A while back I was watching a video, the guy in the tape was cutting a hole in the ice. The video never did show a clear picture of his chisel/spud, but compared to using an axe, it was working pretty smooth. Water wasn't splashing all over his clothes or in his face. I've checked the www, ebay and can't find a good picture of an ice chisel, figured while season's out, now would be a good time to make one of these gizmos. From what I could see in the tape, it looked like it was 5-6 feet long, and the "blade" part was about 2-3" wide. Not sure?, but it may have had an inverted "V" notch cut out of the blade? Maybe there is a better design? I don't trap under the ice very much, but it just looked like a handy tool, would be nice for cutting fishing holes too. Anyone have a picture or a pattern?

I love these chisels.
http://www.thornebros.com/winter/augers/jiffy/millelacs_chisel.html

I have used ice chisels for over 50 years, have made many, and currently own 3--including a Dupont pick bar that is the best I ever saw--until I used a staged cutter like the MilleLacs illustrated in the previous post. Don't mess with trying to make one, just buy one. Most big sporting stores in the midwest(cabela's etc) carry them.

This is all I got finished yesterday. That's a piece of a truck's leaf-spring, it's 3" X 3/8" X 8". I used a torch to cut the notches, then the grinder to sharpen the blade. Another few minutes on the grinder and it'll be sharp enough for ice. Think I'll weld a piece of 1.5" pipe to the blade, and insert a shovel handle. And drill a little hole in the pipe for a screw/nail to keep the handle from sliding out. If I'd had access to an angled chop saw, I could have made the blade part in 15 minutes or so? Wouldn't even need to sharpen it, just cut it sharp. Not sure?, the Jiffy chisels are probably cut on a milling machine. I'll finish it today, and weigh it, I'm guessing around 5 pounds. It won't be fancy, but should do the job.

My chisel has a 2 part threaded handle. It makes it easier to tote. It also has a tsang so I can grap a wire under ice with it.

A loop for your hand is a good idea. It's a pain to lose one.

Make it fairly heavy. That way gravity does the cutting for you.

Yep, as posted above, you will want some kind of loop to attached to your wrist and the ice chisel. Have lost many spudding beaver holes on checks. The pick goes through the ice and right to the bottom. When you get to using it, you will have a loose grip on it and when it does go through, you want a back up to keep from losing it.

-TJ

It sounds like there must be a bunch of ice chisels sticking in the bottom of our lakes and streams. Why couldn't you tie about 10 feet of light rope to the handle-end of the chisel, throw the other end over you're shoulder and tie it to you're belt? $75 each, plus shipping. That's my finished tool, couldn't find a piece of pipe, but found this piece of 2" OD square tube. The head part weighs 5.3#, I figure with a shovel handle, it'll be about 7#. And a lot safer to carry on the ice than an axe. Can't really give you a price for making the thing, the truck spring and tubing were in the scrap metal pile, burnt 2.5 welding rods, about 10 minutes of gas/O2, time on the grinder.

Has anyone seen or used this this hybrid "chisel?"

http://www.icesaws.com/

I talked with a few Wisconsin and Minnesota muskrat trappers who use it on their under ice lines, and are more than equally pleased with its efficiency as well for ice fishing - even starting holes in relatively thick ice.

Jonathan

I've used ice saws on sea ice. I'd give just about anything for a 6-foot chainsaw extension....

I think your teeth aren't quite sharp enough - the pictures look like maybe 45 degrees, you'll need 60 or more to cut. Looks like that design will twist and turn while cleaning out edges, but maybe not. My (locally-made) ice chisel has a stepped pattern, but it's a single long tooth in the center and shorter on the edges.

I also suspect that it will be a little light, but that's nothing you can't fix with lead in the shank.

I was tinkering again, the blade on the right is the "Model #2". I'm not sure if it'd turn/roll while chipping ice or not? Seems like the longest point will do most of the "cutting", the other teeth will expand the hole, busting. One thing I didn't like about the first one, seems like it could slip/slide off, unless you're standing right over the exact spot. Maybe not? What I was trying to do with the model #2, get the ice between the teeth, something has got to go. In the above pic, you can see the #2 is a little sharper than the first one, but it's better than 45*. I could peel an potato with either one. Not sure?, seems like if it's really, really sharp, wouldn't it get stuck every other stroke?