Probes

[Wooden Nickel]

Will someone please explain the use of a probe, whether it's a screwdriver, ice pick, or commercial made? How do you use it to flip coins or whatever out of the ground?

When do you use it? On what targets? What's the best material?

Lots of questions.

I'm fairly new, but have never tried this.

Thanks,

m.....

 

[Sailorman]

I use a 5/32 brass rod with a rounded, polished tip and a handle I turned. If it's a well manicured grass spot you can pinpoint a coin pretty close with your machine. then gentle poking with the probe will locate the coin. I leave the probe on the coin and run a large flat blade screwdriver in at an angle just under the coin. Pry up and the coin pops out with minimal upset. Get the hang of it they'll never see you were there!

They are also good for poking at a suspected deep can. when they hit the can there will be no doubt about what's there and save a dig. But once in a while that signal is not a can but a larger relic. A few seconds poking can tell you can or not.

 

[Tom Slick]

I've used a brass probe in the past and the idea was that the brass being softer than a coin it wouldn't scratch and damage the coin, but it still can and will. Brass bents too easily. Over the years I progressed to using a Steel probe about 8" long with a wooden knob on the end. I dipped the knob in liquid rubber so it's not slippery. On this probe I used red rubber to make it easier to see if I forget and leave it on the ground at my last target. With all the possible negative stuff about taking large knives and shovels to parks and schools, I started painting the knob black so it would stand out to on lookers when I'm using it. You can see that I need to repaint it. I make my probe out of drill stock about .200" diameter. This is the same steel they make drill bits from. It's super tough and very hard to bend. When I'm detecting for old coins or silver, I don't use the probe except to mark the target location on the ground. I push it in maybe an inch. They I cut my plug to retreive the deeper target and use my pin-pointer (Garrett Pro Pointer). When I'm going after clad and surface jewelry I use the probe to work it out of the ground much like using a screwdriver as mentioned above. My probe is tough enough to pry a coin out from a couple of inches. I also have found nothing better for getting targets out of the wood chips in tot lots. Small trowels don't work in the wood chips if it's been packed down at all. The probe will allow me to flick the chips out of the way very easily.

 

[WV62]

Same here, most of the time I use it as a marker to cut my hinged plug. But I use an ice pick, has a good feel when touching something. If I forget to take it along it's like a short panic comes over me when I realize it's not there.

I have a new probe that I use when the ground is right. My brother made it for me and it has a small hook, my hope is to name it a ring puller but for now it is a pulltab puller. I am pulling pulltabs from 3 or 4 inches down. Works pretty good when the soil is damp and soft. The other day I hooked a cooking grill and pulled it out of the ground.

Ron in WV

 

[trueblue]

Same here, most of the time I use it as a marker to cut my hinged plug. But I use an ice pick, has a good feel when touching something. If I forget to take it along it's like a short panic comes over me when I realize it's not there.

I have a new probe that I use when the ground is right. My brother made it for me and it has a small hook, my hope is to name it a ring puller but for now it is a pulltab puller. I am pulling pulltabs from 3 or 4 inches down. Works pretty good when the soil is damp and soft. The other day I hooked a cooking grill and pulled it out of the ground.

Ron in WV

hey Ron , any chance you can post a pic of the probe ya bro made , appreciated

 

[WV62]

Same here, most of the time I use it as a marker to cut my hinged plug. But I use an ice pick, has a good feel when touching something. If I forget to take it along it's like a short panic comes over me when I realize it's not there.

I have a new probe that I use when the ground is right. My brother made it for me and it has a small hook, my hope is to name it a ring puller but for now it is a pulltab puller. I am pulling pulltabs from 3 or 4 inches down. Works pretty good when the soil is damp and soft. The other day I hooked a cooking grill and pulled it out of the ground.

Ron in WV

hey Ron , any chance you can post a pic of the probe ya bro made , appreciated

No problem, here you go.

 

[mudpuppy]

I dont think any of us would leave home without our probe...I carry several now, and am on my third. I stab coins, drop to one knee, grab the screwdriver with both hands, and sort of rip and ream out a hole right above the coin, tilt the coin on edge, slide my left hand finger down in the hole along side the probe, and pull up the coin with both the probe and my finger, the whole process takes less than 15 sec and leaves no trace. Thats a beauty grill hooker Ron!
Mud

 

[MarkCZ]

hey Ron , any chance you can post a pic of the probe ya bro made , appreciated

No problem, here you go.

Well, isn't that the neatest thing since pockets on a shirt! LoL! (okay I made it, but its WV62's idea)
From looking at the picture of the pulltab puller it looks like the hook is getting some wear on it sense I last saw it.

Mark

 

[Sailorman]

That's a pretty slick idea, just might have to make one of those!

 

[MarkCZ]

Will someone please explain the use of a probe, whether it's a screwdriver, ice pick, or commercial made? How do you use it to flip coins or whatever out of the ground?

When do you use it? On what targets? What's the best material?

Lots of questions.

I'm fairly new, but have never tried this.

Thanks,

m.....

The thing about probes is whatever you get use to it gets very difficult to switch to something else later in life.
I think our Dad got my brother (WV62) started using a ice pick, I never liked it but I wouldn't want to try and take it away from him!
I've seen many pictures of peoples probes and some are very elaborate, many are just long flat bladed screwdrivers.
But, on the skilled side of coin popping the probe should be a,
smaller shaft, but strong.
blunt and rounded tip, (its dull, but shaped well for penetrating the ground and reducing scratching)
the handle should fit the palm of your hand very well,

Warning, don't practice in places where your likely to be popping very old keeper coins, the reason is its easy to scratch them. So, I would start with clad coin popping!

When you get good at it you can pop coins down to around the 5" range, 2" to 3" would be the best target range.

Mark

 

[MarkCZ]

That's a pretty slick idea, just might have to make one of those!

I started with a cheap, smell tip, long shaft screwdriver.
Then I used a dremel and I started a cut just above the blade and I cut down and across towards the far shoulder of the blade that's how I got the offset.
Then with the edge of the cutting wheel I just worked the valley for the hook. Then on a grinder I gently worked the tip being careful to not over heat it and presto!.

Mark

 

[Wooden Nickel]

Thanks to all, especially those who described how to actually use one. I have trouble getting out, especially in this hot weather we have been having, so maybe it will be a good time to make one. There's plenty of metal out there, and I'm a wood turner, so it shouldn't be any problem hitting the shop in the basement (where it's cool) to make one.

Thanks to all, and more comments are welcome.

m.....

 

[daddyflea]

That would be easily made from a Tire plugging tool.

 

[MarkCZ]

That would be easily made from a Tire plugging tool.

The tire plugging tools I've seen isn't really long enough to make the pull-tab puller. You need to get at lest 4" to 5" in the ground.

Mark

 

[Sailorman]

That's a pretty slick idea, just might have to make one of those!

I started with a cheap, smell tip, long shaft screwdriver.
Then I used a dremel and I started a cut just above the blade and I cut down and across towards the far shoulder of the blade that's how I got the offset.
Then with the edge of the cutting wheel I just worked the valley for the hook. Then on a grinder I gently worked the tip being careful to not over heat it and presto!.

Mark

Yup, got a good sized shop and there's always a worn out screw driver around. I never pitch 'em because they lend themselves so well to projects like this!

 

[trueblue]

thanks for postin the pics Ron , your bother has done a sweet job making that up for you

 

[Wooden Nickel]

Great ideas all!!! Thanks.

 

[jabbo]

Here's a tab puller made from a 3/4" paddle drill, shaped it with a Dremel. Paddle drills (for drilling larger holes in wood) are as strong as a screw driver. Inserted it, glued it into a wooden screwdriver handle and added the blue plastic ball for better comfort. The ground has been too dry to detect but used it one time so far. Pulled some tabs without digging. Needs accurate pinpointing and several attempts to hook the tab or ring. Pulls up other stuff too.

 

[WV62]

Looks pretty good and if you are pulling tabs it must work.

Nice work Jabbo,

Ron in WV

 

[WV62]

Here is pictures of all 3 versions of pulltab pullers I have tried. Just a note the one I use the most I cut a notch in the handle so I would know which way the hook is up or down.

Ron in WV