Ice spud

[Westlakedrive]

Is there an ice spud that is better than the others?
Most of the ones I have seen seem to have a very long handle and are somewhat expensive. Also saw some that are "ice chisels". How long are your handles and how wide is your blade?

[schaaed1]

Wes -

Mine is homemade and probably 5.5'-6.0' oal. If i'm checking ice thickness ... I do not want to be standing on top of the area I'm checking!! :dizzy: The handle is 1/2" water pipe. The blade is 3" across x 5/8" thick x 4-5" long. It is tapered back about 3/4" on the end.

Probably the best one for checking early ice is one that my grandad passed to my dad ... many years ago. If memory serves the oal was about 5'.The handle was 5/8" solid bar stock (ring welded to top for rope). The business end was a splitting wedge!! As I remember it was a smaller size wedge ... but it was HEAVY!!. :tdo12: If you didn't bust through the ice in one or two hits ... you KNEW it was "safe". Only problem with this one though, due to its weight ... you sure didn't want to pop new holes with it, at least not many.

Another neat design, and one that would go through ice FAST, was made out of a truck leaf spring. An edge was ground on piece of leaf spring, about 12" long x 2" wide. The edge was ground on the business end and maybe halfway up each side. On the top end, there was a fitting welded to attach a piece of 3/4" galvanized pipe. I have seen this pipe left both empty and filled with lead. Obviously the lead filled version was pretty heavy and acted as a dead-blow hammer.

Hope this helps & Merry Christmas,
Ed

[bolodunn]

i would not get the cheapie from gander mountain.
i got one last year & broke the end off first day!! i just put it to the grinder & sharpened the end. its now nomore than a 6' piece of rerod!!

[roger23]

I make mine from 2 to 2 1/2 wide x 8 to 10 in long 1/2 5/8 3/4 plate depending if I am going to spud a hole or just check thickness . I grind the edge back on about a 30 deg angle then weld stellite or any hard weld rod on the other end weld a 3/4 in pipe coupling that way you can put any length pipe on you like. I also put about a 6 in pc of 3/4 pipe " T "on the top it works good to slam it in the ice don't forget the rope I have more than one on the bottom on ERIE In the day we use to load the pipe with lead to make it heavy to bust ice faster also wear you out. like everything else you will make a couple before you get the one you like never had a problem giving one away I did not like . give it a try ;)

[sfw1960]

The Whale made this gem...
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/539/spud_head.jpg

I think Jeff said it was oil quenched tool steel....
:evilsmile

I don't recall where the post was - but I'd sure like to try one of those bad dawGz....
:SHOCKED:

[StumpJumper]

The Whale made this gem...
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/539/spud_head.jpg

I think Jeff said it was oil quenched tool steel....
:evilsmile

I don't recall where the post was - but I'd sure like to try one of those bad dawGz....
:SHOCKED:

Does it cut a nice hole or what???

[jamieking989]

Make a nedle bar. They will cut a hole faster than anything on the ice. Mine is made of a axle shaft out of the rearend of a pickup. A round, long, 6 inch taper at the end that goes to a point. then insert it into a pipe and pin it and weld it. Fill the pipe with sand if there any onpen space. Cap it and weld a rectangular ring on the end to fit your hand. These are used on the saginaw bay and can go through the ice very fast.

jamie

[roger23]

I built one like this years ago I think the problem I had I made it too wide and not heavy enough. I will look for it , or make a new one and give it a try. These were around a lot in the late 50's when the swedish spoons were the latest at least on Erie Thanks for the reminder,had for got about that type ;)

[Jacob Huffman]

My dad makes his own spuds.He has made one each for us boy's and himself.His personal spud is the best of the 3,it is about 5 feet tall and weighs about 15 pounds.The head is made of hardened steel and he actually sharpens it with a whet stone,same as for sharpening knifes.I remember him telling me one time as I was carrying it out on the ice with the blade across my fingers that if I tripped and hit the ice with the spud the way it was I would be missing all my fingers.I was wearing heavy leather chopper mittens and when I took the spud off my hand I could see it had already cut the leather...:yikes:

[Robert Hoover]

mine was made by my dad and it consists of a 8 inch piece of leaf spring hammred flat and then angle cut welded to a 4 1/2 foot piece of black pipe 1 inch diameter with the threads on top and a t or a 3 way split on top for a handle. if you can weld make on if not i like the spdy spuds or a jiffy youre spud may save youre life on day (either in self defense or prevntive measures for falling through ice) so it dosnt pay to be cheap the average pric for a good on is about 40 -45 dollars

[ohiowoody]

two years ago when i went to a flip over style shanty, i wanted a spud that
would fit down inside. regular spud was too long. went online and found a
2 piece spud. breaks in the center. cutting end is 3 stepped very sharp edges.
it really cuts and doesn't seem to throw ice all over. i love it!

[Houghton laker]

Thats the jiffy spud woody.....comes apart for hauling!

[ohiowoody]

Thats the jiffy spud woody.....comes apart for hauling!

you're right -it is a jiffy- it's at work and i'm at home, so i couldn't remember
the brand. sure is handy though. and it sure cuts nice and cuts quick. sold
my old one piece at an auction last summer.

[Westlakedrive]

Yeah thats sounds more like what I would be looking for. Something more transportable when I was not using it. Those other suckers seem so long for hauling around on the ice.

[five more casts]

I know they're a little expensive ($42 at lakeside) but I like my speedy spud. long for checking ice, three point chisel that is very sharp. I'm not a shanty guy so carrying my bucket on my spud over my shoulder works great!

[Icecreep]

It's called the Mille Lacs Ice Chisel from Jiffy. Sold in one pc. or two pc.

[sfw1960]

http://www.reedssports.com/Product.taf?_function=detail&_ID=1359

Jiffy Mille Lacs Lake Ice Chisel - 2 pc.

http://www.reedssports.com/Sites/reeds/Image/catimages/chisel.JPG


:D

[UNCLE AL]

I bought mine at a rummage sale, made from round stock (about 1/2 inch, 3pcs) machined to about a 30 degree angle, Then has a 3/4 in coupling welded to it. Screws onto a 5' piece of black pipe.also has a 3/4 in Pipe T on the other end with a rope through it. Nice thing about this is you can unscrew the spud end,and screw other Implements onto it for other uses.

[Ed Michrina]

Is it just me or does anyone else think it's a bad idea to have a spud tied to your wrist while walking on the ice? I'd hate to fall through with that looped around my hand?

Another tidbit. Sharpening was brought up, only sharpen the cut side of the spud. Don't put an edge of the flat side. I did this when I was young and the spud cut about as good as a wood 2x4.

[Relentless]

I bought mine at a rummage sale, made from round stock (about 1/2 inch, 3pcs) machined to about a 30 degree angle, Then has a 3/4 in coupling welded to it. Screws onto a 5' piece of black pipe.also has a 3/4 in Pipe T on the other end with a rope through it. Nice thing about this is you can unscrew the spud end,and screw other Implements onto it for other uses.

Like this? hehe. I just made this one from one I saw that was EXACTLY like the one you mentioned. I wanted to use 1095 steel and flame harden it, but I got all these components (300 series stainless steel) and machine work for free, so I stuck with this option. I like the removable heads though .... they can be heat treated and sharpened very easily.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/548/medium/IMG_0621.JPG

[Relentless]

By the way, Lyman's in Houghton Lake has an excellent ice busting spud similar to mine. I don't care for the points however cause it looks like they are a pain to sharpen. Maybe I will take a picture of it tomorrow.

[UNCLE AL]

RELENTLESS,
You've been in my barn...................Mine looks just like that except the angle is cut longer, and the whole head is removable. Yours looks to have the center tine as the handle for the spud. Mine has 3 tines brazed together, and a 3/4 in. pipe coupling brazed to them where a 3/4 in black pipe can be screwed into it.