Help :( Question about diggers

[Grumpyolddiver]

I have been doing more ground hunting vs. water hunting lately.That is untill everything froze solid.And with the Etrac I'm having better luck and lots of fun,But While I don't think of myself as old my hands are becoming more arthritic all the time.Now I see on some of these Utube vidieo's with people useing a small 4-5 inch wide and 30 inch long handled shovels and it seems that it would work alot better for my hands but,I'm just not sure that it's a very good PR thing for the hobbie. :sad: Headline Mayberry...Man arrested for digging in park with shovel more a 6. I have been useing a nice digger that I can get at the hardware store for around $7 and they work ok if your carefull.The problem is it seems to be getting much harder to dig for those coin's that are down 9+ inchs. What are you guy's & gals useing for diggers that work well. Thanks Grumpy

 

[Nick A]

I love my plain old Lesche digger, worth every penny. The Predator Tools "Raptor" also come highly recommended, but at $50 with shipping it's a little pricey to get one just to "try it out"

 

[Ray-Mo.]

Worth every penny of the $50.00 and will last many years of heavy use.Safe to use in public sites as it does not appear to be a knife/weapon.I used my first one for several thousand holes and pried a lot of hard dry dirt and finally caused a stress crack where the handle fastens to scoop.Long story short I contacted the maker George Lesche, and he said send it in and a week later I got it back as good as new no charge.
Just to prove how much I like this digger ....I ordered a new one and shipped the old one in after I got it as I will not be without my "Predator Raptor".

 

[Bell-Two]

I have not used the Raptor but do use the Predator Model 85, I too have arthritis and the Model 85 makes it much easier in digging a plug than any other digger I have used. When my wife started detecting I got her one as well. I do have a Predator Model 58 Dixie shovel that I use for field digging, it has a longer handle and I can use it for help in getting back up, I carry a walking stick to help me other times, my arthritic hip needs a bit of help sometimes. I have tried out the Dixie shovel in my yard and I can dig the same size plug and just as neat as with a hand digger but I do not use it in public places because of the perception of it. You would still need a hand digger even with the shovel for the "fine tuning" digging to retreive your targets most of the time.

 

[Deep Digger]

I use (used) a ground shark and it was nice. It would dig a clover shaped
plug that you could easily place like a puzzle piece back into the hole. You could
dig up a manhole cover buried in concrete with lesche stuff.
As far as perception goes, I really don't think anything you could carry would
distract from the fact of what you were doing. Meaning that some people know
your metal detecting, and some people think your and alien with space aged contraptions
and you could be carrying the holy grail and it wouldn't get as much attention.
Basically carry what works for you and what is legal to carry. As long as you
leave each dig and look back and have to look real hard to see you've been there
then it's all good.
I USED to carry a lesche ground shark until I was notified that park hunting was not allowed
In my area (not so friendly man with badge and gun).
Now I swing on vacation and stew about all the local politicians that have taken my favorite hobby and
made it a crime.
Good luck.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Lesche products are the only way to go !

 

[silverman]

I'm with Bell-Two on this. I use the Predator Model 85 and Predator Model 58 Dixie shovel. The quality is unsurpassed. George Lesche "Predator Tools" make the best diggers period.

 

[pointer80]

I agree lesche products are unsurpassed!!