Background
In 2004, a fateful event took place for Mora - the merger of two large firms Frosts and KJ Eriksson for the joint development, production and sale of improved ice augers.
For information: in 1955, the Mora company released the first ice auger, which immediately found its fans. The product featured unusual spoon-shaped knives.
Swedish steel is recognized for its performance as one of the best in the world. The very history of the creation and development of this enterprise began three centuries ago, when in a small town craftsmen began to try to make knives in home workshops.
The hallmarks of the city of Mora were used as a distinctive sign. This is how the glorious Mora hunting and kitchen knives were born. The peculiarity of such products lies in the material used - high quality carbon steel.
How to sharpen the knives of a Swedish ice screw?
Today many anglers are proud owners of Swedish ice augers. However, the advantage that rounded blades provide when drilling ice turns into a significant inconvenience when sharpening.
Few grinders can really sharpen a cutting tool. For this reason, the angler himself must learn to bring such knives into working condition.
Consider two ways to sharpen a Swedish ice screw:
Manual sharpening is performed using a semicircular file and sandpaper with grit H4-H6. The sandpaper is cut into pieces 3-4 cm wide. The length of the strip depends on the parameters of the file. The sandpaper is folded under the point of the file, and on the other hand is held near the handle with your fingers.
The blade of the ice screw must be fixed with a vice. To do this, two standard screws are clamped in the jaws, on which the knife will be planted. Sharpening is performed by straight-line movements towards oneself, observing the angle of inclination of the tool. When the actions are brought to automatism, the sharpening process will take no more than 5-10 minutes.
The mechanical method of sharpening Swedish knives will require a special machine equipped with a burr. It can be replaced with an electric drill with a cutter. The knife itself is also attached in a vice, but in order not to remove the extra layer of metal, the surface to be treated must be painted with an alcohol marker
When working, it is important to follow the trajectory of the electrical appliance.
The first passes are done without pressing, and when the actions are remembered by the muscles of the hands, the work will take a few minutes. During such sharpening, it is necessary to use safety goggles to prevent abrasive from entering the eyes.
Each of the described methods is acceptable for high-quality sharpening of ice screw knives.
It is important for a beginner in this lesson not to rush, the first movements should be slow, but accurate. A dozen monotonous repetitions, and the muscles will remember every gesture
After that, you can speed up the process, remembering to periodically monitor the sharpening.
The little time and effort spent will subsequently be compensated for by the angler by comfortable drilling holes in the pond.
Sharpening the Swedish ice screw
Every fisherman has probably heard about this ice auger, that it creates a hole incredibly quickly and cuts the ice edge very well. The company that manufactures these ice augers is Mora, specialists have developed unique knives with a bend with a different sharpening angle. Thanks to this feature, holes can be created very quickly.
But there is one drawback, when the knives become dull, then many fishermen have a stupor, since the angle of the blade is different and they do not know how to sharpen it.
It is really difficult to do this, but do not buy a special device for sharpening an ice ax. It is better to sharpen manually, in this case there will be less sharpening error, we will describe this method below.
The blade should be well clamped in a vice, this will greatly simplify sharpening. Then take H6 grit sandpaper and a round file.
Cut the sandpaper into strips 3 centimeters wide, then take the strip and wrap the file, you need to fasten it around the edges with a wire.
Sharpening must be carried out with movements towards yourself, while observing the angle that was set for the blade at the factory.
We are sure that the article was useful for you, now you know what you need a grinder for sharpening ice axes and how you can sharpen an ice screw blade. We wish you success and be careful when sharpening!
Choosing a blade for augers
Experienced fishermen have developed their own rules for the selection of knives for augers.
- The dimensions of the augers with blades must be suitable for the fishing conditions: it makes no sense to use a small auger for drilling a hole with a large diameter.
- When buying, carefully read the certificates: the country of origin of Mora is Sweden, but not the Asian countries. Poor quality steel of the blades is a waste of money.
- The inability to predict the type of ice before fishing is the reason to use more universal - spherical knives instead of straight knives.
- A set of Mora blades cannot be cheap (in current prices it is at least 1,500 rubles).
- When buying blades, take care of their safety during transportation - do not forget to buy covers. This will also protect the angler himself from accidental injury.
Models and their characteristics
To decide on the purchase of a drill, let's analyze the models that are most often mentioned by sellers and buyers.
The entire lineup can be divided into the following groups:
- inexpensive drills for beginners;
- more expensive and technically difficult for amateurs and professionals;
- ice screws for winter sport fishing;
- elite Boers.
One of the simplest and cheapest options is ICE SPIRALEN. Flat knives force the hole to be drilled longer. But the model is very effective on multilayer and wet ice. Due to the presence of knives of different diameters (175 and 200 millimeters), it is possible to increase the diameter of the hole. An axial lock on the handle will make the drill more compact.
The tool is capable of drilling ice with a thickness of 95 cm. When folded, the length is up to 80 cm. In the working state, it is 150 cm, including the auger is 47–55 cm long.
It is possible to use an electric drill or screwdriver by means of an 18 mm adapter - adapter, as well as an extension of 31.5 cm. The color of the auger is blue.
In the same category ICE EASY. A distinctive feature is the absence of a folding unit. This option will allow beginners to handle the model more freely without fear of damaging it at the fold. There is an extension cord. The technical characteristics are similar to the previous drill. Weight approx. 3 kg. The color is also blue.
The category "professional anglers" is represented by the model for thin ice (up to 85 cm) ICE MICRO. When folded, it is 53 cm long and can fit in a backpack. In work - up to 137 cm (the extension cord can be fixed four times and lengthened up to 46 cm). The auger length is 34 cm. All this makes the drill lightweight - 2.2–3.2 kg, depending on the modification. Spherical knives of several diameters: 110, 130, 150, 200 mm. The color of the auger is red.
For professionals, there is the ICE ARCTIC model, used in cold winters on thick ice cover of the reservoir. The 80cm auger is capable of drilling ice up to 1.6m thick. The foldable handle, combined with the extension, increases the ability to drill 2m ice and beyond. When folded, the drill has a length of 114 cm. There are 3 modifications according to the size of spherical knives: 110, 130, 150 mm. Weight - from 3.4 to 4.2 kg. The color of the auger is yellow.
Mora ICE Expert has served for anglers-sportsmen for a long time. Now its place has been taken by the more modern ICE Expert Pro.The model is equipped not only with a folding, but also with a telescopic handle.
Auger length - 48–58 cm. Maximum ice thickness - 120 cm. It has four modifications, as in ICE MICRO, but with modernized spherical blades to increase ROP. A 31 cm extension can be purchased separately, but plastic sheaths for knives are included. The color of the auger is green.
The speed of drilling holes and their number for a certain time are fundamental indicators for sport fishing. This is why motorized ice screws are valued. Among the Mora, this is, for example, the ICE S-140 (Solo 3.0hp). Light weight, quiet 3 hp engine. with. and a capacious 0.68 liter tank. Weight - 9.5 kg. Can be purchased separately or complete with auger. The color of the auger is black.
The newest in the lineup is the Mora Nova System. It is positioned as a construction set for fishermen, since you can buy its individual elements and assemble the ice screw you need.
In the manual version, the drill is 10% lighter than other models. The main feature is the removable cutting head made of composite materials. The possibility of replacing the elements allows you to save money: it is enough to buy removable heads of a diameter different from the size of the ice screw, so as not to buy another auger or drill. Head diameters: 110, 130, 160 mm.
The auger is 42–80 cm long, and the drill in working order is 130–175 cm. Weight - 2.3–3.45 kg. The maximum ice thickness is 90–120 cm.
Replaceable spherical knives can be standard universal, high-speed or for motor-drills. The drill can be extended by 30 cm with an extension. You can purchase a 22 mm Mora 21141 adapter for upgrading to a motor drill.
The color of the auger is white. Handle color - light green.
Cordless ice screw
The Is-Man cordless ice auger is easy to start. The housing, inside which the battery and the motor are located, is securely attached directly to the drill with the help of a trigger lock, and by pressing a button on the handle, the tool is brought into working condition. Due to its own weight, the drill deftly plunges into the ice; you do not need to make unnecessary efforts (press).
Advantages of the battery ice screw:
- does not make loud sounds during operation;
- there is no characteristic smell;
- easy to use and easy to maintain (battery charging, replacement of cutting knives);
- the auger rotates in both directions;
- the sixteen-inch model is equipped with an additional guide cutter, which is good for cutting a large hole;
- one charge can withstand drilling 25-50 holes.
How to sharpen spherical knives
Absolutely all anglers who use ice screws with spherical knives of the named brand say that such blades are very difficult to sharpen at home.
This changes the working capabilities of the tool. This can be achieved by installing different washers or spacers under the blades. But if at the same time the knives are dull, then no tricks will help drill the ice without problems.
The easiest way to keep your tool in order is to keep your knives up to date. But since their cost reaches 40% of the cost of the entire drill, many try to sharpen the blades on their own. The problem is that spherical knives, in addition to fine sandpaper, need a curved surface. A jar is often used for this.
But professional fishermen offer the following way to sharpen spherical knives.
- Sharpen the blade to the factory angle (plus 1–2 degrees) using the "Efim" grinder.
- To do this, use a narrow diamond, half-inch Boride abrasive stones, rounded stones.
- Remove the burr by hand on the 5 micron stone while keeping the blade almost parallel to the stone while working on the grain.
- Walk the cart again, finish at 10 microns.
- Remove the burr from the back with a thin stone.
- The correctness of sharpening is checked by cutting the newsprint. The newspaper should be cut, not torn.
The rules of safe operation (general instructions for ice augers) will be useful for novice winter fishing enthusiasts.
- In order not to knock down the factory settings, do not reinstall the knives immediately after purchase.
- After drilling, the drill is screwed into the ice in an upright position, this will remove water from the blades.
- It is not recommended to knock ice off the auger.
- Attempts to clean the knives by hitting the ice lead to their deformation.
- Drilling holes near the shore or near the bottom will result in a loss of cutting performance on the blades. A spare set of blades will save the day.
- During transportation, a cover is put on each knife.
- Blades are replaced according to the rules for working with cutting tools.
- To make the ice screw really safe, you should not buy "non-native" blades, check certificates upon purchase and beware of unscrupulous suppliers.
Every amateur and professional has their own favorite tools, devices, gadgets, equipment. Many are afraid that over time they will not be able to find spare parts for their drills. But winter fishermen are surprised and pleased to note that the Mora company, taking care of its customers and its name, produces knives even for those Boers that were discontinued in the 90s of the last century.
Detailed overview ice screw MORA ICE See EASY 150mm in the next video.
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Sharpening knives by hand
This sharpening is not so difficult, for this we need the following:
- Carborundum ice ax sharpener is a special fine-grained sharpening stone.
- A glass of water.
- Rubber sheet.
To begin with, take a good look at the blade, if strong metal chips are visible, then you will first have to remove several layers to align. Sharpening is carried out in the following order:
Place the whetstone on top of the rubber for better stability. Then carry the blade and moisten it with water, then you need to start processing from a large edge.
The angle of sharpening of the ice ax knives must be the same at which the factory sharpening was carried out. After every 10-15 strokes, it is necessary to check the plane of the sharpening of the blade.
To sharpen the knives, take a stone with an even finer grain. If you are a person who loves everything perfect, then you can sharpen the knife to a mirror sharpness. To do this, you need glass and goi paste, which can be purchased at any hardware store.
Sharpening knives by hand
Not all of our ancestors sharpened the knives of their ice drills on grinding machines. Most of them did this work by hand.
Today, if you have free time and desire, you can sharpen without looking up from the TV.
To successfully sharpen ice auger knives with your own hands, you need to prepare such simple materials as:
- whetstone (carborundum) with medium and fine grain;
- rubber sheet;
- a glass of water.
Before starting work, it is necessary to assess the condition of the cutting edge of the knife. If the tip or blade is chipped, then a certain layer of steel will have to be removed first.
- In this case, a medium-grit abrasive block is placed on the rubber. The knife is moistened in water and the largest edge is cut first. Sharpening should be carried out in a circular motion with a slight uniform pressing of the blade to the stone surface. Moistening allows you to quickly obtain an abrasive paste at the steel-stone interface, which will effectively remove the metal layer. Usually 10-15 movements are enough to correct the plane of the knife.
- At the second stage, the knife is positioned with the blade to the bar at the same angle at which the factory sharpening was made. It is better to hold the knife with both hands, pressing the blade against the abrasive surface. Measured circular movements are made again. After 10 circles it is necessary to check the sharpening.
- When the chips have been removed from the cutting edge, the knife surface can be brought to perfect sharpness on a fine abrasive stone. The sequence of operations is the same as for processing on a medium-grained block.
- Particularly fastidious people who like to do everything with high quality, the final finishing can be done with glass and GOI paste.
Sharpening an ice screw on a grinding machine
The simplest option for sharpening trapezoidal knives is processing on a grinding machine.
But before you give your cutting elements to the factory grinder, you should ask if he has a special device. It allows knives to be installed on the machine at any angle, which will ensure minimal metal removal.
Some would-be experts take on this work without having a corner stand. Then these master grinders simply process the work plane, removing a layer of hardened metal over the entire area. And if there is a chip on the tip, then the knife is thinned to 1 mm in one sharpening.
Try to sharpen the knives 2-3 times in this way, and instead of 6-7 mm in thickness, you will get 3-4 mm. This will not only worsen the working properties of the ice screw, but also create the danger of breaking the cutting tool.
Even after proper sharpening, burrs and metal shavings remain on the sharp edges of the knives. To do this, at home, you should slightly process them with an abrasive stone or sandpaper by hand. A knife brought to an ideal state will serve a caring owner longer.
