Best Digging Tool 4 Parks ??? Whats Your Favorite Lesche?

[Cptbill]

Back in the days before pin pointers and the variety of shovels we have today. I used a brass probe and a long screw driver to did up my coins. I did that for years but now I would only do that in a yard or somewhere I couldn’t dig a plug. I love using a shovel in fields but not in populated parks.  

[oneguy]

7 hours ago, vanursepaul said:

I am surprised Steve hasnt sounded off on this one...

When I was in Reno working the Parks Steve came over and gave me a demo on park hunting---- he didn't  use a shovel of any kind, just a a pin-pointer and a screwdriver.

Once he got a likely target he used his pinpointer to see if it would pick up the target, if it didnt he moved on..

The idea was not to dig up parks with shovels  and get everyone banned....

This may have just been because we were right in the middle of a well used park in Reno.

But unless i misunderstood him, that was his way of detecting parks.

If it was the boonies im sure he would use a backhoe if he needed too....lol

 

I can't speak for Steve but it sure sounds like he was doing what I call "clad stabbing"....Quick easy shallow coins.  "IF" you chase the older coins in beat to death parks you'll find them DEEP.  Ain't gonna get anything done with a probe or screwdriver without making a hell of a mess of the turf.   I've been in these shovel debates before and agree "the perception of a shovel is bad...no doubt".  The reality is I can cut a much better, faster and cleaner plug with the lesche shovel than I can with the handheld lesche….much less a screwdriver (great for shallow stuff)……   I've been confronted in parks before and once I demonstrate how I cut a plug and put it back, then ask if they can see any of my other holes, that usually quiets them right up...…    But then again...there's idiots out there that'll ruin it no matter what they use?  Shovels look bad agreed....but boy do they do a nice clean quick job on the deepies……...jmho

[Mike Hillis]

I bought a 3 n 1 Treasure Wise digger back in 2004 and that is all I use for plugging.    I got a Lesche in a detector special one time but it wasn't compatible with my pouch so I passed it on. 

I use a Sidekick pouch, just one big pocket with a mesh bottom that holds my screwdriver , pinpointer, digger and all my finds both trash and treasure.   Well....I do slip the extra special finds into my back pocket but other than that all goes in the pouch.    Works for me.  

Some pics.  I don't use the sheath.  Don't even think I have it.   And my sidekick pouch doesn't have the Kellyco logo.

HH
Mike

[Steve Herschbach]

Paul, I was talking jewelry detecting by going after shallow targets with a screwdriver. I use a standard Lesche digging knife to cut plugs when hunting old coins. The two methods are described pretty well below.

[alaskaseeker]

Digging in parks is best done very carefully, in fact unless it had rained recently and the ground was damp I stayed away from nice parks..  if you dig a pretty deep plug the ground will repair itself quite well. Wet ground too is more conductive,  this is useful info for those very old parks..Right after I had picked up my Tek Mk 1 from the Salem Ore plant. I stopped by the old park at Brownsville Ore... This was basically the first time I had this multi tone unit out.. I loved listening to the threshold and suddenly hearing that unique high tone, my first target there was a 1902 B dime...I remember thanking George Payne who was the circuit designer then for  Technetics...Wonder what has become of Rod Hamilton? I lost track of him after he moved to Az to go to work for Tesoro......Meant to add too, whatever turns out to be your favorite digger keep it Sharp, clean cuts are easier to replace in the ground.....

[William P]

Park hunting is a tricky task. The last thing parents with little kids  playing or folks walking their little dog want to see is someone carrying around a wicked looking shovel. To get to the left over silver coins in this town, you can expect to go pretty deep and doing that with a hand digger just seems to take too long (I'm looking at that Raptor though and thinking about giving it a spin). The two hand diggers I alternate depending on the location and soil are an authentic HoriHori and a MocDoo digger (seen here). I've had a few people even look at the Hori Hori and back at me like I was an axe murder or something 

My compromise for park hunting is the 18" Lesche Mini Sampson (seen here) in combination with the T-Handle belt holster (here). I have yet to be asked about this small shovel while in the public parks and when not in use it hangs off you belt and doesn't look very imposing. If anything you look like a city worker walking around with things hanging from your side ? .

All that said, if there's a lot of people and kids milling around in the park, I typically will go someplace else and not chance the negative feedback that may hit me. However, using the 18" Sampson and belt holder I listed, I have never been asked to leave or justify what I was doing. 

-Bill

[vanursepaul]

Hahahahaaha,

That reminded me of a time last year when I was going to Santa Monica Beach.

  I was driving into the parking area when a lady rudely cut me off. She knew she did, but she just couldnt help herself.

Well she parked a big open parking lot and got out to do her stretches so i pulled up one space away...just to let her know there was a real person in the vehicle she just cut off.

I could see here eyeing me as i calmly opened the side  door of my Sequoia and took out my Minelab Detector case---- (You know i didnt realize until that day how similar that case looks to a gun case- !)

I saw her eyes getting a little wider as I pulled out the detector and threw the case back in the car.

Then i turned the detector on to let her hear it----- that must have been when  she realized it was not a assault rifle....

 

As I was walking past her to go to the beach... I gave her my best Tennessee  smile and a polite,  "GOOD MORNING MA'AM -- She was not impressed by Jethro...

And I may have seen a little puddle of water next to where she was standing ...

Hahahaha--- California BABY!!!!!

 

 

[Dubious]

I also like the mini Samsung, but am shy about taking it to parks--certainly looks less offensive than a long handled shovel, though. In parks, I try for the low key and non-dangerous look. In many places, it is actually a crime to carry a large knife, so I try to use tools that suggest gardening rather than weapons.

[BeachHunter]

I have the long Sampson for the field and a mini Sampson for the park. Both are great.

[vanursepaul]

I just got a Samson 31" and it looks nice -- and a belt holder (then i realized i dont wear a belt)?

I will use it during these last 30 days i have before Oz....

I will go to the VA where I work ---i understand it has been there since it was donated after the Civil War for Veterans...

400 acres.... but not all detectable of course--- i have been looking at old plat maps and it looks interesting..

I had a VA policeman check me out last year when i went for a short hunt----

he was amused that I would waste my time walking around with a detector....

But never was negative about it---so I will continue to see what I may find here.

I also understand they family that donated the land back then has a museum downtown Santa Monica so maybe I will check it out to get clues on where to concentrate...

Oh and Steve, I knew you were talking about jewelry in my above post.... I thought that was understood---we dont look for clad!!! hahahaha