wow...I really do not like the Garrett Digger

I had a friend in southern TN that boke one of those Garrett diggers, relic hunting in rocky soil. You could tell that they weren't good.

I usually carry 2 diggers on my military belt : a Lesche and a Raptor. That combo has been my go to for years. Not too many situations that the combo comes up short on.
 
This digger will work circles around a Lesche.....and it's a Garrett :lol:

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Pretty sure that's a Wilcox.
 
But no ability to cut sod, which means you're having to do a press down each time. No thanks... I'm sure it's find for pushing in once and popping up with strength, but I like to cut a U shape flap. Not going to happen with a digger like this.

My experience with the Garrett digger, is the same as the OP. it bent within a month. I was NOT impressed. I'm on my second Lesche, because I like to sharpen them on the bench grinder, and eventually, they get a little thin. LOL

Never had a "bend" problem with the Lesche. And the flat plate on top allows a two handed dig approach, which is much less fatiguing.

Skippy.


Mine cuts sod pretty well , though I dont do it that way I push down to cut through and make a circle or flap , still only takes a few seconds.

Mine is the sabretooth type , still the same basic construction but it has saw teeth on the sides. Honestly I could do without those since they just grab and pull at the sod , but it still work fine and it will never bend or break.
 
The Lesche and Predator have been the go to diggers for years. It wasn't until the last 5-7 years that any of the major md companies even offered their own branded digger. I have heard from many that the Garrett really isn't any good.

Another classic and mostly reliable digger are the Ames diggers from Home Depot, Walmart, Lowes, ect. My dad had one for 8 years and it did great with just some minor modifications. Eventually, though, it did start to break away from the handle, so he bought a lesche and has been using it for the last few years.

I have been using an old military type knife for over 10 years, but its pretty dull now and I haven't gotten around to sharpening it. I also own one of those conical diggers that you have to push in every time. Its solid, but I prefer something that saws through sod.
 
The Lesche and Predator have been the go to diggers for years. It wasn't until the last 5-7 years that any of the major md companies even offered their own branded digger. I have heard from many that the Garrett really isn't any good.

Another classic and mostly reliable digger are the Ames diggers from Home Depot, Walmart, Lowes, ect. My dad had one for 8 years and it did great with just some minor modifications. Eventually, though, it did start to break away from the handle, so he bought a lesche and has been using it for the last few years.

I have been using an old military type knife for over 10 years, but its pretty dull now and I haven't gotten around to sharpening it. I also own one of those conical diggers that you have to push in every time. Its solid, but I prefer something that saws through sod.


I just dont understand " sawing " through sod. You can slice through it with a blade that gets dull from cutting through dirt and has to be sharpened a lot , and saw teeth just grab and rip. Punching through sod is not difficult , or time consuming so I dont see an issue , sod is not hard to work with.
 
I had bought the Fiskars multipurpose planting tool, but within an hour of starting using it, the handle snapped clean off when I tried to lever a target from under a tree root.

Literally just filed my warranty claim via their website...lol

As for my trusty backup digger, it ain't pretty, but it's a cheap Walmart trowel and a rubber mallet I had in my garage. The soil in Utah packs pretty hard, especially past 4 inches. A quick couple of pops with the mallet helps me dig deeper faster. But the plug cutting isn't quite as graceful.

Also found that a $.97 heavy duty tent peg from Wallyworld makes a solid probe and the plastic header lets me thread it through a zipper loop on my digging waistpack. Only modification will be to file down the tip to be less pointed.
 
I've had my Lesche for YEARS now and still no issues with mine? :?: There's been more than a few times where the park (different ones) are hard packed and sometimes with little rocks???

Anyways, all I can say is that I like my Lesche Digger and cutting plugs is pretty simple with it. The hard packed stuff, I usually just get up and leave because not worth my time even if I had a shovel!!! But, that's just me and my personal choices.

I mainly beach/sand hunt now because the parks in my area just aren't producing as much as I would like.

Either way, HH to ALL my fellow MD'rs!!!

HH \_
 
I've had my Lesche for YEARS now and still no issues with mine? :?: There's been more than a few times where the park (different ones) are hard packed and sometimes with little rocks???

Anyways, all I can say is that I like my Lesche Digger and cutting plugs is pretty simple with it. The hard packed stuff, I usually just get up and leave because not worth my time even if I had a shovel!!! But, that's just me and my personal choices.

I mainly beach/sand hunt now because the parks in my area just aren't producing as much as I would like.

Either way, HH to ALL my fellow MD'rs!!!

HH \_





My sentiments exactly .
 
My sentiments exactly .

I have this as well and I just couldn't deal with it? Although, I just tried it once and never bothered "learning" how to better use it I will admit. I mean, for me, personally, it was awkward compared to my Lesche. The only thing I will admit about the Lesche is that it is NOT a good "scoop" type tool!!! :no: But, if you cut your plugs the way you're supposed to, very little scooping of dirt, if any, is needed!!! :yes:

I mean, in all honesty, WHATEVER WORKS, then just use what works???!!! I NEVER understood "comparing sizes" with different manuf, am I right???!!! I don't care too much for Chevy, for example, but it does NOT mean that I don't like ANY of their cars???!!! But, whatever... the Lesche works for me, moving on in life!!! :D;)
 

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I have been using the Lesche for six years. It has not given me one iota of trouble and it has dug thousands of plugs. I danged sure have not babied it.
 
I have been using the Lesche for six years. It has not given me one iota of trouble and it has dug thousands of plugs. I danged sure have not babied it.

HAHAHAHAHA, that was kinda the same/similar point I was making as well. :D When I was talking about hard packed dirt mixed in with little rocks, there were more than a few times to where I was thrusting the pointed part down HARD trying to make a hole???!!! I mean, it was like trying to dig into concrete??? :no: I went to that park a few times as some of the areas were "normal" dirt/sod and then there were spots that were just plain ridiculous with the little rocks??? I knew there were targets of sorts, but it just wasn't worth my time. I just don't go to that park anymore.

Anyways, I've abused mine as well. Hell, even tried to pry a tree ROOT with the damn thing and it didn't bend at all???!!! I only stopped because the tree would have simply won no matter what I was using as a hand tool for prying.
 
I've got the same Garrett digger the OP has and never had problems with it. Works good in yards. But I don't try to pry boulders up with it. My favorite digger is a modified Gator digger I got with a detector purchase. I welded up a short T-handle on it and it works great in yards and will pry the most stubborn rocks from old cellar holes. Packs well also.
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I've got the same Garrett digger the OP has and never had problems with it. Works good in yards. But I don't try to pry boulders up with it. My favorite digger is a modified Gator digger I got with a detector purchase. I welded up a short T-handle on it and it works great in yards and will pry the most stubborn rocks from old cellar holes. Packs well also.
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Very NICE!!! :yes: I like the mod you did to it!!! :yes:
 
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