Karl Von Mueller's "Treasure Hunter's Manual #7".

ToddB64

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Hi ! ;D

What's so great about the subject book from 1974 (45 years ago !) ?

Not to disparage any book from the past, but does the subject book have information superior to what is in modern books, such as those by Clive James Clynick listed below ?

-The Gold Jewelry Hunter's Handbook: Finding Lost Gold at Beach, Park and Shoreline Metal Detecting Sites (2013)

-"Site Reading" for Gold and Silver Understanding Beach, Shore and Inland Metal Detecting Sites (2008)

-"Water Hunting" : Secrets of the Pros Finding Gold and Silver in the water with a Metal Detector (2005)

I'm not a water hunter; strictly inland parks and my primary focus is on finding valuable gold and silver jewelry (not cheap costume stuff).

I own the above books, have read them over and over and although they also include methods on water hunting, there's also lots of great tips and information on Inland hunting too.

Author C.J. Clynick started metal detecting in 1980 and his website now has (20) books listed.

Products Archive | Clive's Gold Page

I was about to order the subject book after reading several positive replies here, but then decided to ask the questions in my first two paragraphs first before laying out approx. $20.00 for a used paperback copy. I can't afford to waste money for information that might prove to be out-dated. :wink:

Thanks for your help with this.

ToddB64

 

Tiredman

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I looked some of his titles up, I check for page count compared to price. Also of note is primarily a minelab focus. So what was so great about Karl's manual that's 45 years old and full of out dated material? Karl was making the same quality finds as well as finding caches with primitive equipment. Read more than the Manual you mentioned and you wouldn't have had to ask.
 

BLK HOLE

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I got the book used also and simply wasn't impressed. There are ton of books and information on the internet and I have found most of them are all very similar.
 

Tiredman

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Also check who the publisher is. Then check page count, I did see one in the 30's and another in the 60's, plus a cone bound one. But I can't say self publishing is a bad thing, since I am one myself. The one thing he is doing right is there is no Kindle version, that forces sales into the hard copy market. Which means an $7-8 royality per sale.
 

Tiredman

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I got the book used also and simply wasn't impressed. There are ton of books and information on the internet and I have found most of them are all very similar.

Yes today the info is all over out there, but back then Karl was one of the very few. Even YouTube provides tons of how to info.
 

Tiredman

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I do understand what you mean by it's all over out there, since I am into the treasure story thing. Most borrowed and even included the same spelling errors!
 

OP
OP
ToddB64

ToddB64

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Karl Von Mueller's "Treasure Hunter's Manual #7"

I will admit that my opening sentence could have been worded softer in deference to Karl Von Mueller and fans and for that I apologize, however, my paragraph (in quotes below) conveyed the core spirit and purpose of my post.

"I was about to order the subject book after reading several positive replies here, but then decided to ask the questions in my first two paragraphs first
before laying out approx. $20.00 for a used paperback copy. I can't afford to waste money for information that might prove to be out-dated. :wink: "

Notice, in the above paragraph I said "might" prove to be out dated, so it could have been perceived and concluded that I really wasn't sure and was asking for opinions before spending money.

ToddB64

 

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smokeythecat

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There is indeed a lot of free information on the internet. I have either purchased or won several books on treasure hunting. The internet mimics what the books say, and the books mimic what the internet says.

The methods for finding nice stuff will not change, that horse can't be re-invented. The technology changes, but it basically comes down to getting the loop over a target and deciding to dig it.

I'm not very familiar with either author. I learned my machines the hard way!
 

Tiredman

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One paragraph of Karl's material opened the door for something I plan to work on.
 

Honest Samuel

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Karl is the King of Treasure Hunting. He was also a dealer who sold my first detector, White.
 

signal_line

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I've got a couple KVM books and I think they are creepy.
 

eman1000

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I'm a little late to this conversation but about 6 months ago I was in the same boat as Todd. Having several metal detecting books I wasn't expecting anything from a 40 year old book but I am actually surprised at how well written it is and all the little tips that I have not seen anywhere else before.

Just as an example there is a section where he talks about using his metal detector (you could use a pinpointer these days) to map out the walls in a house every stud and locate secret hiding spots. He talks about how people would make a small hole and roll up money and fish it down a wall and leave a wire hanging and plaster over the wire and using uv light to locate. - The book is full of little things like this that. I have mine on the night stand and sometime read a page or two. I have yet to read it cover to cover. Sure there is a lot of dated material in terms of tech but I think that is also kinda cool as well. If the people in his book could find treasure with primitive detectors then we definitely should be able to. Now some of the stuff is a bit dishonest as well. Would you disguise yourself as a bird watcher to be on someone's land??

I have yet to read a modern metal detecting book with as much material. Although I would like to write such a book going into detail of using the internet to aid treasure hunting, but generally people want there knowledge from a seasoned professional with some examples of cache recovery so maybe in another 5 to 10 years I have a few more miles under my shoes and stories to tell.

At any rate.. I think if your serious about the hobby for $20-30 dollars you have a real piece of history if you own the book and there is plenty to learn.
 

DeepseekerADS

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I'm a book lover - shelves and shelves of books, a number of book clubs over the years. The entire Foxfire series... = great for survivalists :)

I have 5 books by Clive, two by KVM, one by Gary Drayton......

Trouble is, I get started reading and get really, really sleepy......
 

signal_line

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I think Clive's are the best metal detecting books out there. He REALLY knows his stuff.

Guess I shouldn't be giving out my secrets.

My copies are double underlined, circled, arrows in the margins, highlited, and many of my own notes in the margins.

Do a search for clivesgoldpage
 

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mdj

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After looking at your list of metal detectors (WOW$), a used copy for an "Andy Jackson" seems like a deal to me. Take a chance, odds are ...you'll enjoy it.
 

gunsil

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Treasure hunter's Manual #7 is NOT about detectors and/or technology, it is about hunting for treasure on land, and it is still the best out there. If you like real cache hunting it is important. I am quite happy all the previous posters seem to think a book written 45 years ago is obsolete, they become less competition for me and others who have been at it for a while and know how to size up an old property in minutes. Go ahead, hunt randomly all over a place, KVM trained guys already know the top possible places for a cache to be hidden. One of my old hunting buddies makes 60-80 grand a year every year by taking KVM to heart.
 

Jason in Enid

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Treasure hunter's Manual #7 is NOT about detectors and/or technology, it is about hunting for treasure on land, and it is still the best out there. ......KVM trained guys already know the top possible places for a cache to be hidden.

KVMs techniques are so "old school" that you dont even need a metal detector, it just makes some of the searching easier. Those OLD detectors had some huge advantages for cache hunting that our modern, super sensitive, motion disc wonder detectors just cant match.
 

Tiredman

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Karl had some great insight on the evolution of lost story stories.
 

SanMan

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Treasure hunter's Manual #7 is NOT about detectors and/or technology, it is about hunting for treasure on land, and it is still the best out there. If you like real cache hunting it is important. I am quite happy all the previous posters seem to think a book written 45 years ago is obsolete, they become less competition for me and others who have been at it for a while and know how to size up an old property in minutes. Go ahead, hunt randomly all over a place, KVM trained guys already know the top possible places for a cache to be hidden. One of my old hunting buddies makes 60-80 grand a year every year by taking KVM to heart.


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