Nice video, thanks. I went with the KDrill for several reasons but the main one was the chipper blade. It cuts with raw savagery. Most of our lakes here are surrounded with decomposed granite (sand) which blows across the lake through the winter and into the layers of ice. You hit sand particles with a shaver blade it will dull the edge quickly. But the chipper blade doesn't care about sand, rips right through and stays sharp for years. The 6" version is actually 6.5", and significantly cheaper than the 7.5". It also requires a little less power. Since you can overlap holes, I can drill a 10" oval hole but most of the time the 6.5 is fine for walleye and trout.
You can easily drill holes next to each other if you want larger holes with the K-drill. Drill doesn't walk on you. Also, no scooping holes, you can easily clear slush from holes with the K-drill by reversing the drill. Slush is pushed under ice. My 83 year young buddy easily handles & loves my K-drill.
I was just discussing this very thing today with my son. He plans to get an Eskimo and use a dewalt 60 volt drill. I'm on the fence yet. kinda like the ides of the alignment point and the ability to reopen holes in a shack. Guess I'll have to buy one for me and one for the wife! Happy Anniversary, Honey. LOL
I use a hand auger with and adapter to my dewalt and a piece of Cdx plywood cut into a circle for a stop Works awesome and costs way less. Weighs more but still really light. Thanks for the video sir!!!!!!!
Thanks for the comparison. Picked up a pistol at the ice show and been in the back of my mind since if I made the right choice. I don’t overlap holes often for sturg in the winter but when I do can use the gaser. Nice vid.
The Jiffy Torch has a single chipper blade and should be good for rough or dirty ice, but will be slower and require more torque. You better have a really good drill if you plan to use the Torch.
@@3RiversFishingAdventures yes I have looked at them in store. They look like the traditional jiffy auger but running clockwise now. I use a fuel gen3 on a pistol bit for early ice but try and avoid dirty ice. I would like to see some comparison vids in deeper (20 inches) ice. The 1 vid out there is in 6 inches of ice and yes it seems to make the drill struggle more than the shaver designs.
I bought a pistol 6 about a month ago, used it 4 seperate days....freaking love it! Super light, fits on my 1/2" Dewalt 20v hammer drill perfectly, and flies through the ice! Seriously, if your considering a auger / drill bit....buy an Eskimo 6 or 8!
We just converted from gas to cordless drill auger. We went with the Eskimo pistol bit and the Milwaukee 2804 18v (1200 in/lbs torque) drill/driver and two 5 a/hr battery's. Most videos I have watched have recommended the Eskimo pistol bit. A hand auger with drill adapter would be our second choice. (at 73 it's hard to wrangle the weight of a gas or big 40 volt auger)
It will indeed cut your boot. I experienced exactly what you described...the corner of the shaver blade cut THROUGH my thick boot and two socks , and into my foot. Five stitches at ER. They really should put a center point on it. Easy does it at the beginning.
I bought a K drill and drilled about 12 holes and one of the flights broke off. Im not hard on my equipment either so i returned it and got a Nils so we'll see. The blades and the punch in middle are sweet though.
I find comparing the K-drill to any of the shave style augers is pointless. I fish in my hard shack the most and reopen holes daily. No brainer to get the K-drill. Compare the Eskimo with other shavers on the market! Great video, cant get enough of watching these on break while I'm stuck at work!
Thanks Adam, I agree. However most people don't understand the differences been the 2 blades and I keep seeing Pistol Bit vs KDrill questions so I thought I'd do a fair comparison.
Thanks for the video! It is pretty clear that both augers will serve you well. I would love to see a follow up video at the end of the season to see how well they both hold up.
I’ve owned the 6” k-drill for 3 years and love it. The ability to drill holes next to each other allows me to have what ever size hole I want really is why I bought the 6” over the 8”. Much much longer battery life with the 6” as well. I did some research into the k-drill before I bought it and found out that the makers of k-drill teamed up with Milwaukee tools to essentially make a high speed drill bit for the ice. Upon reading that I bought the M18 Hammer Drill/Driver CAT.NO. 2704-20. This combo is amazing with the k-drill. I’ve used a dewalt drill and there is a difference. I’ll bring 2 5 amp hour batteries with me and fish all weekend without a charge. Nice job on the video and good luck on the ice.
i use a strike master mora with adapter and kobalt 24v. i live in MN and we got anywhere from 12-18 inches on most lakes now and that cuts through 12" in about 5 seconds. EITHER WAY THOUGH... an auger is an auger... its all about what drill you have to be honest and if your blades are sharp.
Shaver blades are really easy to sharpen. If you strop them every couple outings you'll hardly ever have to redo the primary edge. Take care of the blades (don't use as walking stick, don't pound on the ice). IMO shaver blades are the best.
A few things not mentioned , the way to move the Eskimo disk when drilling deeper ! " like inside of a wheel house " how much replacement blades are on the Eskimo? Just over $50 a set I've seen , The k-drill blades are free lifetime sharpening, but if you need an extension for the k-drill you also need another float to keep it from sinking !
Only thing I'd be worried about with the K Drill is if you aren't in real thick ice, let's say 6" ice, and the auger comes loose and plummets into the hole, the foam might allow it to drop under the bottom side of the ice and it might not come back up straight. Thus trapping the floating auger under the ice. You might be able to recover it by reaching under but it was just a thought that crossed my mind. Great video!
Great work on the video. This is my third season running the KDrill 8". Couldn't be happier. Think if I had to do it again I'd get the KDrill over the Pistol because the KDrill has a center point. Blades are more durable and offer free sharpening. I paired it with a Milwaukee Fuel 2603 drill driver. I've got 1 9.0 battery and two 5.0 batteries. I also just got the new 12.0 battery as an early Christmas gift. Going to do the first trial run with it this weekend. I did add the BearCreek auger retainer to my Kdrill which is a disc similar to what is on the Pistol except there is no problem with the room to tighten the chuck on the drill. Gives me greater peace of mind that I won't lose my auger down the hole ever. Have a safe & successful season and again great job on the vid.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the comments. I bet that 12 ah battery will work great! I've been eyeballing the new Rigid Octane. Looks like another good drill on the market. All this competition is a win for us anglers.
Sure is. Can't really go wrong with all the new drills coming out on the market. That 12.0 battery should be fun. I'm going to try attaching the KDrill to my Strikemaster gas auger when the ice gets too thick for batteries and drill. See how that works.
I got a 6" pistol for scouting, I stopped counting after 100 holes, I'd say I cut closer to 175 with it using a Milwaukee fule with 9ah battery. I dont see my k drill getting used much anymore.
The eskimo has ben updated for 2019/2020 season. It has a centering bit and a longer 1/2" shank for easier connection of your drill. No more walking and easy attachment. This thing flat out rips!!!
Great review. Thanks. These set ups are so light you could afford the weight to bring channel locks to tighten the pistol a bit better. Shaver blades are tried and true but do have to be babied more. K drill is made in USA. Where is pistol made?
Final choice for me was the K-Drill with a Clam auger drill adapter plate and Milwaukee 2804--22 cordless drill. I choose the K-Drill because it adapted to the Clam plate and has a centering pin to keep the auger from walking when starting a hole. Hopefully Eskimo catches up.
How are these units doing when you are dealing with 24in., 36in or even 42in. of ice? what you have to consider also is the cleaning of ice chips out of the hole.
i didn't think my drill would be able to do it for some reason, but you've just proved me wrong. thank you, will be picking something like this up. i drill with hand power, no more cardio for me lol
@@johnj8686 oh perfect it will work great. The battery size makes a difference too. Mine are 5ah and it works good, but I bet the 9ah or 12ah would be awesome!
@@joef.2908 did the ice have sand grit in it? i have seen several lakes that do, and no blade will stand up to that. Its nice to have free sharpening or replacement.
Just tried my new Pistol 6" today, I freakin' love it!! The thing is so light, helps compared to my gas auger. It is my "light pack." If I go out with a buddy or 2 I take my 8" gas auger and we all carry gear. But like earlier today, I just took the bare bones out with me, such a good time not having to haul so much gear out to sit out in the open and hole hop. There is a time and a place for all gear. Does the 6" Pistol replace my gas auger...no not really. But it is amazing for when I want to use it.
I just bought the 7.5" Kdrill and purchased the DeWalt999 which can be used with a 60 Volt Flex battery. I've heard that by using that, you get about 35-40% more use. Another thing I'm wondering is why can't you just cut a chunk of pool noodle and put it below the disc for more peace of mind? Just tape it after you have it set on the shaft.
Shaver blades are fast and great on new ice. That's great for early season. If you are on a popular lake after a month, you will be drilling through previously drilled holes. Chipper blades are slower, but they work no matter what. Shaver blades can walk, not bite, and not go through old ice at all. I had a morra auger with shaver blades and had a lot of problems later in the season. I got a kdrill and the thing just works. No matter what, it will drill a hole where you want. Vexilar, who makes the kdrill, also sharpens blades for free. Use what you like. But when it's -20 I want to drill my 2 holes and get inside. I don't want to have to move around because my auger won't bite.
My eight inch Eskimo hand auger was 85 bucks with adapter. It drills just as well as the pistol. Actually looks like the same blades. My 18 volt Dewalt is on the light side however. I only get 10 holes in 12" of ice. Two batteries do me for the day but I am going to have to do something as far as upgrading my drill.
I have the DeWalt DCD996. It's a hammer drill but I don't use that function and in fact you shouldn't. The main reason people buy them is for the side handle that comes with it. It's all about the torque specs though. Don't just assume because it's brushless or a certain voltage that it will work. If you skimp on the drill, you'll be disappointed.
Just a thought.. if the k-drill does come off the drill and plunges into hole, will it not drop below the level of ice first, hopfully it comes back up straight?
Yes, the float will keep it upright in the hole, or at least long enough for you to quickly grab it. I bet it's possible for it to plunge under the ice though and get caught up outside the hole.
U have like 8 inch of ice. Kdrill fins slow down fall speed. Sponge float. And the drill need to plunge below 8 inch before it cant be recover. Most time I drop 4 inch and float back up.
I'll bet after a season of using you will be back to the kdrill, that spike and chipper blades are far superior design and much safer, I tried the eskimo and prefer the ability to drill overlapping holes and the bigger chunks of ice the kdrill makes is much quicker to clean the holes. just my opinion the Eskimo is pretty good too but not as good as the kdrill
Great review!! I have both the K Drill and Pistol 6 incher's as you said I will use the Pistol for hole hopping and the K Drill for when I overlap holes for tip fishing. You do great videos. Be careful with the pistol just start slow and game on!
The disc getting in the way is not really an issue. Just put an extension on the drill. As for the floats I like the disc better than the foam because the foam can still go under the ice before coming up. It's now lost under the ice. As for the disc it will stop at the ice level. Finally a simple auger for ice fishing using a drill. I may take my old auger to my welder and have him weld on a piece to fit on the drill. Now I'm saving 200 plus dollars. And, no more wrenched shoulders doing it by hand.
so you want to add weight to the drill? why? , and the foam works just fine, my kdrill came off in 6 inchs of ice and it never come close to under the ice.
DTroFishOn well what do you do when the ice is thicker, and I didn’t see a new battery on when you switched drills. If that little bit of weight bothers you your not much of a fisherman. Omg
@@scoopyall2996 You should read the comments a little better DTFO didn't say anything about the weight Ryan did. He is simply saying you shouldn't have to add anything to the bit to get it work properly. Which I would agree. For the price of these things you should have to rig it to work properly.
Eskimo blades dulls fast. Kdrill have hard blade that last. I prefer the kdrill only because when ou hit those dirty bad surface ice the kdrill do much better and dull less. I think kdrill should make a shave blade option also.
Great vid ! I’ll stick with my Kdrill it’s not as tall which I like since I’m only 5’8 I have an extension if I ever would need it. I also really like the fact I can open old holes with no problem. And the center point is a must especially when you want to drill a bunch of holes fast when on glare ice. And I’m not sure about Eskimo but for the Kdrill they will sharpen the blades for free. But all in all they both did great. Thanks !!
Thanks for the comment Glen. That is the biggest take away, different augers do different things. Hopefully one of the companies will improve on the design and give us the best features of each. Personally I'm hoping for a 10" version soon.
I’d use the strike master bungee instead of that disc crap on the auger. It connects to the shaft on the auger and bungees over the drill. Honestly i like the k drill so far for weight the center point and size. At most I’d be going through 2 ft of ice. Small light compact precision aggressive . I’m looking into the strikemaster light flight but think it’s taller which I don’t need. Guess we can’t have everything. Thanks for the video
i will stick with the Kdrill because of the blades, when it comes to late season and going to a lake that had a hot bite, i promise you will hit old holes and sand and grit in the ice. Don't really feel like looking around for a extra blade to buy.
Comment: Best battery drill that has over 1000 inch pounds of torque and 4 amp/hr or higher lithium batteries (2, one in use and one for spare) and brush less motor.
With these, you can drill holes side by side to get a much bigger hole. If the auger falls out of the drill, a distinct possibility, the one with the float will still be able to be saved. The one with the disk will "sleep with the fishes" and you can kiss your $250 goodbye.
Great video! Love my pistol bit. Never had issue re-cutting hole. You made a comment about hard to tighten Pistol bit. My advice tighten chuck without the handle on it. When done put handle back on.
I"ve had a K drill for 3 years, have used it in 2 full seasons and it has not shown any signs of dulling. you can open new holes and drill holes next to each other without having any problems. that i think makes it a better auger then the eskimo. i just don't think those eskimo blades will hold up and I'm sure they're not cheap to replace. they may outperform when they're sharp but if you hit any dirt you can kiss those blades goodbye. the most batteries that I've used in a day is 3 and i have a milwaukee m18 so get extra batteries and a k drill and in my opinion thats the best auger out there right now for a cordless drill
Gonna give the Eskimo 8" Pistol Bit a try but deffinately going with the newer 2020 Updated (Model # 35600) that came out recently as that one now has the centering (Power Point) in the head and should make this better now!
Nice review derren. I just picked up the 7.5" k drill. I was going to go eskimo but saw the k on sale at fleet farm for 209. I got tired of hauling the old jiffy model 30 around. Hows the sturgen bite out there? We didn't have a whole lot of luck after our trip with you in October but we got a few.
DTroFishOn I’m going to bring one of the those pvc plastic plumbing wrenches to see if I can get it tighter. I have a 996 Dewalt and in not sure if the chuck is failing but it loosened up on and fell off on my test runs. Thanks for the reply! I saw one of your posts regarding the rigid octane - will you be posting a vid on it? If it’s the clutch that might be the best drill...
@@supermike615 yes it's sitting right here next to me. I'll be doing a video soon, but I can tell you right now. It's a great deal with that battery combo at Home Depot! Plus I think it will tighten up better with the Eskimo. I can't confirm though because I gave away the Eskimo on my Facebook page and kept the KDrill.
Well luckily for me I never catch fish THAT big 🤣 but yeah it's a little disappointing if it's not an 8" hole, I asked my wife for a K-Drill for Christmas, now I'm kind of hoping she DIDN'T buy it.
@D L. According to the video the K-Drill has chipper blades that allow you to cut holes side by side easily. I've not personally done it, but it would be cool to have a wider view for sight fishing
Ryan Roehr it’s actually no problem. Just do it the same way you would tighten the chuck when using a drill bit. For some reason he’s reversed the normal way people do it.
I think you are missing the point, there isn't enough room to fit my hand in there. I want to grab the chuck with 3 or 4 fingers. There just isn't enough clearance no matter how I hold it.
I personally have the clam which I have been happy with K drill an Eskimo I probably just as good as setup but if you already have a hand auger I thank I would go with the clam could save you $100 in cost if you already have a hand auger
i used a 6" hand auger, cut it off at the bend, and hooked my clamplate extension to it. Now, I did have the chuck part welded to the shaft of the auger. I can always get another chuck shaft for the clamplate. It works great. Very lightweight. I use a Hercules 20volt drill. Took a little getting used to, and you have to pull it out and back in a few times when drilling 10 inches deep or more. But its lighter than my Eskimo 8" gas auger that i bought back in 94
Hi DTronFishOn! After using the Pistol Bit for a couple of seasons now, I was wondering how long your shaver blades lasted before needing a sharpening? Thanks for sharing these videos!
They should last a couple of years, but mostly it depends on the type of ice you use it on. You might have to change or sharpen more often in some cases. I switched over to a 10" for most of my fishing and rarely used the 8 in the past couple of years.
I have the k drill, strikemaster lazer and the pistol, all on the Milwaukee 2804-20. Honestly I hate the slip and skip on the pistol. I wish it had that point. Hopefully the new STRIKEMASTER LITE-FLITE LAZER DRILL UNIT will replace them all next season
i can not believe how expensive these are they are just a auger and they they are made from plastic.. I have no doubt they both work but why so expensive for plastic...???
I don't understand the K-Drill cult. BTW, eskimo and lazer blades are interchangeable. They are literally the same auger except for color. I bought a pile of eskimo blades for Cheap, only difference is the screws. A lazer strikemaster is all you need. $80 and replacement blades are cheap. Let's not make this difficult. A nils would put a kdrill to shame.
@@3RiversFishingAdventures You should actually compare the nils convertible 8 and a trekker and an ht nero to the pistol. The guy cutting with a chipper isnt likely interested in speed and most on the move guys would appreciate the speed size measure and weight vid just like you did it with 1 difference. 1 hole timed. 4 guys same drills timed. Great job on your test
69 is the perfect amount of holes. I was laughed of the ice the first time I used my battery drill to drill ice fishing holes many years ago, know it's main stream.
Nice video, thanks. I went with the KDrill for several reasons but the main one was the chipper blade. It cuts with raw savagery. Most of our lakes here are surrounded with decomposed granite (sand) which blows across the lake through the winter and into the layers of ice. You hit sand particles with a shaver blade it will dull the edge quickly. But the chipper blade doesn't care about sand, rips right through and stays sharp for years. The 6" version is actually 6.5", and significantly cheaper than the 7.5". It also requires a little less power. Since you can overlap holes, I can drill a 10" oval hole but most of the time the 6.5 is fine for walleye and trout.
You can easily drill holes next to each other if you want larger holes with the K-drill. Drill doesn't walk on you. Also, no scooping holes, you can easily clear slush from holes with the K-drill by reversing the drill. Slush is pushed under ice. My 83 year young buddy easily handles & loves my K-drill.
@Jeffro Lans I think that you are quite right! I didn't realize that there are now better drills. I will be selling my K-drill.
Nice number of holes you got there with the Eskimo
I was just discussing this very thing today with my son. He plans to get an Eskimo and use a dewalt 60 volt drill. I'm on the fence yet. kinda like the ides of the alignment point and the ability to reopen holes in a shack. Guess I'll have to buy one for me and one for the wife! Happy Anniversary, Honey. LOL
I use a hand auger with and adapter to my dewalt and a piece of Cdx plywood cut into a circle for a stop Works awesome and costs way less. Weighs more but still really light. Thanks for the video sir!!!!!!!
I like the Eskimo love the light weight and with a Milwaukee drill and a 9 amp batteries I can drill for hours
DEWALT
I have the exact setup and I love it don't get why people still use gas augers
I was worried a bit you were going to drill the ice out so much you'd fall in with all those holes! :) nice video
Thanks for the comparison. Picked up a pistol at the ice show and been in the back of my mind since if I made the right choice. I don’t overlap holes often for sturg in the winter but when I do can use the gaser. Nice vid.
Thanks, you'll like it!
DTroFishOn Dtro, do you have a drill preference for 2018 - just picked up a pistol
@@supermike615 in no order Milwaukee 2804, DeWalt Dcd996 and Ridgid Octane R8611506B
I would love to see the new jiffy torch vs the others.
The Jiffy Torch has a single chipper blade and should be good for rough or dirty ice, but will be slower and require more torque. You better have a really good drill if you plan to use the Torch.
@@3RiversFishingAdventures yes I have looked at them in store. They look like the traditional jiffy auger but running clockwise now. I use a fuel gen3 on a pistol bit for early ice but try and avoid dirty ice. I would like to see some comparison vids in deeper (20 inches) ice. The 1 vid out there is in 6 inches of ice and yes it seems to make the drill struggle more than the shaver designs.
Have 7 in laser hand drill hooked to Milwaukee fuel. Unbelievable how fast it drills. Third year on same blades.
I bought a pistol 6 about a month ago, used it 4 seperate days....freaking love it! Super light, fits on my 1/2" Dewalt 20v hammer drill perfectly, and flies through the ice!
Seriously, if your considering a auger / drill bit....buy an Eskimo 6 or 8!
We just converted from gas to cordless drill auger. We went with the Eskimo pistol bit and the Milwaukee 2804 18v (1200 in/lbs torque) drill/driver and two 5 a/hr battery's. Most videos I have watched have recommended the Eskimo pistol bit. A hand auger with drill adapter would be our second choice. (at 73 it's hard to wrangle the weight of a gas or big 40 volt auger)
I think you will be happy with that setup Tom.
@@3RiversFishingAdventures Especially when going from 25 pounds down to less than 8 pounds, and faster hole drilling speed.
@@tomn5880 absolutely. No doubt about it. Good luck on the ice this year and be safe!
It will indeed cut your boot. I experienced exactly what you described...the corner of the shaver blade cut THROUGH my thick boot and two socks , and into my foot. Five stitches at ER. They really should put a center point on it. Easy does it at the beginning.
have you did a comparison video re-opening holes in an ice house?? really like to see that
I bought a K drill and drilled about 12 holes and one of the flights broke off. Im not hard on my equipment either so i returned it and got a Nils so we'll see. The blades and the punch in middle are sweet though.
I find comparing the K-drill to any of the shave style augers is pointless. I fish in my hard shack the most and reopen holes daily. No brainer to get the K-drill. Compare the Eskimo with other shavers on the market! Great video, cant get enough of watching these on break while I'm stuck at work!
Thanks Adam, I agree. However most people don't understand the differences been the 2 blades and I keep seeing Pistol Bit vs KDrill questions so I thought I'd do a fair comparison.
Thanks for the awesome review. Not only did you sell me on the Eskimo, you sold me on the cordless drill being a good idea!
Thanks for the video! It is pretty clear that both augers will serve you well. I would love to see a follow up video at the end of the season to see how well they both hold up.
I will try to do that. Thanks for watching.
I’ve owned the 6” k-drill for 3 years and love it. The ability to drill holes next to each other allows me to have what ever size hole I want really is why I bought the 6” over the 8”. Much much longer battery life with the 6” as well. I did some research into the k-drill before I bought it and found out that the makers of k-drill teamed up with Milwaukee tools to essentially make a high speed drill bit for the ice. Upon reading that I bought the M18 Hammer Drill/Driver CAT.NO. 2704-20. This combo is amazing with the k-drill. I’ve used a dewalt drill and there is a difference. I’ll bring 2 5 amp hour batteries with me and fish all weekend without a charge. Nice job on the video and good luck on the ice.
Good points Robb. Thanks for the comments.
Robb Cartwright couldnt agree more, i too have the 6” and absolutely love it
i use a strike master mora with adapter and kobalt 24v. i live in MN and we got anywhere from 12-18 inches on most lakes now and that cuts through 12" in about 5 seconds.
EITHER WAY THOUGH... an auger is an auger... its all about what drill you have to be honest and if your blades are sharp.
Was thinking the same thing. I have a mora with a Ryobi and it rips all day long. Much cheaper as well
Is that with the 6" or 8"? I'm up in Canada and am looking for budget friendly setup.
Thank you, finally someone doing a review of the pistol bit!
Thanks for watching, Samuel
If you dont have the side handle on the drill is it to much torque to hold the drill?
I would not recommend using it without some sort of handle.
Loved the review! Just a recommendation if you drilled your holes straight instead of angled it may drill more holes
Shaver blades are really easy to sharpen. If you strop them every couple outings you'll hardly ever have to redo the primary edge. Take care of the blades (don't use as walking stick, don't pound on the ice). IMO shaver blades are the best.
A few things not mentioned , the way to move the Eskimo disk when drilling deeper ! " like inside of a wheel house " how much replacement blades are on the Eskimo? Just over $50 a set I've seen , The k-drill blades are free lifetime sharpening, but if you need an extension for the k-drill you also need another float to keep it from sinking !
Also not mentioned it takes 2-3 weeks to get blades back from kdrill
@@joshuadoerr277 yeah but just do it in the off season
Joshua Doerr hmmm I got mine back in less than 10 days
Only thing I'd be worried about with the K Drill is if you aren't in real thick ice, let's say 6" ice, and the auger comes loose and plummets into the hole, the foam might allow it to drop under the bottom side of the ice and it might not come back up straight. Thus trapping the floating auger under the ice. You might be able to recover it by reaching under but it was just a thought that crossed my mind. Great video!
You have a valid concern, as it happened to a friend. Luckily, he was able to retrieve it, but it was a close call.
Great work on the video. This is my third season running the KDrill 8". Couldn't be happier. Think if I had to do it again I'd get the KDrill over the Pistol because the KDrill has a center point. Blades are more durable and offer free sharpening. I paired it with a Milwaukee Fuel 2603 drill driver. I've got 1 9.0 battery and two 5.0 batteries. I also just got the new 12.0 battery as an early Christmas gift. Going to do the first trial run with it this weekend. I did add the BearCreek auger retainer to my Kdrill which is a disc similar to what is on the Pistol except there is no problem with the room to tighten the chuck on the drill. Gives me greater peace of mind that I won't lose my auger down the hole ever. Have a safe & successful season and again great job on the vid.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the comments. I bet that 12 ah battery will work great! I've been eyeballing the new Rigid Octane. Looks like another good drill on the market. All this competition is a win for us anglers.
Sure is. Can't really go wrong with all the new drills coming out on the market. That 12.0 battery should be fun. I'm going to try attaching the KDrill to my Strikemaster gas auger when the ice gets too thick for batteries and drill. See how that works.
I got a 6" pistol for scouting, I stopped counting after 100 holes, I'd say I cut closer to 175 with it using a Milwaukee fule with 9ah battery. I dont see my k drill getting used much anymore.
Nope, I'm in 12-13"
DEWALT
Dewalt? Dewalt is junk, Obviously you have never run Milwaukee tools, there is no comparison.
The eskimo has ben updated for 2019/2020 season. It has a centering bit and a longer 1/2" shank for easier connection of your drill. No more walking and easy attachment. This thing flat out rips!!!
Great review. Thanks. These set ups are so light you could afford the weight to bring channel locks to tighten the pistol a bit better. Shaver blades are tried and true but do have to be babied more. K drill is made in USA. Where is pistol made?
Why do they tell you not to drill holes next to each other with the pistol?
that little bit of foam for flotation looks like it will be worthless if there is any current or it doesn't pop back thru the hole. ??
Final choice for me was the K-Drill with a Clam auger drill adapter plate and Milwaukee 2804--22 cordless drill. I choose the K-Drill because it adapted to the Clam plate and has a centering pin to keep the auger from walking when starting a hole. Hopefully Eskimo catches up.
How are these units doing when you are dealing with 24in., 36in or even 42in. of ice? what you have to consider also is the cleaning of ice chips out of the hole.
They work fine with thicker ice, but like you mentioned cleaning out the ice chips is crucial.
My only fear with the k drill is it coming off and bobs under the ice and I get wet trying to retrieve it or i cant get it back.
i didn't think my drill would be able to do it for some reason, but you've just proved me wrong. thank you, will be picking something like this up. i drill with hand power, no more cardio for me lol
Make sure your drill meets the minimum specs. If so it will work great.
@@3RiversFishingAdventures i have the same one you used in the video
@@johnj8686 oh perfect it will work great. The battery size makes a difference too. Mine are 5ah and it works good, but I bet the 9ah or 12ah would be awesome!
The k-drill also has free sharpenings of their blades if you send them in..
Yes good point, I forgot to mention that. Thanks
Had k drill blades sharpened once, they cut the same as when I sent them in, maybe even worse so, take that for what it's worth.
@@joef.2908 did the ice have sand grit in it? i have seen several lakes that do, and no blade will stand up to that. Its nice to have free sharpening or replacement.
No, ice looked clean
My eskimo has a center bit installed.... new version maybe?
Yes it is a new version for this year.
Take ur drill handle off but bit on the handle ?
Just tried my new Pistol 6" today, I freakin' love it!! The thing is so light, helps compared to my gas auger. It is my "light pack." If I go out with a buddy or 2 I take my 8" gas auger and we all carry gear. But like earlier today, I just took the bare bones out with me, such a good time not having to haul so much gear out to sit out in the open and hole hop. There is a time and a place for all gear. Does the 6" Pistol replace my gas auger...no not really. But it is amazing for when I want to use it.
I just bought the 7.5" Kdrill and purchased the DeWalt999 which can be used with a 60 Volt Flex battery. I've heard that by using that, you get about 35-40% more use. Another thing I'm wondering is why can't you just cut a chunk of pool noodle and put it below the disc for more peace of mind? Just tape it after you have it set on the shaft.
Shaver blades are fast and great on new ice. That's great for early season. If you are on a popular lake after a month, you will be drilling through previously drilled holes. Chipper blades are slower, but they work no matter what. Shaver blades can walk, not bite, and not go through old ice at all.
I had a morra auger with shaver blades and had a lot of problems later in the season. I got a kdrill and the thing just works. No matter what, it will drill a hole where you want. Vexilar, who makes the kdrill, also sharpens blades for free. Use what you like. But when it's -20 I want to drill my 2 holes and get inside. I don't want to have to move around because my auger won't bite.
LOL, you must fish on pond. NEVER have I had to drill through previous drilled holes on any lake.
I believe the kdrill is made in america too! Im trying to decide and leaning towards the kdrill. I used one yesterday with a buddy. Worked great!
My eight inch Eskimo hand auger was 85 bucks with adapter. It drills just as well as the pistol. Actually looks like the same blades. My 18 volt Dewalt is on the light side however. I only get 10 holes in 12" of ice. Two batteries do me for the day but I am going to have to do something as far as upgrading my drill.
Yep I agree, except it weighs twice as much.
I see k-drill has changed the 8" to 7.5" on there site now and now they offer a 8.5"
Which drill are you using? I’ve seen people using hammer drills and I have no intention on using such. I have the brushless 20v dewalt drill
I have the DeWalt DCD996. It's a hammer drill but I don't use that function and in fact you shouldn't. The main reason people buy them is for the side handle that comes with it. It's all about the torque specs though. Don't just assume because it's brushless or a certain voltage that it will work. If you skimp on the drill, you'll be disappointed.
The new pistol bit has a centering point on the 8” model only and is a huge improvement over the old model
Just a thought.. if the k-drill does come off the drill and plunges into hole, will it not drop below the level of ice first, hopfully it comes back up straight?
Yes, the float will keep it upright in the hole, or at least long enough for you to quickly grab it. I bet it's possible for it to plunge under the ice though and get caught up outside the hole.
I've had mines detached from the drill and the k drill float prevents it from going below the ice.
U have like 8 inch of ice. Kdrill fins slow down fall speed. Sponge float. And the drill need to plunge below 8 inch before it cant be recover. Most time I drop 4 inch and float back up.
are you letting drill go on own and how do you stop drill from shutting down on its own
Pretty easy to figure out which one you favor in the beginning of your review.
I'll bet after a season of using you will be back to the kdrill, that spike and chipper blades are far superior design and much safer, I tried the eskimo and prefer the ability to drill overlapping holes and the bigger chunks of ice the kdrill makes is much quicker to clean the holes. just my opinion the Eskimo is pretty good too but not as good as the kdrill
Great review!! I have both the K Drill and Pistol 6 incher's as you said I will use the Pistol for hole hopping and the K Drill for when I overlap holes for tip fishing. You do great videos. Be careful with the pistol just start slow and game on!
Thanks Kim I appreciate the comment.
The disc getting in the way is not really an issue. Just put an extension on the drill. As for the floats I like the disc better than the foam because the foam can still go under the ice before coming up. It's now lost under the ice. As for the disc it will stop at the ice level.
Finally a simple auger for ice fishing using a drill.
I may take my old auger to my welder and have him weld on a piece to fit on the drill. Now I'm saving 200 plus dollars.
And, no more wrenched shoulders doing it by hand.
The point is that I shouldn't have to put an extension on it. It should be good to go right out of the box with easy chuck access.
so you want to add weight to the drill? why? , and the foam works just fine, my kdrill came off in 6 inchs of ice and it never come close to under the ice.
@@commonsenseapproach101 since you used it I'll take your word for it.
DTroFishOn well what do you do when the ice is thicker, and I didn’t see a new battery on when you switched drills. If that little bit of weight bothers you your not much of a fisherman. Omg
@@scoopyall2996 You should read the comments a little better DTFO didn't say anything about the weight Ryan did. He is simply saying you shouldn't have to add anything to the bit to get it work properly. Which I would agree. For the price of these things you should have to rig it to work properly.
the augers are made of plastic?
Yes
Eskimo blades dulls fast. Kdrill have hard blade that last. I prefer the kdrill only because when ou hit those dirty bad surface ice the kdrill do much better and dull less. I think kdrill should make a shave blade option also.
is there a way to use a Milwaukee impact drill with these bits?
no, not recommended, use a proper drill driver with at least 750 in/lb torque spec with at least a 4ah battery
@@3RiversFishingAdventures Thanks
There is some sort of annoying background noise. Sounds like a flasher. Is your camera OK?
I believe the serrated flutes on the K are to lift the chips out and not to throw them around keeping it cleaner in the shanty and less on your pants.
Great vid ! I’ll stick with my Kdrill it’s not as tall which I like since I’m only 5’8 I have an extension if I ever would need it. I also really like the fact I can open old holes with no problem. And the center point is a must especially when you want to drill a bunch of holes fast when on glare ice. And I’m not sure about Eskimo but for the Kdrill they will sharpen the blades for free. But all in all they both did great. Thanks !!
Thanks for the comment Glen. That is the biggest take away, different augers do different things. Hopefully one of the companies will improve on the design and give us the best features of each. Personally I'm hoping for a 10" version soon.
I’d use the strike master bungee instead of that disc crap on the auger. It connects to the shaft on the auger and bungees over the drill.
Honestly i like the k drill so far for weight the center point and size. At most I’d be going through 2 ft of ice. Small light compact precision aggressive . I’m looking into the strikemaster light flight but think it’s taller which I don’t need. Guess we can’t have everything. Thanks for the video
nills vs eskimo ??
Thanks for the review dude.
Thanks for watching
This years pistol bit model has the center point now.
Whoopie
@@snakeeyes4095 it is if you don’t wanna deal with walking augers
@@DEADWINTER if you know how to get the initial grab u should never have a problem I love the pistol bit best attachable auger in ice fishing
the eskimo pistol bit box says great for drilling old frozen holes!
Also has a bit extension to help tighten
i will stick with the Kdrill because of the blades, when it comes to late season and going to a lake that had a hot bite, i promise you will hit old holes and sand and grit in the ice. Don't really feel like looking around for a extra blade to buy.
oh, and the access to the chuck, why would they design it so its hard to get to the chuck... very dumb, it becomes a safety issue then for some.
Great comparison and thanks for sharing!
Do they make extensions cause we have 5 foot of ice by February if not more
Yes
And the blades on those Eskimos last a long time. The only time they dull. Is when you hit sandy ice or something
Comment: Best battery drill that has over 1000 inch pounds of torque and 4 amp/hr or higher lithium batteries (2, one in use and one for spare) and brush less motor.
With these, you can drill holes side by side to get a much bigger hole. If the auger falls out of the drill, a distinct possibility, the one with the float will still be able to be saved. The one with the disk will "sleep with the fishes" and you can kiss your $250 goodbye.
Good point.
Great video! Love my pistol bit. Never had issue re-cutting hole. You made a comment about hard to tighten Pistol bit. My advice tighten chuck without the handle on it. When done put handle back on.
Thanks! The handle on the DeWalt is a full ring around the drill housing it would be impossible to put it on after the auger is on.
@@3RiversFishingAdventures That's right my dewalt was like that. I own a milwaukee 2804 duel fuel was able to remove handle and re-install.
I"ve had a K drill for 3 years, have used it in 2 full seasons and it has not shown any signs of dulling. you can open new holes and drill holes next to each other without having any problems. that i think makes it a better auger then the eskimo. i just don't think those eskimo blades will hold up and I'm sure they're not cheap to replace. they may outperform when they're sharp but if you hit any dirt you can kiss those blades goodbye. the most batteries that I've used in a day is 3 and i have a milwaukee m18 so get extra batteries and a k drill and in my opinion thats the best auger out there right now for a cordless drill
i agree, stuff happens though@D L.
Gonna give the Eskimo 8" Pistol Bit a try but deffinately going with the newer 2020 Updated (Model # 35600) that came out recently as that one now has the centering (Power Point) in the head and should make this better now!
You will be very happy with it. I have the new model and it is great.
Nice review derren. I just picked up the 7.5" k drill. I was going to go eskimo but saw the k on sale at fleet farm for 209. I got tired of hauling the old jiffy model 30 around. Hows the sturgen bite out there? We didn't have a whole lot of luck after our trip with you in October but we got a few.
Thanks, the bite is good right now if you fish near the warm water and want to walk that far. ;)
can you use an 18volt drill to run these?
Yes
Any info on tightening the pistol? It seems like it would be really hard to get a tight fit!
Smaller hands I guess. Maybe a pair of channel locks. Not really sure. I guess you could lobster claw it with 2 fingers.
DTroFishOn I’m going to bring one of the those pvc plastic plumbing wrenches to see if I can get it tighter. I have a 996 Dewalt and in not sure if the chuck is failing but it loosened up on and fell off on my test runs. Thanks for the reply!
I saw one of your posts regarding the rigid octane - will you be posting a vid on it? If it’s the clutch that might be the best drill...
@@supermike615 yes it's sitting right here next to me. I'll be doing a video soon, but I can tell you right now. It's a great deal with that battery combo at Home Depot! Plus I think it will tighten up better with the Eskimo. I can't confirm though because I gave away the Eskimo on my Facebook page and kept the KDrill.
You said the Eskimo drills an "actual" 8" hole, is the K-Drill not? I'm about to buy a K-Drill8 and if it doesn't drill an 8" hole I don't want it!!!
Yes as you can see on the video i put a tape measure on it. 7.5"
Ah okay, honestly I skipped a few parts I must have missed that my apologies
Well luckily for me I never catch fish THAT big 🤣 but yeah it's a little disappointing if it's not an 8" hole, I asked my wife for a K-Drill for Christmas, now I'm kind of hoping she DIDN'T buy it.
@D L. According to the video the K-Drill has chipper blades that allow you to cut holes side by side easily. I've not personally done it, but it would be cool to have a wider view for sight fishing
really soft looking ice, come try same dewalt toy here with steel ice
RE: tightening the chuck. You had your palm toward the disk. If you have your palm toward the chuck, tightening is easier.
That's the problem, there wasn't enough room to grab the chuck with my palm.
Turn your hand around.
Left hand on the drill pistol grip, right hand on the chuck, auger bit pointing away from you.
shouldn't have to go through that much trouble just to hold a chuck to tighten or loosen.
Ryan Roehr it’s actually no problem. Just do it the same way you would tighten the chuck when using a drill bit. For some reason he’s reversed the normal way people do it.
I think you are missing the point, there isn't enough room to fit my hand in there. I want to grab the chuck with 3 or 4 fingers. There just isn't enough clearance no matter how I hold it.
Kdrill is faster if you look at the time on both of your first holes drilled with each auger. Helps not having to start slow with kdrill.
It should be fastr it's drilling a smaller hole
I personally have the clam which I have been happy with K drill an Eskimo I probably just as good as setup but if you already have a hand auger I thank I would go with the clam could save you $100 in cost if you already have a hand auger
i used a 6" hand auger, cut it off at the bend, and hooked my clamplate extension to it. Now, I did have the chuck part welded to the shaft of the auger. I can always get another chuck shaft for the clamplate. It works great. Very lightweight. I use a Hercules 20volt drill. Took a little getting used to, and you have to pull it out and back in a few times when drilling 10 inches deep or more. But its lighter than my Eskimo 8" gas auger that i bought back in 94
Does Eskimo have lifetime blade sharpening like the k drill?
No
Very good video! I sell these products at my work and will remember your specs and info! Thank you!
would be nice if you could back yard a carbide tip from a sled track or something. The pistol bit loos like a better buy.
Hi DTronFishOn! After using the Pistol Bit for a couple of seasons now, I was wondering how long your shaver blades lasted before needing a sharpening? Thanks for sharing these videos!
They should last a couple of years, but mostly it depends on the type of ice you use it on. You might have to change or sharpen more often in some cases. I switched over to a 10" for most of my fishing and rarely used the 8 in the past couple of years.
@@3RiversFishingAdventures Like many on here, I enjoy your vids and appreciate your advice. Thanks and I look forward to your up coming videos!!
Easy to use. Was relatively easy to auger through 12” of ice.
Very cool comparison.... Well done
Thanks Ralph
Sooooo drill another one next to it with the chipper blades on the kdrill
Cool video. You should show the nils which is by far the best!
I have the k drill, strikemaster lazer and the pistol, all on the Milwaukee 2804-20. Honestly I hate the slip and skip on the pistol. I wish it had that point. Hopefully the new STRIKEMASTER LITE-FLITE LAZER DRILL UNIT will replace them all next season
Yes, I think that is going to be a good option. I'm looking forward to trying it out.
i can not believe how expensive these are they are just a auger and they they are made from plastic.. I have no doubt they both work but why so expensive for plastic...???
Essentially paying for development costs and molds. I suspect you'll see the price come down quite a bit in a few years. As the competition grows.
I use Milwaukee and laser. 40 holes on 8 " auger through 10 inches of ice no issues
Very nice comparison. Great job!
Thanks!
You made a comment about the K-drill being undersize @ 7.5”. Not true. The K-drill comes in two sizes. 7.5” and 8.5”.
Not when this video was made.
They also make a "6-inch" that's actually 6.5".
I don't understand the K-Drill cult.
BTW, eskimo and lazer blades are interchangeable. They are literally the same auger except for color. I bought a pile of eskimo blades for Cheap, only difference is the screws. A lazer strikemaster is all you need. $80 and replacement blades are cheap. Let's not make this difficult.
A nils would put a kdrill to shame.
Excellent comparision, well done.
Best setup I have seen is a 18V Ridgid Octane (1300 in-lbs torque) on a Nils Trekker auger. Effortless.
Thanks Dean, yes I've heard good things about both the new Rigid Octane and Nils augers.
@@3RiversFishingAdventures You should actually compare the nils convertible 8 and a trekker and an ht nero to the pistol. The guy cutting with a chipper isnt likely interested in speed and most on the move guys would appreciate the speed size measure and weight vid just like you did it with 1 difference. 1 hole timed. 4 guys same drills timed. Great job on your test
This looked pretty effortless... DEWALT !
I'm sorry, but $200-$250 is an absolutely RIDICULOUS price for those. You can buy a regular lazer for half that and just rig it to your drill.
Eskimo is a beast. Best money I've ever spent.
69 is the perfect amount of holes. I was laughed of the ice the first time I used my battery drill to drill ice fishing holes many years ago, know it's main stream.
Not a fair comparison as the 10" is actually a little over 50% more surface area. That requires a LOT more power which will hinder speed.