Gear?

[OneSexyWookie]

What (besides a detector) do you use when you go hunting? I'm hoping to get my first detector soon so I can get out there. Do you have to worry about sharp tools damaging your find? Any advice at all? Thanks!

 

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[SwampHunter]

I hunt alot of fields and in the timber for Civil War relics as well as old house places that are original settlements in my area. Our ground varies from sandy loam to clay and bottomland gumbo. There are times I will venture up into the hills to look for a few CW campgrounds. The soil there is filled with rocks.
We will often venture 2 to 3 miles from where our vehicle is parked.

For a small digger I use an Ames 7 in 1 Planter's Buddy or Garden Tool. It can be picked up at Lowe's for $14.00. Very well made tool and will not rust.

Another digging tool I use for heavy digging is one that I bought from Wal-mart and modified to fit my needs. I bought a Drain Spade for $20.00. It is approx. 3 1/2 feet long. The blade is approx. 6 inches wide and 14 inches long. The blade had a round tip and I wanted a beveled point. I marked out the angles I wanted and then took it to the grinder. I grinded off the tip into a beveled point and then added a serrated(jagged) edge onto the blade. I then sharpened the edges with the grinder and then used a file to sharpen it more finely. I now have a great tool that can be used for digging and chopping through the brush for a great price. I have used it quite a bit and haven't seen the need to spend any more on a digging tool.
See picture attached for what the shovel looked like before and after. The shovel to the right shows where I marked mine at before grinding.

For less than $40.00 I have two great digging tools that have not given me any trouble at all even in the rocky soil of the hilly areas.

I also use a pair of limb pruners in my bag for cutting roots. I got these locally at a tool dealer for about $5.00.

I use a nylon web belt with two AWP finisher pouches. I had the web belt already and the pouches I bought for $8.00 each at Lowes. As you can tell by the pic the pouches have lots of pockets for putting tools and your finds in.

A Camleback sure is a great item to have as well since we go so far. I also use a pair of leather gloves to keep from tearing up my hands on something in the soil.

I am in the process of making a sling for the large digger that I use. Right now I just carry it by hand.



Yes, you have to worry about sharp tools damaging your find. I hit my first Enfield round with the blade of my digger and put a gash in it. It was in a plowed field so this wasn't the first gash it had ever recieved.


Have fun! I love looking for history.

 

[Dex]

I like that planters buddy, I think I'll have to pick one up. Something like that looks perfect for making neat plugs in grass. My shovel is a standard mil-spec folding entrenching shovel, but I usually use a trowel. I'm still a newbie though and I have yet to find anything notable so I'm learning too. Lately I've just been getting to know my Discriminator II detector which isn't a great MD but it definitely finds things, just nothing good yet. :-)

 

[Monty]

I carry a knee pad with me as the first time you kneel down on a burr or goat head or stinging insect you will wish you had it! I usually carry around a little garden kneepad, light and easy to carry but I do have a pair of professional knee pads if there is a lot of broken glass in the area. Monty

 

[Mirage]

Your handle cracks me up.

Gear -

Metal Detector
Pouch or apron to put finds
Gloves(mechanics/landscaping gloves at walmart/home depot) - $15
Digger - Gator 12" shovel ($25)

Pinpointer is nice but not essential.

When I first started detecting I used a knife, no gloves and no pouch - then I was a real Man!

 

[Coin Shooter]

A long skinny flat screwdriver.

Here is a sexy Wookiee.

 

[levis_dad]

Here is a pic of the digger that I use...I made it myself out of a lawn-mower blade...it's about 10 to 12 inches long and full width of the LM blade. It took a couple days to make, but didn't cost anything but some time.

Welcome to the hobby and Happy Hunting.

Scott

 

[gnewt]

Here is a pic of the digger that I use...I made it myself out of a lawn-mower blade...it's about 10 to 12 inches long and full width of the LM blade. It took a couple days to make, but didn't cost anything but some time.

Welcome to the hobby and Happy Hunting.

Scott

Start collecting mate, everyone has demonstrated some good equipment. I would get all of that stuff if it was me, use a couple of five gal buckets to put it in, you will never use all those tools on a search, depending on the area. I will add a couple of suggestions.
First, I always use pigskin gloves, no pores and they don't get stiff if they get wet in the morning or rain or water, then dry in the hot sun.
Second, throw some rubber boots in your vehicle, you may never use them but who knows.
Do it like most of these treasure hunters do, investigate, investigate, investigate you are hunting a killer coin, never doubt a signal, nails, pull tabs and junk is a fact of life, take an asprin and don't think about it.
Yes we all worry about causing damage to our find. Newt

 

[Monty]

If you are like most of us you will accumulate a ton of gear over time. Some of it you will try and put aside, but just can't get rid of it as you might need it "someday". There is always something that comes along that is gooder or better and badder and you will want to give it a try. But I think you'll find that you will wind up hanging onto the basics, those tools that are lighter and easier to carry around and more utile in 90% of your outings. Human nature I suppose? M nty

 

[spiffyman]

I carry a Stanley mini-crowbar,
a tool similar to the U-Dig-It,
a folding shovel, a hammer holder to put the shovel in,
Knee-pads ( A MUST ),
a camelback,
survival kit, first-aid kit and GPS ( just in case you get lost),
Swiss army knife and multi-tool,
a pair of Military fatigues pants ( the cargo pockets are great ),
boots,
and a knife for protection.

 

[Tin Nugget]

detector
pinpointer (I prefer a Sunray)
knee pads
quality hand held digger (I prefer Lesche tools)
deep shovel like the ones above for the woods, fields etc.
some type of belt attached pouch for you finds.
gloves (I prefer the thin cloth with blue rubber coating on the fingers and palm so the dirt doesn't stick)
golf towel attached to your belt (always needing to wipe off something, usually sweat)

I consider these necessity's
You will accumulate much more