisels are fine early in the season... i fished on 19" of ice of Saturday...the "thin" spots had 16".

we had 3 and 1/2'' yesterday... thats good ice for the cape:jump1: all had to do was piss in one spot long enough to get a hole goin

we had 3 and 1/2'' yesterday... thats good ice for the cape:jump1: all had to do was piss in one spot long enough to get a hole goin

Spuds are good for early ice and re-opening old holes.
(Unless you really want to get all sweaty)

Hand augers - make sure you take care i=of whatever brand you choose. A good sharp auger can make 8" of ice feel like you're cutting through butter!
I have an Eskimo 8" hand auger and an Eskimo Barracuda 10" power auger. Sharp blades and well maintained tools mean more time fishing and less time swearing at your auger!

There's a foot of ice up in my neck of the woods....it's here
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How's the ice at Pentucket?

Plenty 10-12"
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