There is a myth, that Gerhard Fisher created the first practical production model of a metal detector!!! The first practical metal detector was created by a Lieutenant in the Polish army. His name was Jozef Stanislaw Kosacki who was stationed in St Andrews Scotland during the early years of World War Two.They made 500 of his metal detectors.. ...... yes that is not a typo..............500 units that were sent to clear the mine fields during the second battle of El Alamein. As this was a wartime research project...........it was kept secret for 50 years!!! Now you know..... the rest of the story. This info was obtained on the Wikipedia site under the title of Metal Detector. I found it most interesting and hope to enlighten my fellow detectorists , so that they can remember good old Jozef next time they reach for their metal detector .......and a toast to Jozef next time they reach for a drink!!!!
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Do you know who is resposible for the detector you are using today....................it's Not Gerhard Fisher!!!!
- Thread starter Ivan
- Start date
History of the Metal Detector
In 1881, Alexander Graham Bell invented the first metal detector. As President James Garfield lay dying of an assassin's bullet, Alexander Graham Bell hurriedly invented a crude metal detector in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the fatal slug. Bell's metal detector was an electromagnetic device he called the induction balance
Gerhard Fischar - Portable Metal Detector
In 1925, Gerhard Fischar invented a portable metal detector. Fischar's model was first sold commercially in 1931 and Gerhard Fischar was behind the first large-scale production of metal detectors.
According to the experts at A&S Company: "In the late 1920's, Dr. Gerhard Fisher, the founder of Fisher Research Laboratory was commissioned as a research engineer with the Federal Telegraph Co. and Western Air Express to develop airborne direction finding equipment. He was awarded some of the first patents issued in the field of airborne direction finding by means of radio. In the course of his work, he encountered some strange errors and once he solved these problems, he had the foresight to apply the solution to a completely unrelated field, that of metal and mineral detection.
More History Of Metal Detectors
In 1881, Alexander Graham Bell invented the first metal detector. As President James Garfield lay dying of an assassin's bullet, Alexander Graham Bell hurriedly invented a crude metal detector in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the fatal slug. Bell's metal detector was an electromagnetic device he called the induction balance
Gerhard Fischar - Portable Metal Detector
In 1925, Gerhard Fischar invented a portable metal detector. Fischar's model was first sold commercially in 1931 and Gerhard Fischar was behind the first large-scale production of metal detectors.
According to the experts at A&S Company: "In the late 1920's, Dr. Gerhard Fisher, the founder of Fisher Research Laboratory was commissioned as a research engineer with the Federal Telegraph Co. and Western Air Express to develop airborne direction finding equipment. He was awarded some of the first patents issued in the field of airborne direction finding by means of radio. In the course of his work, he encountered some strange errors and once he solved these problems, he had the foresight to apply the solution to a completely unrelated field, that of metal and mineral detection.
More History Of Metal Detectors
Elton do you know what kind of production numbers were being built by Fisher in 1931.....................I would doubt that it was anywhere near 500 units???? I know others were working on a metal detector.... but what struck me was that the Polish fellows detector at 500 units in production, was probably the first mass produced detector!!! Would be interesting to see if one of these still exists somewhere. Elton you make valid points as well thanks for adding to the story.
Ivan, regardles of the "numbers produced", it appears that the WWII date given in your wiki citation, are trumped by the date of the Fisher citation. The "numbers produced" do not affect this fact. I mean, what would it matter if Fisher only sold 300 units during the 1930s, prior to the start of WWII?
But here's some more clarification: Even though Fisher's advertisement does say something to the effect of "first in metal detectors" or something to that effect (as if ..... they'd "invented" it), they did not invent it. There were, even in "1931", already other detectors out there, that pre-dated Fisher's work. Perhaps he was just the first to "patent" it? Or patent just the type he was inventing? Because if you go to Fisher's museum, they have (or used to have anyhow, when I went through it years ago), multiple vintage examples of early metal detectors. And there are ones there from the 1920s, for instance, that pre-date Fisher. And of course, all those companys "came and went", so perhaps Fisher's claim to being the "oldest", might simply, more correctly, be "the oldest company still in existence", since the other came and went.
The ones Fisher made in their earlier years, up to WWII, and even well past that, were 2-box units. They did not make the standard single loop and pole detectors, to my knowledge, like what you see in old pictures of WWII soldiers using mine-detectors. In fact, I don't think Fisher's detectors,...... any of them ...... were capable of finding objects as small as coins, till the mid or later 1950s. Their earlier machines were more for industrial uses, or cache hunting.
In any case, you're right: Fisher was the "the first", nor was the polish officer in your wiki citation. Detectors (of some sort or humble-ness) existed even before both of them.
This is a side-note, but I've heard that all the WWII detectors (both allies, Russians, and axis) were only capable of finding larger mine-sized items. They were not sensitive enough to find coin sized items. But during the Korean conflict, there was further advancements to the point that ...... at least one of the issues, was capable of finding coin sized items, down to then-respectable (several inches?) depth. Can you imagine, if you could go back to about 1949/50-ish, when that first came out, and taking that puppy to all the virgin sites?
But here's some more clarification: Even though Fisher's advertisement does say something to the effect of "first in metal detectors" or something to that effect (as if ..... they'd "invented" it), they did not invent it. There were, even in "1931", already other detectors out there, that pre-dated Fisher's work. Perhaps he was just the first to "patent" it? Or patent just the type he was inventing? Because if you go to Fisher's museum, they have (or used to have anyhow, when I went through it years ago), multiple vintage examples of early metal detectors. And there are ones there from the 1920s, for instance, that pre-date Fisher. And of course, all those companys "came and went", so perhaps Fisher's claim to being the "oldest", might simply, more correctly, be "the oldest company still in existence", since the other came and went.
The ones Fisher made in their earlier years, up to WWII, and even well past that, were 2-box units. They did not make the standard single loop and pole detectors, to my knowledge, like what you see in old pictures of WWII soldiers using mine-detectors. In fact, I don't think Fisher's detectors,...... any of them ...... were capable of finding objects as small as coins, till the mid or later 1950s. Their earlier machines were more for industrial uses, or cache hunting.
In any case, you're right: Fisher was the "the first", nor was the polish officer in your wiki citation. Detectors (of some sort or humble-ness) existed even before both of them.
This is a side-note, but I've heard that all the WWII detectors (both allies, Russians, and axis) were only capable of finding larger mine-sized items. They were not sensitive enough to find coin sized items. But during the Korean conflict, there was further advancements to the point that ...... at least one of the issues, was capable of finding coin sized items, down to then-respectable (several inches?) depth. Can you imagine, if you could go back to about 1949/50-ish, when that first came out, and taking that puppy to all the virgin sites?
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
I wanted to add to Elton fine post. These are the notes we use to start off our Crime Scene Investigation Class "Using Metal Detectors"
The First Metal Detector
The first metal detector was created to be used for a crime scene investigation.
The scene was a living man who was shot in the back at close range by a handgun
on July 2nd, 1881. They didn't have x-ray machines back then so the only bullet
locator known by doctors was the finger. Many doctors probed the wound feeing
for the bullet but could not locate it. They didn't know about germs either so not
one of the doctors washed or used gloves. A local inventor heard about the case
and developed the first metal detector to find the bullet. Problems arose when it
was found that the victim was laying on a metal framed bed with the coil spring
mattress. The skeptical doctors refused to move their patient not believing in that
new fangled metal detector contraption. Our inventor did his best. They operated
but still couldn't find the bullet. The man sickened and died on September 18th,
1881. An autopsy was performed, the bullet was found and its location was
determined to be non life threatening. the man's liver was perforated by the
doctor's probing fingers and lots of germs introduced by the probing and with the
operation caused him to sicken and die.
There are many accounts of the inventions tale, some are believed edited to show
less or more finger pointing at the people involved.
By the way:
Our Inventors name was: Alexander Graham Bell
Our Victim was: Our 25th President James A Garfield
The First Metal Detector
The first metal detector was created to be used for a crime scene investigation.
The scene was a living man who was shot in the back at close range by a handgun
on July 2nd, 1881. They didn't have x-ray machines back then so the only bullet
locator known by doctors was the finger. Many doctors probed the wound feeing
for the bullet but could not locate it. They didn't know about germs either so not
one of the doctors washed or used gloves. A local inventor heard about the case
and developed the first metal detector to find the bullet. Problems arose when it
was found that the victim was laying on a metal framed bed with the coil spring
mattress. The skeptical doctors refused to move their patient not believing in that
new fangled metal detector contraption. Our inventor did his best. They operated
but still couldn't find the bullet. The man sickened and died on September 18th,
1881. An autopsy was performed, the bullet was found and its location was
determined to be non life threatening. the man's liver was perforated by the
doctor's probing fingers and lots of germs introduced by the probing and with the
operation caused him to sicken and die.
There are many accounts of the inventions tale, some are believed edited to show
less or more finger pointing at the people involved.
By the way:
Our Inventors name was: Alexander Graham Bell
Our Victim was: Our 25th President James A Garfield
I certainly didn't mean to imply you were wrong. I would assume Mr. Fisher's detectors were massed produced for the flyer's..But nothing shows up about the numbers. Bill Ladd may know..He is a historian of Fisher detectors and has a very nice collection of Old Fisher items and written info he has collected..
Tom in Ca..Nice post and informative for sure !!
Larry IL..Great info, and something I had never heard about the finger probe causing the Presidents death..
Tom in Ca..Nice post and informative for sure !!
Larry IL..Great info, and something I had never heard about the finger probe causing the Presidents death..
Here's a nice assortment of Vintage Fisher M-Scope metal detectors with the exception of the Fisher M-Scope geiger counter below, I have a few more vintage Fishers of the same model but slightly different (coil, voltage, circuit setup, etc, etc) than the models show in the pic.
The oldest (far left) in the picture is the X-10, This particular X-10 is a later X-10 version maybe a few years from the original but no later than 1960...Although my X-10 does sport a wooden coil it's a single stack wood coil not the double stack wooden coil of the early X-10 model.
Anyway, despite who came out first with the first metal detector I think Fisher was the first to mass produce them capable of detecting smaller objects.
Take care,
Paul (Ca)
The oldest (far left) in the picture is the X-10, This particular X-10 is a later X-10 version maybe a few years from the original but no later than 1960...Although my X-10 does sport a wooden coil it's a single stack wood coil not the double stack wooden coil of the early X-10 model.
Anyway, despite who came out first with the first metal detector I think Fisher was the first to mass produce them capable of detecting smaller objects.
Take care,
Paul (Ca)
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
You have a nice collection Paul.....
I made a mistake on the Fisher T-10, I had called it an X-10 on the post above it's actually a T-10. Maybe second or third T-10 generation tube type using the older 67.5 and 3 volt battery.
The later version (T-20) used a 12-volt setup allot more simplified operating with less voltage, And no longer tube operated.
Surprisingly, Most of the older batteries are still available. They cost an arm and leg but last anywhere from 100-200 hours, Here's a pic of a new battery standing beside an older one.
Thanks again,
Paul (Ca)
The later version (T-20) used a 12-volt setup allot more simplified operating with less voltage, And no longer tube operated.
Surprisingly, Most of the older batteries are still available. They cost an arm and leg but last anywhere from 100-200 hours, Here's a pic of a new battery standing beside an older one.
Thanks again,
Paul (Ca)
Thanks Ivan and thank you for sharing Jozef Stanislaw Kosacki's part in WWII and him being a contributor to our hobby, These are things we need to know credit goes to several individuals Jozef Stanislaw Kosacki being one of them.
What you see here is a small fraction of my collection, Garrett BFO, Compass, Relco, D-Tex among other not so famous brands are my favorite detectors.
Monte and several other old timers on the forums are the Veterans of our day, They are the ones who first tested the BFO and TR machines of the late sixties and early seventies out in the trenches of virgin territory. If not for them, If would have been much too differcult today to weed out the good from the bad of yesterday's metal detector.
Thanks again and God bless,
Paul (Ca)
What you see here is a small fraction of my collection, Garrett BFO, Compass, Relco, D-Tex among other not so famous brands are my favorite detectors.
Monte and several other old timers on the forums are the Veterans of our day, They are the ones who first tested the BFO and TR machines of the late sixties and early seventies out in the trenches of virgin territory. If not for them, If would have been much too differcult today to weed out the good from the bad of yesterday's metal detector.
Thanks again and God bless,
Paul (Ca)
Thanx for posting the trip down memory lane Paul. Nice group shot there.
Any idea how deep the T-10 would pick up a coin-sized item too? And did the depth between the T-10s increase as they evolved to the different "generations" of them? And do you have an idea of when the first T-10 was introduced? I'm going to guess no earlier than the mid to late 1950s. Because before that, I think Fisher just had 2-box units for industrial or cache type purposes, not coin-hunting purposes.
thanx again for the cool pix!
Any idea how deep the T-10 would pick up a coin-sized item too? And did the depth between the T-10s increase as they evolved to the different "generations" of them? And do you have an idea of when the first T-10 was introduced? I'm going to guess no earlier than the mid to late 1950s. Because before that, I think Fisher just had 2-box units for industrial or cache type purposes, not coin-hunting purposes.
thanx again for the cool pix!
During WWII one of the neat inventions was the minature vacuum tube... Transistors hadn't come around to being yet so all the signals had to be generated and amplified by vacuum tube technology. These little tubes were very miinature and only the diameter of a finger. Often circuitry used low and high voltage requiring multiple batteries. It was the heating filaments that pulled the juice and so battery life was the limiting factor.
It was different time and 500 of anything was a huge number in wartime... Imagine training 500 guys to trust the detector to kep them from getting their butts blown up when searching for mines.... Ill be they carried lot's of fresh batteries knowing their little filament heaters were only going to work effectively for so long. . When the transistor was invented and finally came to be used and mass produced then the modern analog detector was really on it's way..
Those old tube model MD's are really treasures in themselves.. Take good care of em..
It was different time and 500 of anything was a huge number in wartime... Imagine training 500 guys to trust the detector to kep them from getting their butts blown up when searching for mines.... Ill be they carried lot's of fresh batteries knowing their little filament heaters were only going to work effectively for so long. . When the transistor was invented and finally came to be used and mass produced then the modern analog detector was really on it's way..
Those old tube model MD's are really treasures in themselves.. Take good care of em..
Hi Tom,
The older T-10 has about the same depth as the newer version T-20, They air test extremely well but out in the field 3" inches is about max on penny size targets...I think the first T-10 came out around mid fifties, And had the wooden double stack coil.
I do have two Fisher M-Scope T-10 models, The oldest may be second or third generation late fifties or 1960 model and has a single stack wooden coil. The later T-10 has a plastic coil but still tube operated I would guess this particular model is the last of the T-10 models 1966 era, About 1967 is when the T-20 and M-70 came out with the plastic coil and no longer tube type.
I'm still searching for three of the older Fisher M-Scope models not in my collection, Eventually they will surface hopefully when they do they will in good operating order.
I still have the 77B Auto Legend you gave me, Still works great
Thanks Tom,
Paul (Ca)
The older T-10 has about the same depth as the newer version T-20, They air test extremely well but out in the field 3" inches is about max on penny size targets...I think the first T-10 came out around mid fifties, And had the wooden double stack coil.
I do have two Fisher M-Scope T-10 models, The oldest may be second or third generation late fifties or 1960 model and has a single stack wooden coil. The later T-10 has a plastic coil but still tube operated I would guess this particular model is the last of the T-10 models 1966 era, About 1967 is when the T-20 and M-70 came out with the plastic coil and no longer tube type.
I'm still searching for three of the older Fisher M-Scope models not in my collection, Eventually they will surface hopefully when they do they will in good operating order.
I still have the 77B Auto Legend you gave me, Still works great
Thanks Tom,
Paul (Ca)