Best Digging tool?

Anyonebutme

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Hi All. Got my new Garrett 250 for Christmas from Mrs. Claus ;0. Just curious what everyone recommends as far as digging tools goes. I have a lot of places that i have permission to detect, but i want to be able to walk a way from these places like i haven't been there. In other words i have been detecting in my own yard and using a spaded shovel. besides being bulky and to big to carry it doesn't seem to be the ideal tool to use in someone else land. So far I have found 7 wheat pennies and about $3.27 in clad and a silver ring in my own yard. Ready to find some old silver or old relics. Wish I could find a detecting buddy around where i live, but the people i have contacted in the Find A buddy Forum will not respond and it's been close to a month since i posted in that part of the forum. But anyway glad to be around here with such great people and i hope everyone had a great Christmas. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year and GH for 2011.
 
I bought the Gerber E-Tool and some friends of mine use it as well, it is great for any type of soil. Where I live the soil is really rocky and has tons of roots but the E-Tool has no trouble... Theres my 2 cents hope it helps...
 
I use the Dalyn Enterprises digger it is a nice digger and sharp. Works really well in grassy areas where you want a good plug that way when filled in it looks like no one was even there..And it is around $10.00 can't beat it..
 
Good luck with the ACE, I have one also, great starter machine. there are lots of tools you can use to dig with like garden towels, etc. depending on soil conditions. I would suggest watching some youtube vids on recovery and plugs. A Pinpointer is also a necessity for quick recoveries and keeping holes clean. Happy hunting...
 
I am going to get my army entrenching tool out of the attic. Didn't think of it till I read your post/replies. I have used a short gardening tool and a small pick type digger. The deeper stuff wears me out using the little tools. The entrenching tool isn't that big and will fold like a hoe or open up to use as a shovel too. Half of the shovel's edge is serrated (and sharp) to cut roots. It also folds and fits in a case that you could carry on a web belt. Older model E-tools have a fold-out pick as well.
 

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Hi All. Got my new Garrett 250 for Christmas from Mrs. Claus ;0. Just curious what everyone recommends as far as digging tools goes. I have a lot of places that i have permission to detect, but i want to be able to walk a way from these places like i haven't been there. In other words i have been detecting in my own yard and using a spaded shovel. besides being bulky and to big to carry it doesn't seem to be the ideal tool to use in someone else land. So far I have found 7 wheat pennies and about $3.27 in clad and a silver ring in my own yard. Ready to find some old silver or old relics. Wish I could find a detecting buddy around where i live, but the people i have contacted in the Find A buddy Forum will not respond and it's been close to a month since i posted in that part of the forum. But anyway glad to be around here with such great people and i hope everyone had a great Christmas. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year and GH for 2011.


I usually get by with a large flat screwdriver. It's non-threatening, and with a little practice, as effective as anything else. I mostly hunt city parks, and carrying anything that resembles a knife attracts unwanted attention from parents in the park. (I am already classified as weird because I am detecting.)

In a more private setting, I use this:
http://www.amazon.com/Ames-2500700-Planters-Garden-Planter/dp/B000SZN6T4

I am in central TX, and it is either muddy, frozen, or too dry to dig without TNT around here. (Mostly too dry...) :(

Detecting season runs from November to May.
 
Best in my book is the Lesche digger. You mentioned that you wanted to leave the site like you had never been there... shovels can make that tough and when people see you digging in their yard with a shovel it might get you kicked out. A good, strong hand held digger to cut a "U" shape flap that you can easily put back in place is the key. Don't forget to use an old towel to put your extra dirt on so you can dump it back in the hole without getting the grass all messy. Lesche's are super strong and very durable. They run about $45, but you will never need to buy another digger. If it breaks, they replace it with no questions asked. Unless you are digging in the woods....I'd stay away from shovels.
 
As an urban hunter, I normally carry two digging tools: a Lesche digging tool, which has o be the best sod & dirt cutter going, and a Fiskars Fibercom Trowel (99 cents at Home Depo), which scoops dirt better and desn't drive my detector crazy when I lay it next to it.

Shovels are nice & quick, but people around here come unglued when they see one.

HH,

Dave
 
Yep, save the shovel for the woods. A Lesche or a Predator hand tool will last indefinitely.... the cheap ones break fast and you end up paying over and over again. RickO
 
I am going to get my army entrenching tool out of the attic. Didn't think of it till I read your post/replies. I have used a short gardening tool and a small pick type digger. The deeper stuff wears me out using the little tools. The entrenching tool isn't that big and will fold like a hoe or open up to use as a shovel too. Half of the shovel's edge is serrated (and sharp) to cut roots. It also folds and fits in a case that you could carry on a web belt. Older model E-tools have a fold-out pick as well.
Ha Ha I own that exact E-Tool lol I have a Gerber and that one. I have never hunted in the city, all the good stuff in my area is out in the woods. With practice you can use the e tool and leave little to no trace but maybe you should just carry both. That way when you find somethin deeper you can use the shovel!
 
I use a garden trowel, towel, and old hickery butcher knife. In grassy areas you just dont need more than that. I do have a digger i made from a spade. 24 inches long, the exact same width of my digger just longer blade... about 4 inches at the top for fields or celler hole locations. Thats about as cheap as you get and i dare say recovery is FAST. Those knife flaps go back leaving the area clean and you get below the roots... so a better chance of not killing the grass.

Dew
 

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I use the Ironclad "Viking" Digger, it's ultra durable and rips through roots like butter.

It has never failed me and will never bend or rust.



 
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I carry 3 digging tools around with me in my car.

I have a small spade form home depot that I use in the woods and places that digging a trench wont be noticed.

I have a metal digger/knife thingy.... that's good for getting through roots in parks in such....

But this :

14-1606000-450-1f.jpg


Gets the most use. Its non-metallic and I can shove it in the turf and then shove my pin pointer down next to it.... and never even have to dig a plug if the coin is within 4" or so. Its only $7 from Kellyco. It actually came with one of my detectors for free and I laughed at it but was presently surprised when I went ahead and tried using it one day. Works great most of the time... except when my Mindlab decides to hit on something in China.:roll: and then only a small shovel will work, but if I'm in a well manicured public park.... I will usually just leave the target and not try to dig a gold mine just to find that sneaky 2001 penny that somehow sunk down 10 plus inches.
 
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