In Need Of A Good Pick For Detecting

[Dutchman4]

On 12/7/2023 at 12:27 PM, Doc said:

Well I have to get my two cents in.

$99.95 Doc's Nugget Stalker Pick.  plus s&h  Made in the U.S.A.

Made with sturdy forged metal. The wide blade with curved edges moves dirt quickly and efficiently.  The wide blade is sharp, it will cut through bushes and brush with ease.  Comes with a 1 inch X 1/2 inch approx. Super Magnet.  The magnet is screwed to the top and can be removed.

The handle is 24 inches long.  The width of the wide blade is 5.5 inches, and from the point to the edge of the wide blade is 11 inches.  The handle is made of Ash and has a little larger area at the end of the handle for a better grip.

If you order the Nugget Stalker pick with a magnet, the magnet will be mounted with a screw on the top of the blade between the point and the wide blade.  Or you can request we send the magnet loose so you can decide where to mount it.

Doc's Nugget Stalker® Brand Gold Pick, the only pick for Metal Detecting you'll ever need. - Doc's Place (docsdetecting.com)

Doc

Hi Doc,

I have an Apex now and super sturdy but the weight is a bit much for the long hike exploration type of detecting I do.

What is the weight of your pick with the magnet?

I sometimes like to mod my picks and the Apex appears to be hardened steel and very difficult to drill.  What type of metal is your pick and can it be drilled/tapped without having to buy expensive cobalt bits?

With the wide blade on this pick can this pick be carried on the hip with a hammer loop carrier or similar nylon carrier?

[MSC]

Doc, I'm with you, the Nugget stalker pick is really well made and can move a lot of dirt with each scrape. 

[davsgold]

On 12/6/2023 at 10:31 AM, geof_junk said:

Davsgold pick I believe was made from the result of Mike "malleyboy" pick made way back in 2010 that he showed me WA and have not heard a bad word about them. I know it was made for prospecting by a farmer come prospector for his own use. So you can't go go wrong with one.

 

'

yes geof, your right, malleeboy gave me permission to make the picks like his, just as long as I called them a different name, so that is how we came up with the name "Gold Digger Picks"  I do three sizes, small medium and large and a few of the detector shops in Australia stock them

[JDIGGS]

Hi, I am very hard on picks (not intentionally) and there is nothing worse then hiking to the middle of nowhere just break the wood handle of any digging tool.  I've been using the Estwing Paleo Pick for about a year now and so far so good.  It's all metal, not to heavy, digs well and has a nice ring.  I'm surprised no one has mentioned one.  Anyway maybe this will help good luck!

[Doc]

On 12/14/2023 at 7:52 AM, Dutchman4 said:

Hi Doc,

I have an Apex now and super sturdy but the weight is a bit much for the long hike exploration type of detecting I do.

What is the weight of your pick with the magnet?

I sometimes like to mod my picks and the Apex appears to be hardened steel and very difficult to drill.  What type of metal is your pick and can it be drilled/tapped without having to buy expensive cobalt bits?

With the wide blade on this pick can this pick be carried on the hip with a hammer loop carrier or similar nylon carrier?

Weighs a bit over 4 lbs.  I used to drill the pick head, but I did use a Cobalt bit.  It is hardened.

Yes you can easily carry it with a hammer carrier.

Doc

[jasong]

On 12/7/2023 at 1:27 PM, Doc said:

How long have you had this design?

This is essentially exactly what I was explaining the Hermit Pick should be redesigned/updated to be back in 2015, in some of those old pick threads. No one knew of any similar design other than that Supercede one which they wouldn't ship to USA, a member named Isaac or something made a similar one but then never offered it for sale, and that was the last I heard of this design since 2015 until seeing this thread just now - good to see someone making it for sale. 

$99 is a good price - need 32" handles though or you don't get enough leverage for some stuff like hardpack or prying cobbles and can't use it for support/walking. What would just the pick head cost if you sold that alone?

[Gold Catcher]

1 hour ago, jasong said:

No one knew of any similar design other than that Supercede one which they wouldn't ship to USA

Tried so hard to get one, no success. They looked awesome. Using Bunk's Hermit pick, best pick I ever had.

GC 

[Sérgio Campos]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:29 AM, Sérgio Campos said:

I use a 530gr (18,7 ounces), double use hoe from Bellota. Pretty much indestructible because it’s forged in one piece. They are made with the best steel (this company manufactures agriculture tools for 120 years). I use this brand for farming activities for at least 40 years. The pointy edge will not erode and the flat side is always sharp. Even if you are hammering on mix soil/stones.  It’s lightweight and inexpensive. I purchase the tool without the cable but they also sell with a cable, just cut them to your desire length. They sell worldwide.                                     https://www.bellota.com/en-us/for-agriculture/soil-preparation/hoes/hoes/forged-double-use-hoe-hoe-and-launcher-with-antigiro-system-hoe230/hoe230bp   

This is how mine looks like assembled. I added a magnet on top. The cable is about 60cm/ 25 inches. One piece no welds. Still holding shape after at least 2000 digs! 

[Doc]

22 hours ago, jasong said:

How long have you had this design?

This is essentially exactly what I was explaining the Hermit Pick should be redesigned/updated to be back in 2015, in some of those old pick threads. No one knew of any similar design other than that Supercede one which they wouldn't ship to USA, a member named Isaac or something made a similar one but then never offered it for sale, and that was the last I heard of this design since 2015 until seeing this thread just now - good to see someone making it for sale. 

$99 is a good price - need 32" handles though or you don't get enough leverage for some stuff like hardpack or prying cobbles and can't use it for support/walking. What would just the pick head cost if you sold that alone?

I designed this style pick for S.H. Wallace, WALCO around 2006.   Then because they could not keep up with my demand, they quit supplying them to the United States.  That pick was called the Wombat.

So I found a U.S. Manufacturer.

32 inch handle sounds great until you have to pay for shipping.  Here in the US. we get charged dimensional weight.

A 24 inch pick shipping is $30 to New York

A 32 inch pick shipping to New York is $67.

32 inch pick is great until you want to carry it on a loop on your belt and it's whacking you in the leg.  But it's OK, I've been married 53 years and nothing I do makes my wife happy either.  😆

Doc

 

 

[jasong]

3 hours ago, Doc said:

A 24 inch pick shipping is $30 to New York

A 32 inch pick shipping to New York is $67.

32 inch pick is great until you want to carry it on a loop on your belt and it's whacking you in the leg.  But it's OK, I've been married 53 years and nothing I do makes my wife happy either.  😆
 

Would you offer just a pick head option though? I didn't see it on your store.

Something to be aware of is that belt loop mounting is impossible with the GPZ and larger CC coils. I can hear my pick at shoulder level with a 22" (especially when working slopes), near sternum level with a 15" (I'm 6ft). I'm guessing if the 8000 ever comes out, people will discover the same thing too since I'd guess it will be of similar performance.