digger advise

kozman4907

Elite Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2013
Messages
839
Location
Hunterdon County; NJ
OK let me tell ya story, yesterday I was hunting a rev war hospital. I was in middle of wooded hillside and first good signal......

I pin point the target:wow: Yesterday a spanish half was found on the same hill!!! ok I make first slice into the ground. I move around make three more, then I go to pop out the plug the handle of my shovel snaps MF!:mad:

I used my hand digger pop out a 3 inch hunk of copper bowl.

ok what do ya use as digger? I am not looking for hand digger more like shovel. PS I will never go cheap again. I busted one of those Home Depot $9.00 lil spades! Made in china !!!!....

Koz
 
I've got a White's Ground Hawg that I love. Lightweight and appears strong...although I haven't put it to "the test" yet...just "normal" digging. Lots of people love the Sampson though, and the Predator tools are excellent.
 
I've got a White's Ground Hawg that I love. Lightweight and appears strong...although I haven't put it to "the test" yet...just "normal" digging. Lots of people love the Sampson though, and the Predator tools are excellent.

thanks I was looking at the Predator site. Those look nice! I have reg spade for farm fields and easy digging.
 
ok what do ya use as digger? I am not looking for hand digger more like shovel. PS I will never go cheap again. I busted one of those Home Depot $9.00 lil spades! Made in china !!!!....
Koz

I certainly would not mind owning any of the Predator tools, however I use what you see in my signature. Mostly the T31-DS, even in our city parks, because it's that inconspicuous when carried on a belt hanger.
 
ive broken every single shovel i have ever had except my predator. I broke my whites ground hawg, lesch sampson, Many lowes specials. Go with the predator, expensive but worth every penny so far. Its the only shovel thats lasted a whole season for me so far.
 
thanks I was looking at the Predator site. Those look nice! I have reg spade for farm fields and easy digging.

I bent 2 whites ground hawgs right in half, whites replaced them free of charge but I will never buy another. I would go with predator or T handled lesche. Never have broke either model. Im pretty rough on my shovels though. Good luck and happy hunting!
 
I was there to witness Cellrdwellr bending his White's Ground Hawgs. I was going to buy one, but after seeing that, I decided against it. I have stuck with my Sampson T handle.

Now, the White's hand digger is an absolute beast and I do recommend that one.
 
I bent 2 whites ground hawgs right in half, whites replaced them free of charge but I will never buy another. I would go with predator or T handled lesche. Never have broke either model. Im pretty rough on my shovels though. Good luck and happy hunting!

the life of digging cellars......
 
31" Lesche Sampson with T handle.

Not too big, not too small.

Cuts neat plugs, can be used on roots, and it extremely rugged.
 
Cut-down/modified trenching shovel (not a tile spade). Under $35 including D-handle.

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I use the 31" sampson, but would like to try something with a little longer blade...especially since my sampson has worn down about a half inch. Has anyone tried the predator Ladybug? Here's the link for it: https://www.predatortools.com/collections/shovels/products/the-ladybug-model-28-shovel

The blade is 4.5" x 9" which is two inches longer than the sampson. The blade is also "dished" which might make popping a plug a little easier.
 
I have a 31" Lesche Sampson with T handle serrated on one side and another with the ball handle and both edges straight.

I did bend the T handle slightly digging in frozen ground but that may have been slightly outside it's intended use. It does work though.
 
I like my handheld lesche digger. If you don't want to kneel every time you get a signal, then go for the 31" shovel others have recommended. But I wouldn't suggest you use those long shovels in parks...
 
The longer the blade on a shovel, the less force it will take to break. I saw another detector with his shovel pushed all of the way into the ground and pulling on it as hard as he could. I had just asked his friend how he did that without breaking it when we heard a loud snap. Even the best shovels will break when abused. I have both the 31" and 18" Sampsons. I use the small one most of the time since it doesn't stand out. I have even talked to park workers while wearing it without them saying anything. With common sense they will last a long time.
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Wow! I've pryed up some pretty good plugs with my Garrett digger with no problems. Modified a Gator digger I got free with my first detector with about an 18" pipe T-handle and it works great. Good for yards but at old cellar holes I can pry rocks out and chop roots. Also use a $7 mini shovel a good bit and so far it's held up well. Any tool can be broke if pushed to its limit.
 
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