On the water scoops

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
I was going to post this and saw ..Sandmans.. post on scoops but here is the question any how.. I am going to water hunt this year fresh water lake Erie & inland lakes but i will just be wadeing waist high give or take. Where i live Lake Erie has a lot of little stones and gravel in the lake not much sand. So i am going to get a good SS scoop but what is the best handle SS or wood ? Will a wood handle float is that why they use them? Or does it matter what the handle is made of ?
 

Attachments

  • zhaodpnet_02.gif
    zhaodpnet_02.gif
    182.5 KB · Views: 384
Upvote 0

hawk-run

Jr. Member
Feb 24, 2010
57
0
I am from Gods Country
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sovereign GT Garrett ACE 250 & Pro Pointer
You know i always thought about that also what is best for a handle wood or stainless steel. Good question i want to know to.
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,301
54,453
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wood handle floats upright, but it is at a 90 degree angle, a member is going to have aluminum one custom built with bend for his stainless steel scoop.
 

OP
OP
Keppy

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
Treasure hunter are you saying it would be better to use a SS handle . I was thinking that a wood handle could break.
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have never broken one of my wood handles in my Sunspot scoops. However it could be done when prying on rocks. I like the wood handle because it floats the scoop handle upright. You drop the metal handle ones, you have to fish for it. The metal handles can take a bend to make them easier to position the point downward easier so your not bending over with your kisser in the water. Prohandle makes a nice handle attachment that will work for helping lift the bent metal handles up which are nice for the positioning but awkward to lift up without the prohandle. See picture. http://www.prohandle.com/manyuses.htm
This handle would be nice if you could rotate it 90 degrees and place it on the rear for positioning. Someone suggested to me to use two handles, front and back.

What I think I am going to do is have a metal fab. shop bend me a handle something like the old Miller scoops in Olebeechnut's videos. See second Pic. This way I can position the point downward easy and lift easy. Metal handles you can teather to you in fresh water where the wave action is light, but it is dangerous to do this in saltwater surf.
 

Attachments

  • Prohandle.gif
    Prohandle.gif
    145.5 KB · Views: 333
  • Loop Handle scoop.jpg
    Loop Handle scoop.jpg
    1.1 KB · Views: 327

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,301
54,453
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Keppy said:
Treasure hunter are you saying it would be better to use a SS handle . I was thinking that a wood handle could break.

I don't know of anyone who has broke the wood handle, but sure it is possible if you put enough pressure on it while prying. The scoop is already over 6 pounds, if you add a SS handle your talking major weight.......Just my personal opinion, I tried but did not like the SS scoops with the 90 degree handles, you have to lean them too far forward to get a good bite in the sand in my opinion. They are also very heavy on the basket end which makes it unbalanced when carrying it on my shoulder.....

These are just my personal opinons, the scoop itself is great, but the draw back for me is the 90 degree angle and the unbalanced way it sits on my shoulder when carrying it, makes it unusable for me......I use the Beach Brute II with the Stainless Steel lip. It has the angled handle, weighs 5 pounds, and when I put the scoop on my shoulder i can rest my arm over the handle like you do with a rifle and it is perfectly balanced and very comfortable......I also have a noodle around the handle which makes it float and very comfortable when sitting on my shoulder.

I use the pro-handle like SM has posted on mine also.....
pro-handle.gif
 

frankie

Sr. Member
Feb 7, 2010
404
189
mass
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
ctx 3030 deus excalibur sovern but used gp4500 sd2200 whites nd a few fisher. Nox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i just having my handles made up now. if you use a metal handle eather weld the ends air tight and if you can put some spray foam into the handle b4 it gets welded. digging in rocks you need s/s but the handle can go eather way. metal gets colder ,wood floats and oak can be pretty strong even in rocks. and how much digging are you going to do? if you dig 500 rings then you can pay for another handle if whatever you get breaks.
 

OP
OP
Keppy

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
Well in my part of Lake Erie not much sand if any in some places.
 

Number9

Hero Member
Aug 3, 2009
872
768
Smoky Mountains
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sovereign GT
Don't weld near foam!
If the handle is airtight, you do not need to use foam,
the extra weight would even make it float less!
 

igorsr

Greenie
Aug 26, 2008
19
0
Windsor ON Canada
I break a wooden handle about every two years. I use it in the great lakes and on vacation in the saltwater. I always wash it off with clean water but it will still rot a bit and I really work it hard. No problem I just go to the hardware store and spend $10-$15 on a shovel handle and I am good to go for a couple years.
 

Number9

Hero Member
Aug 3, 2009
872
768
Smoky Mountains
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sovereign GT
Am I missing something here?

Do you carry two wooden handle scoops with you, just in case one breaks?
Do the wooden handles only break at home and to and from the beach...
and not when you need them the most? ???
 

Indasurf

Full Member
Jan 2, 2008
208
2
Detector(s) used
Garrett Infinium, White's BHID 300, Fisher CZ20, Fisher CZ 6A, Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300, Tesoro Silver Sabre Plus, White's 5900 DI Pro SL, and others!
I use the Prostock Pro-scoop and the handle is made from a wooden post hole digging tool (very strong)!
The handle is held to the SS basket with brackets and I've never broken it.

If I drop it in neck deep water the handle floats a little to help recovery.

I also use a Reilly's RTG aluminum scoop and like it more for freshwater use.


Thanks! :icon_pirat:
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top