Hard packed dry dirt what do you dig with?

VaMark

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What is your weapon of choice for hard packed or dry ground? Other than rain of course.

I have only tried a few screwdrivers, pry bars, knives but was thinking about trying a stone chipping hammer with a little bit of a point ground on it like a small pick axe.
I have one of those hammers somewhere, sounds like a good project for tomorrow. I'll let you know how it works. :hammerin:
 
If you do use a small pick axe, WEAR EYE PROTECTION too. Those chips fly everywhere!:cool:
 
I don't hunt the turf when it's that hard.

1 - if you are in public ground or private with permission, you will destroy the grass where you dig. Not good PR
2 - It takes a LOT of time and effort to dig down through soil that hard
3 - It is way too easy to scratch a nice target when hacking it out of the hard ground.
 
If you are hunting shallow coins, try coin popping. All you need is a probe and a screwdriver. Since it is so dry here, I try not to dig unless I have to. If I do have to dig, I use a hammer and a sharp chisel. :lol::lol::lol:
 
Another thing...with a hammer or pick axe you could damage a valuable coin with one whack...think ...about...it...:)
 
This is what I use and most of the others around here. It works great for what you're talking about. Just a few rough stabs into the earth and it'll take a few inches out. Lesche is unstoppable.
 

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I've got a similar looking "lesche" type that I found at home depot, works great in normal soil/dryer conditions. For the hard packed, drought type though we use my military issue entrenching tool. Super tough, folds into a great manageable size when not in use and locks in place. You might find one at a military surplus store for cheap
 

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I've got a similar looking "lesche" type that I found at home depot, works great in normal soil/dryer conditions. For the hard packed, drought type though we use my military issue entrenching tool. Super tough, folds into a great manageable size when not in use and locks in place. You might find one at a military surplus store for cheap

Used one in my first four months detecting and it too failed. If you plan on using that, don't expect to it last long when you start digging in the really tough gravely soil.
 
:lol:I guess I should have pointed out that I'm going to be using this in a farm field (cw battle field) with crops after they have been harvested, some areas where the tractors run are hard packed. :lol::lol: I won't be heading to the park anytime soon with my hand held pick axe!
That would definitely be bad PR:lol::shock:
 
:lol:I guess I should have pointed out that I'm going to be using this in a farm field (cw battle field) with crops after they have been harvested, some areas where the tractors run are hard packed. :lol::lol: I won't be heading to the park anytime soon with my hand held pick axe!
That would definitely be bad PR:lol::shock:

Then you need a Lesche SHOVEL, not a trowel. Now go get those relics!
 
I use the lesche from wet spring ground all the way thru winter with half frozen ground, best digging tool ever
 
I hunted where the ground was baked clay. Digging through a sidewalk would have been easier. A shovel wouldn't dent it and my small pick just bounced off. I finally went to my trunk and took out my shingling hatchet. To cut a plug, I chopped the outline with the hatchet and then pounded my 3-in-1 knife around the cuts. I wouldn't recommend this on a knife that the blade doesn't extend clear through the handle. I worked. A lot of work for a rusted tin can.
 
Around here even my Lesche can't cut through parched clay soil. The parks and schools are not irrigated so the dirt is hard as concrete. Short of using a rock hammer a Lesche is the best you can use for Okieland dirt. Jason in Enid will attest to that. Even Steve in SoAZ will tell you the only tool to use is a Lesche. All you guys that have turf that is irrigated regularly can use your $8 garden trowels. I still have my geologist's rock hammer I used in So Cal and I may have to start using it here.
 
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