Garrett Oldtimers - Some Help Please?

[mrwilburino]

This is a picture of my old Garrett BFO Discriminator, the first (I believe) discriminating metal detector manufactured by Garrett. I bought it from the local Garrett dealer sometime around 1975. I got it new but I’m not sure if it was a ‘75 model or if it was slightly older. Notice that the stem is bent at an angle just below the detector housing. All the other Garretts I’d ever seen, including that same model discriminator, had the typical straight stem that curved over the housing. I do however, remember seeing pictures of this “bent stem” design on a couple of older Garrett detectors. I don’t remember if it was in company literature or maybe a treasure magazine but they had the exact same look. I was just wondering if anybody remembers this design and has any information on which detectors had it and when they were made. Thanks.

 

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[ron_c]

Yep, I still have mine although it doesn't work anymore. I bought one of these in May of '73 when they first came out and the first ones were the bent shaft design. It wasn't very long, maybe a year or so, before it became the straight shaft. The deepest I ever found a coin with it was a 1912 D Barber dime and was at 5" but it sure was much better not having to dig almost every target like the non discriminator detectors of that time period. Cost was $167 and in the first year I owned it, it was paid for many, many times over. I'm thinking of getting it repaired as I used it also as my water machine, as if it was dropped into the water it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

I still have the airtest results for it, on the Penny, Nickel and Dime it would get 6", a Quarter would get 6 1/2", a Half would get 7 1/2" and a Silver Dollar at 9" and this was with the hard wired 5" coil.

 

[mrwilburino]

Thanks ron. I always thought that it was an older model and I think I only paid about $125 for it. I remember it was the only discriminator that the dealer had and he wasn't trying very hard to sell it. Most people didn't take discriminators very seriously back then including the manufactures. The guys with their non discriminating Coinmasters and Master Hunters thought it was a toy, But at the end of the day I usually had about twice the amount of coins that they did. Depth was ok and discrimination was actually quite good even by today's standards.

 

[Shortstack]

I recently bought a Garrett Hunter BFO on eBay and it has the same styled shaft. It has very slight use and is in excellent condition. Thought I'd add it to my "tool" selection for meteorites and other geological needs. It came with 2 separate coils for a total of 4 diameter choices. Each coil unit is made up of 2 coils that can be selected individually. This is the exact model detector that KVM is pictured using in that mountain stream with his prospecting friends; in either Thing Man. #6 or #7.
I personally don't like the design because of the stress on my wrist after using it a while. But.......it's STILL and excellent machine.

 

[mrwilburino]

I personally don't like the design because of the stress on my wrist after using it a while.

Just keep swinging that monster - you'll have forearms that Popeye would envy

 

[Shortstack]

I personally don't like the design because of the stress on my wrist after using it a while.

Just keep swinging that monster - you'll have forearms that Popeye would envy

The cartilage in my wrist is where the problem arises, not my forearm muscles. Besides, I hate spinach. LOL