Favorite Digging Tools

Rifleman

Full Member
Oct 1, 2007
161
1
I have bought several digging tools that work very well for me. The first is one that I read about, but have not used yet. In the picture you can see it has very sharp serrated edges and it is curved. I got it at Lowes, but they also carry them at Home Depot and most likely other hardware stores. It's about $14.00. It looks like it will do a great job of cutting grass roots. It has a lifetime guarantee and looks indestructible.

The second tool I got at Home Depot for about $13.00. It's really great for packed dirt. It's not one I use where lawn damage could be a problem, but it gets down pretty deep quickly. You just have to be sure your not hitting right over the object you are trying to recover. The pointed end gets through the hard dirt and rocks quickly and the spade end is good for dragging the dirt out of the hole.I put one of those super magnets on the top with a screw for picking up iron objects from the dirt pile. It really can save some time.

The third tool I got from Kelly Co. It was one of those add $10.00 specials you get when you buy a detector. I got it when I bought my X-Terra 70. It works really well for cutting out half circles in the grass and then digging down towards the object you have detected. It's pretty tough, I have not been able to destroy it yet.

When in an area where neatness doesn't count, I still like a small spade, long handled shovel.

Give these tools a try, you'll like them and they hold up well.
 

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Upvote 0

deepskyal

Bronze Member
Aug 17, 2007
1,926
61
Natrona Heights, Pa.
Detector(s) used
White's Coinmaster 6000 Di Series 3, Minelab Eq 600
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Wow...that's quite an arsenal of tools. Do you carry a couple at a time or just select which tool fits what job and carry it alone.

How do you carry it...in a holster, in your belt....???

I have my trusty knife i bought at the army/navy surplus store back around 1980. Still got it's leather sheath and carry it in my back pocket, virtually unnoticed. The blade is exactly 5" long so I can judge my depth pretty good with it.
Personally, I've never found a need for anything else.
Al
 

Stryker_FO

Jr. Member
Feb 22, 2008
67
6
White Mountain Lakes
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I also have that small pick. I have used it in frozen ground and thawed ground and its a great little hand tool I recommend it not only for TH but prospecting also.
 

OP
OP
R

Rifleman

Full Member
Oct 1, 2007
161
1
I carry the pick type and the Gator blade on my belt. If I'm just hunting lawns, I just carry the Gator. I have not used the new digger with the blue handle yet, but it should be great on the grass. Both edges are very sharp and it's made of thick stainless steel. Should really get through the roots quickly. I also keep a small spade long handled shovel in the truck. If it's not an area with a lawn and I need to go deep, it saves a lot of time.
 

scdetector

Jr. Member
Feb 27, 2006
50
0
South Eastern,US
Detector(s) used
Fisher ID Excel, Tesoro Cibola, CZ-7A Pro
My Favorite by far is my Lesche digger, cuts through roots,holds a edge and does'nt flex like some on the market
 

firedup

Full Member
Jan 28, 2008
117
2
Detector(s) used
DFX ,Bullseye 2
Rifleman I use the blue True value digger and I'll tell ya it works great. Be carefull though, use gloves it is sharp.
 

stanjam

Full Member
Mar 23, 2008
163
2
Springfield, MA
Detector(s) used
ACE 250
Wear gloves anyways. I dug up a rusty razor blade two days ago! Almost learned about it the hard way!

Love my Lesche, which is a lot like the gator, but only is serrated on one side. Two things could improve the lesche. It could be sharper on the serrated blade to get through the tougher roots (I was digging in the woods), and it could be serrated on both sides.
 

OP
OP
R

Rifleman

Full Member
Oct 1, 2007
161
1
Give the "True Temper" tool a try. It's really sharp on both sides. Cuts right through the roots. If it were a couple of inches longer, it would be perfect. It a very strong tool also, made out of stainless steel and comes with a lifetime guarantee. At about $14.00, it's hard to beat.

Good hunting, John K
 

Baggins

Bronze Member
Jan 2, 2007
1,541
89
TEXAS
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV / Garrett Ace 250/Minelab X-Terra 70
I got a Lesche a few weeks back and I love it...I did have a Gator, up until last week as well, but it finally snapped in two...it seemed to have way too much flex in it...
Baggins
 

scdetector

Jr. Member
Feb 27, 2006
50
0
South Eastern,US
Detector(s) used
Fisher ID Excel, Tesoro Cibola, CZ-7A Pro
I sharpen the both sides of my Lesche every so often with a fine file to keep it sharp,they keep a edge pretty good.
 

OP
OP
R

Rifleman

Full Member
Oct 1, 2007
161
1
I agree that the Leshe is the best tool out there. I just hate paying the price they want for one when I've had good luck with other tools. I agree that the gator is no where as good as the Leshe, but the true temper tool is a darn good value. I've noticed that my gator had bent ever so slightly. I'm thinking of running some welding beads down the length and across it and then grinding the welds semi smooth to increase the rigidness of the tool. If that doesn't work, I may end up buying a Leshe. I spent good money for my detector, coils and headphones, Maybe I'm just thinking too cheap when it comes to the digging tool. Digging is one the the most important parts of recovery.

Good hunting, John K
 

mastereagle22

Silver Member
May 15, 2007
4,909
31
Southeast Missouri
Detector(s) used
E-trac, Explorer II, Xterra30, Whites Prizm IV
I can promise you one thing. You won't be sorry with the Lesche. I have abused mine in every way I can think of and nothing has happened to it.

IT is one tough tool. I know someone that has gone through 3 of those tools you have. The blade is just too flimsy.

The Ames is a great tool until the ground gets really dry I would like it a little better if it had a rounded tip instead of the split tip.

Good luck.
 

rcasi44

Full Member
Jul 24, 2006
143
0
NE Illinois
Predator digging tools are the tools made by George Lesche now. He used to make Lesche tools but it was the old divorce deal. There is no difference in the tools . He just lost the name and company. I've got a Lesche with I sharpen with a file. Rob
 

Goio

Hero Member
Sep 15, 2003
544
2
All over!!!
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE, E-Trac, Excalibur II
Predator digging tools all the way boys and girls!!! :thumbsup:
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,516
55,032
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
Here is what I use and it is fantastic. Combined with my Detectorpro pocket uniprobe There is almost no sign I was even there when I finish. The largest hole I dig is 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches wide on the surface.

ezdigrII.jpg
_________________________________________________
 

jorge del norte

Bronze Member
Dec 22, 2005
1,062
117
nc
Detector(s) used
Nokta Simplex - Tesoro Conquistador Umax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Treasure_Hunter said:
Here is what I use and it is fantastic. Combined with my Detectorpro pocket uniprobe There is almost no sign I was even there when I finish. The largest hole I dig is 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches wide on the surface.

ezdigrII.jpg
_________________________________________________

that thing looks a bit weird
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,005
17,113
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I'm not sure that's the tool for me. You have to know the exact depth ahead of time. I'm not that good and get maybe +/- 2" on the 6" deep coins. Then you have to be able to lever the tool out.

I bent this one levering a plug in my local hard pan clay/ glacial silt soil and I thought it was the ultimate possible. I know I'd bend that shaft with the larger blade.
 

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Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,516
55,032
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
I want bet money it can't be bent, but I have put a LOT of leverage on it so far and I haven't even slightly bent it yet, not all our soil down here is sand. I am sure if you just tried to pry up 6 inches of dry clay you would bend it. Having lived in Missouri for almost 20 years I know what clay is like when it has had no rain in weeks or months.

Here is the method I found works best for me when I use it. When my detector tells me there is a good target, I use the Detectorpro pocket uniprobe to X the area, I then use the probe to find the depth. I remove the probe, and dig a hole the width of the "tiny" shovel, the uniprobe tells me when i am getting close to the target and also what side of the 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch hole the target is on, the Uniprobe easily detects 3-6 inches and is dead on accurate so you know exactly where the target is.

Where the Ez-Dig-R earns its cost and really excels is in digging areas that you might normally not be able to dig with out fear of being kicked out. I have had city park personnel walk up and watch me digging, then turn and leave and never say a word to me. My surface hole is no wider then a hole a squirrel digs when he buries a nut, and I cut no plugs, so there is no grass to die and no mounds of dirt to give someone an excuse to yell "what the h3ll do you think your doing".

If I am detecting an area where I have no concern about the hole then I will use a regular garden trowel, or my Gator Digger.

The Ez-Dig-R for me is speciality tool I use that really excels when needed, it allows me to hunt areas I might other wise not be able to hunt, or not be able to hunt with out constantly looking over my shoulder.

Good luck and good hunting..............
 

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