Show Me Your Pick

[WesD]

 My old 1945 vintage backpack pick. Still pounding ground after 70 years! They dont make forgings like this anymore.

[auminesweeper]

Well added a new pick to the collection, ya know how many picks I got in my truck........

Ivan's Wacko Pick 

ivanwacko.jpg

Ivan that looks like the best pick north of the meridian, Everything is spot on with it, The Blade and the Bevel being on the right side makes it perfect because they Shear the ground better that way,,  

 

Give me a nudge next month and we'll talk Turkey, I Like It mate.

 

john

[Ivansgarage]

I see on other forums guys talking about the Supersede pick made in AU.

I tried to purchase one just to see what shipping would be, it says call us.

 

I have to admit they do look like, well made and nice picks.

They all so look a little heavy, more than I want to carry.

So would we be talking a three hundred dollar pick with shipping?

 

Replacement, blade or point..will they be around a year or two from now,??

Supersede Pick Blade Price AUD $80.00

Supersede Pick Point Large Price AUD $53.00

 

Supersede 750mm Medium Pick Price AUD $210.00

Supersede 900mm Large Pick Price AUD $220.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

Info source:

https://www.reedsprospecting.com.au/shop/listings/picks,-scoops-magnets/

 

Ivan,  

 

(these picks make my pick look like a little girly pick)

[auminesweeper]

Your Picks are better for a Simple reason,, Those picks have bolts and holes in them which will wear and the Hex on the nuts will get damaged which means when the Pick gets damaged or the nuts hit rocks and things you can't un do it or fit new blades, and unlike your walco type pick because of the shape of it it is useless for scraping out the dirt with because the sides are not flat,

john

[flakmagnet]

Hi Ivan

 

I sure wouldn't use "girlie" anywhere in the description of your picks.

They look great and they are 3/4 of a pound lighter than Supersede's.

I particularly like the looks of the bigger one as it is easy to overlook

how critical the digging side of picks is, and you clearly understand that.

 

I wish you best of luck with them they look very good 

and I was not trying to undercut them in any way fwiw.

 

best wishes

[Ivansgarage]

Thoughts guys? 

 

If I built something like that (super pick) would it sell? 

 

Ivan

[auminesweeper]

Thoughts guys? 

 

If I built something like that (super pick) would it sell? probably talking 150-175 dollars.

 

Ivan

Ivan I am not too sure about them ??

 

This Walco pick is the one I want Note the Curve and the size of the Blade and they have a piece of 38mm tubing that is between 4 to 5 inches log so it protects the handle in case you hit the handle on a rock, and the sides are flat, In OZ they are the industry standard and that steel tube is crushed to make it an Oval shape so the handle does not twist, Like in the picture below,

 

http://www.goldsearchaustralia.com/index.php/our-products/accessories/pick-lesche-tools-trowels-shovel/picks-2/large-walco-pick.html

[beatup]

these are my two favorite picks one for backpacking and one for serious diggingshort one is 18 inches and long one is 25 inches in length.

 

Ivan, i like the big scoop and the wacko picks.

[jasong]

Ivan, If you can get them to ~$100-125ish and make a few improvements which I'll list below I think they'd sell decently. At least I'd definitely be interested in trying one. $165 AUD is like $117USD and the large one I see for sale for $200AUD which is like $142 if I remember it right.

The one thing the Supersede is missing is a magnet slot, if it was welded forward of the front scoop nuts its seems like it'd take most of the wear and that's about where it seems they are most handy anyways, more towards the top of the handle like some picks do is not as useful IMO. Tops of my picks above the handle have the least wear in general so I wonder how much wear those bolts would actually get...but if there was a problem with the design seems like that would be it.

Also, I think the pick end is too long on the large pick, but I haven't tried one so I can't say for certain. But the biggest thing for me is proper balance and not being too so heavy as to leave bruises where it sits on my shoulder bone as the large Apex does if I go more than 5 or 6 days in a row. A perfect weight I think is halfway between the Hermit Pick head and the large Apex pick head.

35" handle IMO is too long. It's doable for me at 6ft tall to belt mount (my Hermit handle is 34" and I like it), but anyone shorter would have issues with walking probably. 32" handle I think is a perfect "large" size handle one size fits all but mabe I'm off there since not many others gave handle length input. I don't care for anything shorter myself so I couldn't make a good recommendation for the small/medium size.

Also, a consideration may be to use acorn nuts on the bolt ends so that the threads stay protected. It would require more accurate bolt length sizing though.

Just don't make any geometry modifications that make it dangerous or difficult to belt mount like the Hermit Pick. I like how the side of the scoop is bent 90 degrees so it's not going to dig into my hip and stab me if I fall or bloody me up after days of digging into my side as I walk.

Or or or, how about this, make one, send me a prototype, and I'll post some pics of the gold I find with it on the forum and a review as free advertising for you.