Search the Community

With the Impulse AQ opening a new chapter on depth on Heavy and light gold ring, i am wondering which sand scoop or digging tools tester will use . I know for a fact that Le Jag(Denis) is using a beast of a scoop 3mm thick with an unbreakable shaft. I myself broke many,but with my deep holes experience i am wondering if i am adding 20% depth and 50% extra positive ID(which will make you believe it is defo Gold),which tool will be needed.........and maybe ask Zeus to give us the stamina of 2 Hercules. I am expecting to see a lot of broken tools . RR

Scoopsters, I need a 316 SS medium sized scoop for lower beach work and dry/damp sand. Cannot get a 316 here in Australia.....just crappy 304 which don't last in my experience and like to pit at the weld joints. Trying to keep weight down and size too. This scoop here https://goldpulltab.com/products/316-stainless-steel-beach-sand-scoop meets just about all my criteria and the price is very good too. Both brands are Made in the USA with 316 steel and appear well made. My question is why does an Xtreme scoop cost nearly 4 times the price. Specs looks similar, size and material, etc. My two current scoops are original Sunspot stealths....big and bold for the water but dragging on the beach is quite a workout after 6 hours. What say you Sultans of Steel......$110 v $435.............what am I missing ????

Which sand scoop should I get? Maybe preferably one with a 48" handle so as to be able to be used in the water.

I will have to find someone to repair my scoop and I’d like some advice. There are two failures as shown in the photos. I am wondering why originally there was not a seam weld across the piece in addition to the two sides? Should I repair it as was or add the extra weld?

Anyone who reads my posts recently saw a floating sifter I got for beach hunting, and thank you all for the suggestions regarding making it better. I took the advice of one of the people that responded, sent it back, and got the one I really wanted, the great but expensive Tube Tubb: This thing is big, kinda heavy (around 3 pounds), and expect to pay around $200 for it, but it's made in the USA, has no metal in it at all, and has a really thick fiber sifter with 3/8" holes. It can take a big scoop of rocks and silt and will not flip over just like the other one, but it's way more well made. It's 31" long by 16" wide. I got mine from Serious Detecting, but it's pretty much available from many metal detecting specialty companies online. My next problem was how to carry it. 😬 One thing I noticed with the other one was that because it's huge and the grab handles are thick, you have to carry it by hand or attached to a lanyard and it bangs all over the place during portage, not to mention keeping one of your hands occupied. I've seen the Hoover Boys using one but they just toss it in a boat, I have to walk to the beach from the parking lot. 😵 I searched Amazon for various backpack rigs and came upon this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08372G1VX Again it's kinda pricey ($68) but it's the only thing I could conceptualize holding this sifter. 🤔 Man was I surprised when it got here. It's a bit fiddly to adjust at first, but it's extremely well made and worth every penny, the perfect backpack carrier for the Tube Tubb. Pop the two button locked Bianchi clips and you're ready to go, you can keep the backpack unit on your back while in the water. 🥳 It has comfortable and easily adjustable shoulder straps and a cross strap as well. It also has a cushioned pad with two zipper pockets. Now with both hands free to carry my detector and scoop, I should be all set for some serious water hunting this fall at my rocky, pebbly beach. I will revisit this post when I have used this rig.

I would like to ask you what equipment you carry when you go out detecting. I'll start. Beach 90% of the time: Pouch: small monocular, multitool, a waterproof bag in case it rains, hat, sunglasses, gloves, pepper spray in case a dog attacks at night, raincoat. Small magnifying glass to read the stamps 😉 Scoop and detector Underwater: Blu3 Nemo, wetsuit, fins, goggles, tube, knife, weights, bottle with fresh water, waterproof bag with cell phone and keys. I try to carry little equipment and be light. And you, what equipment do you use? Steve, if this isn't the right place for the thread, feel free and move it. Thanks!

I got myself a cheap poly-carbonate sand scoop. It's kind of sturdy, but I already found that it doesn't work particularly well, especially in wet sand, for at least three reasons: it's not as sturdy as stainless steel and digging the gravel is not easy, the holes are not big enough for the wet sand to fall through easily (I think I need a mesh at the bottom somehow), and, for compactness, my scoop doesn't have a long handle, which makes it pretty difficult to dig quickly and often... I was hoping that somebody could point me out to a better scoop that I could either buy online (Amazon, Lazada - the latter is better as there are no import duties in Thailand) or that could inspire me to ask someone here to make for me. The ideal one would be: small in size with the mesh that allows the wet sand to fall through (but, which would also allow or the scoop to be pushed into the sand with one's foot) with a longer handle, possibly removable (but not the full length as it won't be portable enough the way I do it - motorcycling...) cheap... (I know, but one has to start somewhere...). Cheers!

Returned to a relic site that has been good so far. Had a new gadget to try, a magnetic iron rake. It worked just okay. Needs a redesign to get the faces of the magnets both parallel to and closer to the ground and it will work a lot better. I raked out just a few square yards around where I'd found an Indian Head last time I was here. There's visible iron all over the ground in this spot. So I thought moving some of it out of the way couldn't hurt. It was still missing visible nails though. Definitely needs a redo. But lo and behold... Three feet from where I found the Indian last time... I got a dimey signal, but I thought it was another Indian when I first saw it. But no, it's a Seated! 1888. That felt good! Manticore with the M9 in ATG, running wide open. Moved out from the little raked area and just started hunting. Lots of targets, mostly old ammo, harmonica reeds and such. But some cool stuff too. A broken skeleton key, a pocket watch frame. And then a cool old lock and the next target twelve inches from it, a Barber quarter. Good times! Ended up with two more coins before it got too hot and I headed for home. A 1906 Barber dime and a Chinese cash coin. Interesting decorated piece of lead. And an ancient trigger guard - no numbers or markings on it and I don't know what it might have been off of. Anxious for cooler weather! I'll re-do that rake probably tomorrow and will give it another try in a similar kind of spot. - Dave

I normally hunt areas where trowels are required. I have recently gained access to some more wooded areas and need to add a good shovel to my tool kit. It preferably won’t weigh me down, but needs to be rugged enough to cut roots without falling apart in a year or two. The next question is how do you forest hunters carry a shovel? Do you have some sort of back strap carry pouch, or do you just carry it in your free hand and try to keep it away from the coil? I would prefer to keep a free hand if possible, but also don’t want to waste a lot of time accessing a shovel for each target.

Good afternoon to my fellow detectorists I'm looking for any recommendations for sand scoops for the beach, wet and dry sand. I'm currently using a 41 inch stainless steel scoop that's durable but it gets to be fairly heavy after a few hours. I was looking at the Extreme sand scoops but the titanium is way more that I want to spend right now. Any suggestions would be appreciated

After 10 years swinging a detector I still can't find a comfortable way to carry my pick. For the last few years, I've been carrying it between the straps of the Minelab harness but when I wear loose clothing it gets caught up as I'm trying to slot it into position. I've tried the DD pick holder but don't like the pick hanging at a 45% angle as it catches on bushes when turning around. I've tried hammer holders but they're mostly metal and the clunking and rattling are annoying. I've just purchased a Molle tactical vest instead of the Minelab harness and I have noticed a few hang their pick using the grab strap on the back. I like this idea the best but I don't want dirt and crap from the pick on my vest as my area is often wet with clay. Someone was making a 3d printed holder that holds the pick on your back, not sure if they're any good. The only option that I think my work is a small leather hammer holder. There won't be any clunking and it should enable the pick to hang towards the ground. Unless someone has a method that works well for them.

Anyone have any suggestions on what pick is to use for detecting? I've used a few but apparently I'm too hard on them. The Fisher I have now is bent and held together with Gorilla tape. Hoping for a decent point that can be pried on at least a little bit, a good sized hoe on the other end that can move material efficiently, and a magnet (that can be added if not included). Any suggestions?

Kevin Hoagland said he was going to do an article on his favorite detecting accessories and he said he was going to mention some of my products. He never told me the whole article was going to be exclusively about my accessories that he uses. 7 pages! Needless to say I am flooded with orders, which is very welcome. Thank you Kevin. You made my year. Happy 2024 to all, Doc

Way back in '21 I posted a thread about gear. I'm always looking for interesting stuff for cheap, so here is my 2023 setup. I made a major change in my relic hunting gear this year, since I started detecting I've been using various belt bags, the lighter the better for the beach, but all my finds bags were belt. What I've found is that belt bags beg other bags on the belt, and the more you put on there the higher chance your detector will snag on something from time to time. Got tired of it. Chase has been hunting with me for 3 years now, and I've always admired his finds bag, a military style drop leg pouch with pockets. He says it is no longer made so I searched extensively and found this one which is as close as I could get, and probably much cheaper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07STZ7X34 It's only about $30. It is the only one that has Molle straps over two of the pockets, and enough D rings to make me happy anyway, with a Velcro band for morale patches. Here's my rig after adding a few more pouches: I added a flashlight pouch for my spray water bottle (Hoover Boys Foo Foo), and a couple of brushes. The pointer slips neatly into the web holding the pouch, and it doesn't snag. On the right side I added two 16oz somewhat insulated water bottle holders on the D ring, because a 32oz steel bottle is just too damn heavy and "swingy". The other side D ring is for the pointer lanyard. I have this rig strapped around my waist with the pad on my right side and the bag on my left, it has a nice elastic leg strap that doesn't really bind or allow the bag to move around. The real advantage comes from holding the detector in my right hand, there is nothing to hit or snag on. I get a full swing? I'm pretty sure this bag can be used on either side. Modifications I made to the bag were cutting out the internal waterproof cover, and cutting off the top flap and strap with a razor knife so the main compartment is a "dump pouch". I added the IR USA flag patch and the clover because I was in the military and the clover is for luck. I have a clover pin another detectorist cast and sent a few of us for Christmas last year, but that's on my beach gear. ? It has brought me a lot of luck. The flashlight pouch is also from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07G3QYJRW The two water bottle holders are these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01GYIYQQA Total cost without the patches is around $60. I've paid a lot more for pouches in the past. ? Tight, light and easy to carry all day. I encourage anyone that reads this to post their own rig!

Is there a good set of knee pads to recommend for detecting? I was thinking about carrying around a rectangular one to use or possibly buying a pair of Carhartt double front pants that are designed to put their knee pads into. Apparently you can wash the pants with the pads in place which would make things simplified.

Been contemplating ordering Docs Swingy Thingy, and the Saga Swing arm, since I added the Axiom 16x14 Mono Coil for sure going to pick up the Swingy thingy and Queegle bungee attachment but was wandering if it is worth adding the Saga Swing arm also, does it give you more control of your detector and coil, and can the Swing arm be removed when I am running the 11x7 Mono and DD without to much trouble, just to remove the added weight the 16x14 throws the balance off quite a bit on the Axiom, and at my age it is a bit of a work out swinging those big coils Thanks for any replies

Hi all, I just bit the bullet and purchased a Nemo Blu3 portable dive system as another tool in my metal detecting arsenal. For those who don't know about the Nemo, here are a couple of videos that show what it can do: I'd love to compare notes with those here who are using a Nemo Blu3 with their Nox underwater. I haven't used it yet myself as I had to put it in my shipment to Vietnam, where I will be starting a new job in a couple of months. So I'm just doing a lot of research at this point. The only problem I am hearing so far is that the Nox can be difficult to hear underwater over the Nemo Blu3 regulator whether you use the Minelab "yellow" underwater headphones or don't use headphones at all. For anyone using the Nemo with their Nox (or diving at all), have you been able to find an alternative underwater headphone with better sound or another workaround? Thanks in advance!

I have been using a Bunks Hermit pick for a few years now, I find it to be one of the best picks I have ever used very well made pick for prospecting, I also have his burro Pick as well, which I do like but not as much as Bunks Hermit Pick, but the hermit pick always felt heavy to me and always felt to short for me so I modified it, it came with a 2 foot handle, i wanted a pick I could use for nugget hunting and also use it as a walking pick as well as one that I could use to get up of the ground after retrieving a target, what I did was remove the 2 foot handle and replaced it with a 40 inch handle, and honestly this 40 inch handle as strange as it seems made the Hermit pick to feel lighter and it accomplished what I wanted I now can dig while standing up and I can use it to help me get back up when I go down on my hands and knees to retrieve a target and it also made it a great walking pick,Bunk produces some fantastic picks and I would not hesitate to purchase another hermit pick again from him, and no this hermit pick you do not carry in a holder on your belt, even at the 2 foot length Bunk instructs you to never carry the hermit pick while hanging off your belt as that spike could do some serious damage if you fell on it, I always carried it in my hand where if I fell I could throw it side ways or away from me my recommendation for anyone wanting to purchase a Hermit Pick from Bunk just purchase the head only and then add a shovel handle which can be purchased from Ace Hardware,Home Depot or Lowe's and most likely any good hardware store

I miss the good old days when Gold Prospecting machines like the Goldmaster V-SAT. the Gold Bug 2, and Lobo Super-Traq didn't have screens. Models today are very top-heavy. On a recent trip to Northern California, I was plagued by my detector falling over while trying to isolate the target over its 5" coil. Can anyone recommend a good aftermarket stand? The Arm Cuff base just isn't cutting it. TIA!

I just replaced the handle on my Apex pick and am thinking of adding a magnet to the end of the handle. The handle is a 1" x 1 1/2". Oval What size and strength of magnet would i be looking for?

Charging batteries on nemo for first time, doesnt seem to matter how long charging for but still only showing 1 green light on battery, does anyone have this problem ?

Looking to replace my 18" Apex handle with a 24" and was on their website, went to order up the 24" @ $26+ and upon checkout they wanted $22 to ship...lol NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!! Really didn't want to head to local hardware and start "sizing" axe handles then having to sand, etc. for a tight fit...blah blah, etc. Anyone know of an online dealer that might sell a handle for something reasonable? $50 for a 2 foot handle ain't happening. Long shot I know....but thought I'd try?

Hello I wanted to share with you the sad problem I had with my Nemo device. During the summer months, I try to make a living by doing underwater photography with the device, traveling around the coasts of Turkey and searching for precious jewels with the detector, which is my source of income. That's why your sharing is very valuable to me. As the end of the season approached, I encountered the problem that my device could not pump enough air even under 1 meter, and I was very upset because there is no dealer belonging to the company in my country to send it for repair. I got this amazing hookah system through a friend residing abroad, but our ways diverged. I contacted the company for a fault record, I know that they will definitely fix the device, but due to customs rules, I cannot send the device from my country. The only thing I can do for now is to have the electrician open the device and perform the maintenance that can be done visually. If there is a similar event that happened to you dear forum members, please share the way I need to follow for its repair. Thank you.

I know this is a much heated debate - but what are your guys thoughts/experience on scoop slots - any preferences or situations you'd definitely want one versus another? And are the newer styles better or just hype? - Round (the oldest tech) - Hexagon (the most widely used new type now) - Slotted (just starting to see these added to scoops usually in the rear)

Today I went out for a beach hunt in the morning. (Just one silver band.) I switched back to my little scoop that I pull to me. It is an all stainless steel scoop with a 6" basket. It is a delight to use on a shallow target beach because I can dig the targets faster that my big scoop. My big scoop is of European make that I'll fondly call Godzilla. It is a heavy sucker with 8" basket and a step on back. It is twice the weight of my pull scoop but I can get the deep targets that are 10" or more. A couple of days earlier this week it came in handy. It does not bend or give. It will overpower ALL sand. Other than it being so heavy it also seems to make pinpointing harder. I think the presence of additional metal mass throws off my ability to use the tip of the 15" inch coil on my Equinox. I thought about that today as I was using the smaller scoop. Does anyone else note a difference in pinpointing with your different scoops?