Your Take on this Coin Probe

[mtpockets]

How many of you guy's use coin Probes?

I just purchased this type of probe just to see how it works... anyone use one of these.....

I just picked it up really cheap on ebay....

http://www.botac.com/gemiprkit.html

 

[Eddie(AL)]

Cool probe. It is used for probing mines (i.e. antipersonnel mines). I'd worry about the tips damaging the coins. But it does look interesting.

 

[coin2]

No never have.

 

[DavHut]

...but that one is overkill! Probing is a delicate art and that honker can only get you in trouble. Consider trying to force that big tip with all its drag through inches of packed earth and grass thatch, trying to pinpoint a dime deep below.

The best thing for a probe is a piece of 3/16" brass rod extending about 6" from the handle. I make mine from brazing rod and a broomhandle, and I only taper and round the tip, never making it into a point.

 

[Detector Man]

n/t

 

[mtpockets]

Even Though the Blk tips are plastic you think that it will scratch?

Well I haven't recieved it yet so when it comes in in the next couple of days I'll check it out.. If its no good I'll just list it on ebay..

 

[gofer]

I have used probes for years. Hated both steel and brass. They can both scratch. So I make my own. I buy cheap fiberglass fishing rods at garage sales for 50 cents or a dollar and hot glue the cut down pieces into a wooden handle. Get two or three out of a rod. Haven't scratched anything since I started doing this.

 

[Mike Hillis]

I probe pretty exclusively in turf and am pretty good at it too. Hope you don't mind me tooting my own horn.

Key things to a probe are diameter and vibration transfer. A good probe should be able to transmit to your hand the vibration differences between rocks, coins, foil, wood and other objects. I prefer a 1/8" diameter probe because it seems to transfer the vibrations better than something larger, plus the smaller diameter penetrates the soil easier. I typically retrieve the shallower targets(0 - 4") with my probe, so it also has to be strong enough to pry with.

What you've got there looks cool. The plastic tips will wear pretty fast and may break if you pry with them, but then again not every uses a probe like I do. My favorites are harden steel 1/8" diameter 0x6 drivers. 0x4 if I can't find 6". I rarely scratch anything. If I'm in an old coin site, I have a 1/8" fiberglass electricians screwdriver I can use but most of the time I leave it in the pouch.

HH

Mike

 

[tucky_tector]

Now I know who out bid me on ebay, Oh well, You lose some and win some.
Relic huntin' in KY
Bud

 

[mtpockets]

Hey Tucky,

Thanks for jacking up the Price.... LOL J/K

This set looks soo pretty I dont want to get it dirty... haha.

 

[khouse]

You want something easy to push in the ground. Yours will have a lot of drag. I made mine from an old screwdriver. I ground most of the shaft down. This way you are really only pushing the end in the ground - not the whole shaft. It almost falls into the ground. I usually put 5 minute epoxy on the end but that has worn off. I usually use it in real nice yards where I need to surgically remove a target. I have scratched coins with the epoxy applied. So I believe that even plastic will scratch coins. I use it sparingly.