james45
Elite Member
If you want to get noticed while metal detecting just carry a BIG SHOVEL and people will panic and call the police.
That's one of my peeves with other detectorists. I've told the story here before about the guy right in the middle of a Manicured 2-3 acre park that's sitting on an intersection of major traveled roads. Jumping on a big long drain spade, a very large shovel compared to a detector type like lesche. They argue how they make such nice looking plugs with their big shovel. It's the impression we're giving all who see that's the problem for __---__sakes. Me I'd be worried about what you may be hitting with that jumping down hard on a big long handle spade like that. Cut wire, cables, sprinkler pipe PVC. Phone line. Take em to the woods. Parks are small or hand diggers.
If you want to get noticed while metal detecting just carry a BIG SHOVEL and people will panic and call the police.
I'm with you. Unless I'm curb strip digging or at a ball park looking for recent drops, I use a Stuline spade as I dig super clean 3-sided plugs and leave no traceI am happy to say that in all my time detecting, I have only seen one person with a literal long handle, BIG shovels in public. That guy may have owned the land for all I know but I will never forget it.
The label "big" is tricky though. People probably think my 31" Sampson is BIG, and in places, it can be, but to a lot of detectors if it isn't a hand digger, it is too big. It also means a lot how you use a digger like my 31" Sampson. Be smart and don't simply go full blade-deep stab on shallow signals. Be a surgeon about it, and if there are lots of public eyes around, stealth your movement style, or even mark the spot and come back later if it might be a true deep treasure. Just use common sense.
To a coin popper using a screwdriver or probe, all shovels are big. I always pack a Lesche hand digger but it only gets use in exceptionally pristine and well manicured public areas. About the neater holes made with a shovel like the Sampson 31"? That is a true fact, it does cut a better plug. jm2c
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