Foragist
Forum Supporter
So I was out snowblowing the sidewalk this morning, and the neighbor guy walks up with something to say. He asks if I have a metal detector. (they have seen me detecting my yard before) I said yes, and he asked if I could help him find his keys. He was clearing snow around his place, and he was certain the set of house/car/snowblower keys fell out of his jacket pocket while working out there. (He told me the car dealership charges $600 for replacement remote keys 
) In a few minutes, I was out there with my Equinox 800 thinking this should be easy. I tried the pinpoint mode, but it was way too sensitive, so I just used park1 with iron mode on, and worked all along the edges of his snow removal route. There were targets, but they were frozen underground; not his keys. Then I got to his driveway. The nox was beeping like crazy all over the place. I soon realized his driveway was loaded with rebar, and completely undetectable. So he was pretty sad, and gave up hope. I kept trying, but eventually gave up too. Then I thought of the super powerful fishing magnet I have. I used a plastic clamp on the end of a rod to hold it, and went back over to search. He didn't seem too optimistic, but said OK, go ahead and look. He was not tolerating the -5 degree temps, so he stayed inside. I worked around his vehicle and around the edges of the driveway, and was almost done with the whole driveway when I heard the "clink" sound. The sound of the jingle of a set of keys, stopped short by a powerful magnet. 
I walked to the door, knocked, and showed him the magnet, with keys firmly stuck on. He and his wife were so happy, they had a twenty dollar bill out, and kept trying to make me take it. I refused, explaining that I love to find stuff, was happy to do it, and that it was just a basic neighborly favor. We made a deal that I can detect their yard when it thaws, and I'm welcome to ask them a favor anytime. I could hear them in the house laughing and cheering as I walked away. Good feeling.
) In a few minutes, I was out there with my Equinox 800 thinking this should be easy. I tried the pinpoint mode, but it was way too sensitive, so I just used park1 with iron mode on, and worked all along the edges of his snow removal route. There were targets, but they were frozen underground; not his keys. Then I got to his driveway. The nox was beeping like crazy all over the place. I soon realized his driveway was loaded with rebar, and completely undetectable. So he was pretty sad, and gave up hope. I kept trying, but eventually gave up too. Then I thought of the super powerful fishing magnet I have. I used a plastic clamp on the end of a rod to hold it, and went back over to search. He didn't seem too optimistic, but said OK, go ahead and look. He was not tolerating the -5 degree temps, so he stayed inside. I worked around his vehicle and around the edges of the driveway, and was almost done with the whole driveway when I heard the "clink" sound. The sound of the jingle of a set of keys, stopped short by a powerful magnet. I walked to the door, knocked, and showed him the magnet, with keys firmly stuck on. He and his wife were so happy, they had a twenty dollar bill out, and kept trying to make me take it. I refused, explaining that I love to find stuff, was happy to do it, and that it was just a basic neighborly favor. We made a deal that I can detect their yard when it thaws, and I'm welcome to ask them a favor anytime. I could hear them in the house laughing and cheering as I walked away. Good feeling.
……...
