Trowel dilema

[Troller]

I had to cut my hunt short today because my trowel handle finally gave out. I am considering a lesche, Garrett, and the whites trowel. I kind of like the Whites trowel because it has measurements etched into the blade. I like the other two however because they have great reviews! It's tough to decide!

 

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[Indian Steve]

Go with Lesche. You can't break it no matter how hard you try.

 

[Texas Ed]

I use the Garrett's & Predator Raptor model 31 - anyway everyone has their favorites - good luck on your choice.

Texas ED

 

[Troller]

I have been leaning towards the lesche for a while. I am actually ambidextrous so I worry about the serrations on one side. I have heard great things about the lesche though!

 

[Garrett424]

If you need something to hold you over until you can get a Lesche, I recommend the Fiskars Big Grip gardening knife. You can pick one up at Walmart for about 8 bucks or on Amazon for around the same price.





It has a really thin blade which is awesome for cutting clean plugs plus a serrated edge for sawing through roots. It has the inches metered out on it as well but that's not something I even pay any attention too. I'm all about basic functionality. If it works the way I like it I'm good.

There IS a weakness where the handle meets the blade that CAN break over time but it takes quite a while. The upside is the product has a lifetime guarantee and you can get a full refund and/or replacement for free.

I had a friend weld a reinforcement for me where the handle and blade meet and slid a bike hand grip over the handle. I sharpened the cutting edge like a razor and the thing is unstoppable now. I actually bought 4 of them in case I take someone along on a hunt. So if you need a great tool on the cheap, the Fiskar's is great.

I tried a similar tool I found at Home Depot made by Ames when I first started detecting. It was okay but the blade was just too thick to cut a plug the way I like it. With the thin blade you can cut and replace a plug without ever even wilting the grass. I can cut 50 plugs in a field and you'd never know it by looking.

 

[finderskeepers]

I have been leaning towards the lesche for a while. I am actually ambidextrous so I worry about the serrations on one side. I have heard great things about the lesche though!

my 2¢...Lesche are fantastic! VERY sturdy, comfortable and intuitive to use. The serrations are an additional feature, rather than being integral to it's use. In "normal" use for me...when I encounter a small root to be cut (1 out of 20-25 uses in the woods or 1 out of 100 in a park??)...just make a 1/2 second adjustment in your cutting/slicing motion, and push or pull through the root depending on which way the teeth are facing. I carry a small file in my gear and if it isn't slicing through the turf or forest floor with ridiculous ease, it gets a quick touchup. The only downside to the Lesche...deeper targets in loamy/sandy soils where you have to move soil from the hole to recover. Thinking adding sugar to your cookie dough recipe using a steak knife (sideways) .

and that is why I always have my 14" Wilcox garden trowel on my hip as well. It might not see the light of day for 5 or 6 outings, but feels like the bargain of the century, when I use it. VERY sturdy also. I'm sure if Wile E. Coyote was aware of this tool, he'd have about a million more scars.

 

[dig deeper now]

Go with the lesche without a question. You will never leave it home and go out detecting--never! Nothing compares to it anywhere. They try to copy but not even close to it. IT IS EVERYTHING EVERYBODY SAYES IT IS AND THEN SOME---PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GA_Boy]

I always have backup tool in my truck.
Marvin

 

[Tejaas]

I also (conditionally) recommend the Lesche...

For me, I found it to be an awkward tool for my hunting/digging style & terrain.

Modified it, and now i couldn't ask for a better digger.

~Tejaas~

 

[Troller]

That's definitely cool! Looks tough!

 

[WhiteTornado]

+1 for the Lesche. I have pried with it so hard, a few times I thought I'd break the bones in my hand before this thing would bend, and had to back off. One tip: After a while, the red rubber handle of mine came off. Cleaned out the inside of the grip and cleaned off the metal handle. Then added a few dabs of Gorilla glue to the handle and quickly slid on the grip. The grip has not come off since

 

[cudamark]

Another vote for the Lesche. I've used the freebie ones you get when you buy a detector and some Hori Hori knives (which are cheap and work good too......for a while) and find the Lesche is the best one I've used.

 

[CoilToTheSoil]

For the price, lesche. I have a gator, a few other diggers, and a lesche, lesche cuts the cleanest and quickest plugs and the flat base at the handle is great to rest your other hand for leverage or a plunge cut.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Have a look at the Ironclad Viking digger, it seems to be a super trowel, well-built, great materials -and, it cuts roots, which I'm sure you have up in Wisconsin! You can see one here on this forum.

 

[Troller]

Yea I saw the Viking, but he only makes a few at a time right?