It’s no secret, detectorists aim to get things discovered and excavated. This month we’ll be looking at some of the different tools that detectorists use to locate and excavate targets. Each and every environment comes with its own set of challenges. It’s important to take a look at the environment that you’ll be hunting before you actually go out swinging. Unless of course, you have a ton of tools that you don’t mind hauling to every site regardless of the conditions. Sadly, I don’t think that’s the case for most of us. Keep in mind, while some of our main objectives are retrieving the target quickly and effortlessly, the main objective should be property preservation. The tools that we select to excavate our targets should leave the land looking as if we’d never been there when we’re done. So let’s start with a few basics that every detectorist should consider carrying to EVERY site.
Coin/Relic and Treasure Hunters
Detector- (duh)
Trash/tool pouch- The trash and tool pouch is an essential piece of gear that goes on EVERY journey with the modern day treasure hunter. It should provide a place not only to put your unwanted excavated items but should also offer a comfortable place to easily access some of your other handheld tools. I personally like Minelab’s pouch because it was designed with detecting in mind.
Hand held digging spade- Most good handheld digging tools these days are made of aircraft quality, hardened steel that won’t bend or snap, even under extreme use. My personal preference is the Lesche Tool. A handheld trowel with a serrated edge on one side and a self-sharpening blade on the other. This type of tool is a must have for cutting plugs to excavate targets. It can be used as a stand-alone tool or as a secondary, more precise digging tool to remove your targets without damaging them. If there’s one tool worth not skimping on, this would be it. I can’t tell you how many cheap, handheld digging spades I snapped before I decided to bite the bullet and drop some cash on a serious tool that was designed for detecting. Fifty bucks might seem like a lot of money for a spade but I can honestly say, I’ve broken a hundred dollars’ worth of cheap diggers before I made the investment in a good Lesche Tool. I’ve been digging with that same Lesche Tool, problem free for close to a decade.
Handheld Pinpointer- A handheld pinpointer is essentially a small metal detector that’s used to pinpoint your target once you’ve opened up the ground. I prefer the Minelab PRO-FIND 25. If you’re new to metal detecting or haven’t detected before, let me be the first to break it to you. Targets are extremely difficult to see when they’ve been in the ground for a period of time. If you can’t immediately see the target and you don’t have a pinpointer, you’re reduced to sweeping handfuls of dirt over the coil until you’ve recovered the target. While this technique works (I did it for about a year and a half) it’s less than efficient. My aim when I’m out detecting is to retrieve as many targets as possible in the allotted time that I have to detect. A pinpointer expedites the process immensely.
While those are the basic tools every coin, relic and treasure hunter should carry, there are several others that make easy work of retrieving targets but are more environmentally driven. One of my favorite non-essential tools is a long “T” handle spade. Comprised of aircraft quality steel, it’s like having a Lesche Tool on the end of a 30” handle. It cuts nice, clean, tight plugs with ease. I especially like this tool because I don’t have to bend down to investigate every target. It also enables me to utilize my body weight via my foot to press into the ground as opposed to my hands. Other non-essential, environmentally driven tools might include (but aren’t limited to) sand scoops for beach use. Root clippers and small hand saws for those of you who dig in places overgrown with vegetation. Screw drivers for poking and prying targets out of the ground or “flipping” as it’s called. I also like to carry a small spray bottle full of water or “Foo Foo Juice” as it goes by in some circles, to gently rinse and clean my coins and relics. Soft silver coins and other frail relics are easily scratched by harsh, abrasive dirt. Rubbing those items while they’re covered in dry dirt can easily damage and ruin an otherwise priceless coin or relic.
Gold Nugget Hunters
Detector- (Duh)
Trash/tool pouch- As discussed before. You’ll need a place to keep all of your unwanted, excavated items and other handheld tools.
Pick- Detecting for nuggets often means that you’ll be attempting to excavate a target in ground that’s harder than the back of your head. Having a long handled, strong pick will help reduce your efforts. It’s also a good idea to attach a few extremely strong, rare earth magnets to your pick. Most metal detectors that are made specifically for gold hunting lack the ability to discriminate. In other words, you’ll be digging every target. Having a magnet on the end of your pick can quickly help you identify weather or not your target is ferrous vs non-ferrous. Simply open up the ground with your pick, rub the magnets around in the dirt for a minute, check your magnets for iron garbage and re-scan your hole. If you’ve got a piece of ferrous garbage stuck on your magnet and the signal in the hole has disappeared, simply cover your hole and move on.
Nugget Scoop- Gold nuggets are hard to spot and if your gold nuggets are like the ones I find, they’re probably too small to make using a pinpointer worthwhile. Instead you’ll want to use a plastic scoop to waive scoops of dirt over the top of your detector’s coil. Do this until you produce a signal on your detector indicating that your target is in your scoop. Now, pour half of the material in your hand and waive the scoop over the coil again. Is the target still in the scoop? If so, continue the process until you’ve found your target. If not, dump the material from the scoop into an easily located and contained pile (in case you accidently lose your target in there) and transfer the material from your hand into your scoop. Repeat the process until your target is acquired.
Some other tools that you might find valuable in the gold fields include (but aren’t limited too) a pinpointer. Although, as I discussed previously, most of your gold nuggets will be too small for a handheld pinpointer to locate quickly, there are the welcomed exceptions. Occasionally you’ll find a large gold nugget and when you do, you’ll want to avoid damaging it during excavation. A pinpointer can help you avoid marring a nice hunk of gold with your pick so it’s a good idea to carry one with you in the event that you find a whopper!
A good detecting harness like the Minelab PRO-SWING 45 is another addition to the arsenal that always comes with me. It’s not uncommon for me to swing for 10 to 12 hours a day when I’m nugget hunting and those detectors begin to feel pretty heavy by the end of a 12-hour day. The PRO-SWING harness helps to distribute the weight of your detector more appropriately and will greatly reduce fatigue. Other items might include hydration packs, gold vials or pill containers to keep your gold in, hats, snake guards, bug spray and sunscreen.
Join us next month as we delve into some detecting techniques that will be sure to help you maximize your findings. For a more in depth look at “Tools of the Trade”; check out my new book “The Metal Detecting Bible” here: https://www.amazon.com/Metal-Detecting-Bible-Helpful-Treasures/dp/1612435270
Let’s get lost!
Brandon “Dr.Tones” Neice
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