Sharpening a Post Hole Auger - Cut through Dirt with Sharp Blades

Sharpening a post hole auger blade is necessary after you’ve been digging post holes.

Dirt, rocks and roots will dull the blade making it harder to drill holes. You don’t have to buy a new blade.

Instead follow the steps below to sharpen your blades and get years of use out of your post hole digger cutting edge.

sharpening a post hole auger — I get commissions from links in this post

How to Sharpen a Post Hole Digger: Different Auger Sharpeners

There are several ways to sharpen your post hole diggers cutting teeth. You can use a simple auger bit or mill file or an auger bit sharpening machine like an angle grinder.

You can even take your blade into the local shop and have them do it for you in a pinch.

Of course, we know you prefer the DIY route (and so do we)!

Auger bit file or mill file
Angle Grinder: the quickest auger sharpener
Local shop sharpening service

PRO TIP

Maintain the original angle and shape of the cutting edge on your auger blade as you sharpen it.

Auger Bit File: Sharpening Your Post Hole Diggers Cutting Edge

To sharpen up your post hole auger blades, you can use a an auger bit file or a mill file. This flat edged file will sharpen your blades edges perfectly.

We recommend using a mill file, since an auger bit file is pretty small and mostly made for small drill bits.

A Post Hole Digger cutting edge refers to the edge of your blade that slices through the dirt. It is the sharp part right on the edge that comes in direct contact with dirt, roots and rocky soil.

You want the cutting edge to be as sharp as possible to really slice through harder surfaces. It means you have to do less work digging out the harder objects yourself.

Digging your holes will go by easier and faster, if your equipment is in tip top shape. The cutting edge will become dull fast, especially if you’re using it in harder soil with rocks and roots. If your auger is having trouble with roots, try a Root Slayer Shovel. They break up roots really well.

This results in your powerhead working even harder, for longer to get your holes drilled. You will also use less fuel if your blades are sharp. You sharpen them just like you would sharpen other blades by holding the mill file at a 45 degree angle to the blades cutting edge and filing until sharp.

Angle Grinder: Fast Auger Bit Sharpening Machine

Perfect way to get your post hole augers cutting teeth nice and sharp for your next project, an angle grinder used as an auger sharpener, can make quick work of sharpening those blades.

While it’s faster, an angle grinder doesn’t give you the precise sharpening results of a file. If that’s not a problem for you, then use a grinder to save some time and effort.

For more precise work, we recommend using an angle grinder to get the nitty gritty work done and then finishing off the edges with an auger bit file or mill file for better sharpening results.

How to Sharpen a Post Hole Auger with an Angle Grinder

Remove your post hole auger blade from the power head
Clamp it into a vice or another device that will hold it completely still
Make sure that the auger is securely in place
Clean your blade to remove all debris using water, then a wire brush or steel wool
Grind away any damaged areas like chips and dents with an angle grinder
Use the grinder at a 45 degree angle and file on the cutting edges of your blade
For a sharper blade, finish off with an auger bit file or mill file to remove uneven edges
Repeat this process until the edges are sharp
Treat the blades with rust and corrosion resistant oil to preserve the blades
Put the blades and powerhead back together

Auger Bit Sharpening Service

Of course, you can always take it to a local shop and they will sharpen your blades for you using the same tools and methods we described above. Why not save yourself some cash and just do it yourself?

How to Video on Sharpening Post Auger Blades

Here’s a video doing a great demo on how to get those blades nice and sharp: CLICK HERE.

Sharpening Ice Auger Blades is a Different Ball Game

Ice auger blades are much different than post hole auger blades and we will be creating a post shortly that helps you sharpen them up for the ice.

Why Isn’t my Auger Digging?

One of the reasons could be that the blades are dull and aren’t able to dig into the ground as well as they should. Sharpen those blades using the step by step instructions above. There are many other reasons for an auger not drilling, but those are covered in our other posts.

How to Sharpen a Tractor Post Hole Auger

A tractor or PTO auger blade needs to also be sharpened periodically to make sure that it can keep digging. Follow this directions listed about and also Check out this video link to see how to sharpen a tractor post hole auger bits.

Conclusion

You can sharpen a post hole auger blades yourself at home without buying expensive equipment. It only takes a few minutes and you’ll have a post hole digger blade that will last through many years of drilling.

Check out the Best Post Hole Digger