Lesche not the same quality?

[Detecto]

I bought a new one, and bent the tip on a root. My old one tore through gravel and everything else.

I remember reading on a thread..something about the company getting bought out/not the same quality?

 

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[FreeBirdTim]

Did you buy it on eBay? Maybe it's a Chinese knockoff...

 

[Detecto]

Bought it from a Lesche dealer on eBay, 100% feedback.

If my jarred memory servers correct, I think the lesche company split into two companies, one being W and W, and the other Pamela Lesche.

I also remember reading the ones with the W and W sticker (mine) are not as well made as the actual oneS?

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

Tried one 3+ years ago and had the same experience as you. Bent. Promptly went back to my Gator. fwiw I got mine from Kellyco who is obviously a dealer. I think if you are a brute force prying kind of digger, a Lesche isn't for you. They are more for cutting.

 

[foilfinder]

Tried one 3+ years ago and had the same experience as you. Bent. Promptly went back to my Gator. fwiw I got mine from Kellyco who is obviously a dealer. I think if you are a brute force prying kind of digger, a Lesche isn't for you. They are more for cutting.

Those gators are amazing, have mine 20 years now and nothing has stopped it, not a good cutter but is strong build...need a new one cause its about an inch shorter from wear.

 

[Detecto]

I just realized mine is left handed, so I'm going to return it anyway, ordered the right one from another dealer.

I'm guessing I just got one from a bad batch of steel. The original one I had, I had 2.5 years, dug through hard rocky driveways and everything else, wore the tip down, but never bent it.

 

[Detecto]

Ok got the new one today, and here is some comparison..

Keep in mind I've only used the "used" one on 3 hunts, no more than 2 hours, not in gravel, and only pried on little (pencil sized) roots.

As you can see on the new one, the steel is much shiner than the old, and no, mine was not that shiny when I got it.

Also the steel has interacted with the soil and leeched onto the blade. It is NOT rust, as I removed all dirt and dried thoroughly when I got done.

I took a small ball peen hammer and tapped on the back of each one, the new one sounds higher pitched, when is usually a good indication of stronger temper.

I've ordered both knives from two "big names" in Metal Detecting on eBay, both with high excellent feedback, so I have no doubts of either one being a "Replica".


Conclusion:

After hunting with ONE lesche over a span of 3 years, digging through old gravel road, prying on heavy tree roots, etc, I NEVER bent even the tiniest tip of the blade. After using this one 3 times and bending the tip pretty good on a very small root, I have come to the conclusion that this one either came from a bad batch of steel, or was not correctly tempered. Since there was an unusual interaction of my soil with the lesche itself, (never did that with my old one, even leaving soil caked on it in the rain for a month) my ultimate conclusion that it was constructed from a bad batch of steel..

I would hope, or at least assume, that the manufacture would perform some load/shear test on the blades of these on every main batch of steel to make sure they pass the stress they are exposed to in the field, but obviously that isn't the case..

 

[Detecto]

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

The two siblings of the founder parted ways after his death. They both make the tools. I do know that WW Manufacturing (Ingrid Lesche Hawk), our supplier, gives an outstanding warranty on their products.

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[Detecto]

That may be, but since the dealer accepted the return, I felt that was a quicker route. The thing I hate about warranties, is you can be without the item for a month. I use Brother printers for my business, solely because they ship me a new printer BEFORE even asking for my non-working one back, so there is no down time. I had a Garret Propointer stop working a few years back and it was 2-3 weeks to get it replaced under warranty, at the time I didn't have $130 to drop on a new one.

 

[Escape]

I would like to get a lesche but unfortunately my cheap digging tool I got for free with my first detector hasn't broken after 5 years of use. I guess it depends on where your digging.