On May 4, 9:52 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
I've used one of those hand held rotating drain augers but I found that once
the spring kinks or bends it pretty much won't ever get around the U trap
ever again.

You always dissasemble the trap before snaking the drain. That style
of auger is called a "closet auger" i guess because it will fit in a
closet. It is just a flat piece of flexible steel, I believe? You
can only clean out the easiest clog with one of those since they are
so short and without power .

I wondering if the spring style auger does better or worse than the flat bar
style. I see mostly the spring styles but am wondering if they are one shot
items or can be expected to last forever.

My auger looks like an ordinary Milwaukee drill except that it has a
drum on the front filled with 50 feet of steel cable. This cable is
indeed coiled like a spring and there are hand augers with this type
of cable as well. Any auger will last a very long time if you keep
some oil on it and don't use it too often. Few things last forever.
It's a real bummer.

If the spring does kink, permanently bending it for the most part, should I
toss it.

Toss it. Any auger which is bent or even rusty should be replaced.
The risk of breaking it off in the pipe is too great. I routinely
wash off and oil down my auger before after each use so hopefully I
won't have to buy another.