Nils USA Hand Auger

5

Perfect

Posted by Jigman13 on June 12, 2019

I have the 8". Few yrs back in NJ we had 18+" of ice and I was blowing through it with the nils hand auger. You have to take care of the blades. Respect the value and it'll treat you we… Read More

I have the 8". Few yrs back in NJ we had 18+" of ice and I was blowing through it with the nils hand auger. You have to take care of the blades. Respect the value and it'll treat you well. I avoid dirty ice with it so I don't nick the blade. Also, be conscious of where you're drilling so you don't bury it into mud or rocks. I purchased an extra blade head in case the one I've been using for the last 3 yrs starts to dull. But even after 3 seasons of use I can still shave with the original head! You won't be disappointed by this hand auger!

5

Nils 6 hand auger is the best

Posted by FM on June 12, 2019

Looking for an alternative to my gas auger I bought a 6" Nils hand auger (as opposed to the Nils 6" "orange" auger designed for a cordless drill) a couple months ago (11/14) along … Read More

Looking for an alternative to my gas auger I bought a 6" Nils hand auger (as opposed to the Nils 6" "orange" auger designed for a cordless drill) a couple months ago (11/14) along with an adapter for use with a cordless drill. I coupled this with a Milwaukee 18V Fuel hammer drill with extra capacity batteries for a power head. The ease and speed of drilling holes is unbelievable. Powers through at nearly 2" of ice per second with my drill (really it cuts crazy fast). Late Janurary I was going through 16" of ice easily in less than 10 seconds. A month ago I drilled about 40 holes through 12" ice and still had half of a battery charge. Makes moving around and finding fish a lot easier, quicker, and somewhat stealthier. Of course this is the 6" model, though with a good, high torque drill the 8" will also cut super quickly I'm sure. The cutting head is razor sharp so you gotta be careful taking the guard on and off. Have not yet tried to use the handle for hand auguring but for sure will for earliest ice in future years. Best ice fishing purchase in a long time. My 8" gas auger will be gathering dust unless I'm specifically pike fishing. Highly recommended, well worth the extra coin. Treat it nice and it should stay sharp a long time. The head can be resharpened at a reasonable price. If you are fishing for species larger than panfish like big pike and walleye you'll want to get the 8" auger.

5

Amazingly fast - Faster than most power augers you see on the ice

Posted by Chadx on June 12, 2019

Really just amazing. With absolutely no downward pressure, the Nils 6" hand auger goes through 18"of ice in about 10 seconds so the one reviewers estimate of 2" per second was about rig… Read More

Really just amazing. With absolutely no downward pressure, the Nils 6" hand auger goes through 18"of ice in about 10 seconds so the one reviewers estimate of 2" per second was about right on. Can easily punch 3 holes without stopping and get them set up and then punch more holes. The 6" diameter auger was actually so easy, I ordered the Nils 8" diameter hand auger to compare knowing it has about 50% more surface area and would take 1.5 times as long to auger a hole. After using the 8", I am going to sell the 6". Was punching holes this weekend in 16" of ice in about 12 seconds. So yes, about 1.5 times longer than the 6" auger. Time will tell how these blades hold up and if the fast, effortless augering will continue. From discussing with others, you want to always baby the head. Immediately put back on the guard so you don't bump the blades. Even minor dings will impact performance. Don't auger it in a few inches and leave it stand there; put the blade cover back on and put it in your sled. You don't want the head freezing into a hole and then you leveraging it out, potentially flexing anything. That probably applies less to the Nils head compared to other auger blade designs, but good practice anyway. When you get home, always dry off the head and spray/wipe with WD40 to prevent surface rust, but be CAREFUL. Blades are razor sharp. Do not mess with the blade unless you can focus on what you are doing. You will slit your fingers or glove. Also, be careful when augering. I must have bumped my gortex pants with the blade after pulling it up because I discovered a 3" slit in my pant leg when I got home. Slit right through 2 layers of material. Treat this auger well and it should last years before needing an authorized dealer to sharpen (don't try to sharpen yourself unless you REALLY know what you are doing with auger blades because all augers are particular with angles and sharpening procedures). Really just amazing that I walk out on the ice with this auger and someone nearby says "The ice is 18" thick. You can borrow my gas auger if you want". I politely decline and then punch through the ice in about 10 seconds. Then I hear "I guess you don't need it". Though, it really is about blade quality and sharpness (and maintenance). I don't own a gas auger and don't plan to. And won't fight a cheapo hand auger. Not worth it. Pay 1/2 the price, get 1/4 the quality. Pay for the Nils or other high quality hand auger or you'll end up frustrated. When you can punch a hole faster than the guy next to you gets his gas auger started (after 20 pulls), it's pretty satisfying. And then he pushes down hard and it still takes his gas auger 25+ seconds to get through, it's even more. Granted, that is someone that doesn't maintain their equipment, but it seems like that scenario is the norm compared to the number of guys that have well maintained augers (gas, battery, or hand). Happy fishing!

5

Great Auger, Quality made

Posted by Riverfisher on June 12, 2019

I bought the 4 1/2 " auger like it so well I think I am going to order a 6" also. Drills crazy fast with little effort. I know a couple guys with 6" augers that say the same thing. Ver… Read More

I bought the 4 1/2 " auger like it so well I think I am going to order a 6" also. Drills crazy fast with little effort. I know a couple guys with 6" augers that say the same thing. Very top quality the flighting on the auger shaft is welded all the way not just tacked on. Seems to have very good paint also. One other thing I noticed is that the auger does not catch at the bottom of the hole when you get drilled through. There is no bolts on the blades to catch, this is nice especially if your using a cordless drill. You won't be disappointed!

5

Best hand ice auger on the market PERIOD!!!

Posted by Alexg166 on June 12, 2019

Awesome auger, simply the best hand ice auger on the market. You can use it with power head as power auger or use it as hand auger. very versitile

Awesome auger, simply the best hand ice auger on the market. You can use it with power head as power auger or use it as hand auger. very versitile