The difference in post holes after I finally bought an auger bit sharpener

I spent three years digging post holes for farm fencing with a dull auger bit, thinking the rocky soil was just that bad. Last month I spent $45 on a hand file and sharpening guide and now my tractor digs a clean 30-inch hole in under a minute. Has anyone else noticed how much faster your work goes when you just maintain your tools a little better?

3 comments

3 Comments

ben_lewis1mo ago

@faith_shah88 I get what you're saying but I think it goes both ways. Sometimes the tool really is fine and the soil or material is just that bad, and sharpening won't fix a rock bed. I've wrecked good bits on stuff that no edge could handle. You gotta know when to blame the tool and when to blame the ground.

aaron_perry1mo ago

Couldn't believe you actually spent an afternoon on a saw that dull, that's some serious dedication.

-2

faith_shah881mo ago

I love the way you just said "thinking the rocky soil was just that bad" because honestly that's me with every tool I own. I once spent an entire afternoon trying to cut a 2x4 with a handsaw that was so dull it was basically just a piece of metal scraping against wood. Finally sharpened it and felt like an absolute genius... only to realize I'd been torturing myself for no reason. It's wild how we'll blame the dirt or the wood or whatever else before we just look at the tool. So yeah, you're not alone and I bet your fence posts are way happier now.