My Take on Metal Detecting Equipment 101

[Terry Soloman]

What do you think? What would you add for beginning hobbyists?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C80OTsyXEL8

 

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[eman1000]

I personally don't use gloves or knee pads unless it is wet or really cold. Probably not the safest advice though but I like the feel of the dirt.

I would add carry a flat head screwdriver. Maybe a bit of an advanced tool but for clad I have increase my recover speed on shallow targets. Would not use at an old site were coin value might be important.

 

[Toecutter]

 

[TheGreenBoy]

How about a diary? Sketch tool, paper, couple of liners and angle meter, pencil, god print out of the topographic carte in large scale of the area hunted, small flags, rope with marked distances, geological compass, GPS, camera....... Does anybody documents his/heres work at all?

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

My gear includes a wide and narrow plastic trowels. I hunt parks, so my dig holes are small.
And, depending on needs, the main use is to pass dirt over coil, for quicker recovery - the other use,
it doesn't ding up your good stuff...!
Also coin probe - I use a t-handled Allen wrench. Great on lawns, where minimum damage to the grass
is important., especially those shallow targets...!

 

[cudamark]

A lot will depend on where you're hunting, the climate, and what your main targets are. For the beach hunter (which is most of our newbies here) a good sand scoop makes life a whole lot easier. For water hunting there is a whole list of other items to get. A hat and sunscreen is a must here as well as proper clothing and a good rain suit. Bug spray is essential in many areas, as well as a knowledge of other local things that can hurt you, such as snakes, spiders, ticks, poison oak/ivy, etc. If you're going to be far away from your vehicle, a back pack with water, first aid kit, and in some cases, survival gear can save your life. People have lost their life just a short distance from their vehicle or a trail when having something as simple as a compass or satellite based GPS could have saved them. Being prepared for the elements can't be overemphasized here. As for other gear in urban hunting, the only other thing that comes to mind is a water pouch or holder. It's easy to get dehydrated during a hunt. I also like to have a lanyard tied to my pin pointer to keep it from being left behind (yes, I've done that several times!), but, that's just a personal need for me.

 

[eman1000]

How about a diary? Sketch tool, paper, couple of liners and angle meter, pencil, god print out of the topographic carte in large scale of the area hunted, small flags, rope with marked distances, geological compass, GPS, camera....... Does anybody documents his/heres work at all?

Not in the U.S. we don't. That might look like a crime scene here and we try to be somewhat low key were not digging ancient biblical sites or roman settlements. The vast majority of us are digging loose change, and the occasional 50 to 100 year old coin and gold jewelry.

 

[xr7ator]

My gear includes a wide and narrow plastic trowels. I hunt parks, so my dig holes are small.
And, depending on needs, the main use is to pass dirt over coil, for quicker recovery - the other use,
it doesn't ding up your good stuff...!
Also coin probe - I use a t-handled Allen wrench. Great on lawns, where minimum damage to the grass
is important., especially those shallow targets...!

I would agree with this 100% if it was still 1985 and no pinpointer in my pouch.

 

[Irishgoldhound]

Knee pads I think are #1 in the park, for me anyway. I don’t have bad knees but if you’re digging in the park all day and down on your knees and not wearing pads, 20 years down the road your knees can have damage done. Wear the pads and when your old you’ll be able to do many more yrs on your knees if you started the hobby wearing pads. If I’m at the beach, water and bug spray are on the top of the list.

 

[gunsil]

I'd make a statement that the shovels are not for use in public parks, school or church yards, or any nice lawns. Shovels should only be used in fields and woods. I also never wear gloves or kneepads but Terry knows how skinny I am and they just won't stay on my skinny knees while walking around. I also would suggest a small towel or a gallon plastic bag as I use to put excavated dirt on when hunting lawns. Makes for a cleaner getting all the dirt back in the hole and leaving no trace on a lawn.

 

[Tpmetal]

I'd make a statement that the shovels are not for use in public parks, school or church yards, or any nice lawns. Shovels should only be used in fields and woods. I also never wear gloves or kneepads but Terry knows how skinny I am and they just won't stay on my skinny knees while walking around. I also would suggest a small towel or a gallon plastic bag as I use to put excavated dirt on when hunting lawns. Makes for a cleaner getting all the dirt back in the hole and leaving no trace on a lawn.

proper shovels make better cleaner plugs that don't get sucked into lawn mowers, or pulled up by animals like skunks, or kill the grass as less root disturbance by being able to dig a larger plug ........ I would rather not damage stuff then worry about what people think about the shovel. I see more damage done by a hand trowels than the big bad shovels everyone worries about in parks and lawns.

 

[sprailroad]

There IS truth in what you say TP, but, but when anyone from say park maint. or groundkeepers from schools etc. see a shovel, all they really see are large holes, and will shut it down. Shovels can be the key for field and woods, like sand scoops for the sand. When I'm in a park detecting, I am there just for the detecting itself, just to see what I might find by random for the day, not to get into confrontation with park maint. I think the same would hold true for lawns as well. If you WERE to go "Door knocking", I know it in itself is hard enough, at least for me, if I were to be granted permission, I somehow feel that the moment I'm standing on a fella's lawn with detector and SHOVEL, he might then have second thoughts and want me to leave, I'm just saying...….put yourself in his place. (I will add that I avoid nice lawns in the dead of summer, the ground can be so dry, it's hard NOT to damage it) The shovels aren't "big bad shovels", I own a shovel JUST for detecting. It's just that for me, different tools for different locations.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Knee pads I think are #1 in the park, for me anyway. I don’t have bad knees but if you’re digging in the park all day and down on your knees and not wearing pads, 20 years down the road your knees can have damage done. Wear the pads and when your old you’ll be able to do many more yrs on your knees if you started the hobby wearing pads. If I’m at the beach, water and bug spray are on the top of the list.

I've been caving 40 more years than the twelve I've metal detected, and I get down on my knees in all kinds of STUFF, and the sticks, thorns, stones and wet grass, has led from one hobby to another...on my KNEES...!

 

[Kray Gelder]

A good basic kit shown. Everything they NEED. As others mention above, preparing for every possibility yields this improved basic kit...

 

[Kray Gelder]

I personally don't use gloves or knee pads unless it is wet or really cold. Probably not the safest advice though but I like the feel of the dirt.

I would add carry a flat head screwdriver. Maybe a bit of an advanced tool but for clad I have increase my recover speed on shallow targets. Would not use at an old site were coin value might be important.

No gloves? Have you cut yourself lately on glass, can slaw, rusty iron? Found any needles? Can you say staff, tetanus, flesh-eating bacteria? HIV? HEP-C? Risky in the extreme, IMO.
I strongly advise gloves.

And you're not really digging in dirt. You're digging in trash.

 

[Irishgoldhound]

I've been caving 40 more years than the twelve I've metal detected, and I get down on my knees in all kinds of STUFF, and the sticks, thorns, stones and wet grass, has led from one hobby to another...on my KNEES...!

To each his own I guess lol. Knee pads give me so much more comfort and im not sore the next day either.

 

[Jason in Enid]

How about a diary? Sketch tool, paper, couple of liners and angle meter, pencil, god print out of the topographic carte in large scale of the area hunted, small flags, rope with marked distances, geological compass, GPS, camera....... Does anybody documents his/heres work at all?

Depending on the location, yes I do. I have a ghost town that I have completely mapped out and GPS logged every non-trash find. You can actually use a theodolite app for your phone to take the place of gps, compass, etc.

 

[Tpmetal]

There IS truth in what you say TP, but, but when anyone from say park maint. or groundkeepers from schools etc. see a shovel, all they really see are large holes, and will shut it down. Shovels can be the key for field and woods, like sand scoops for the sand. When I'm in a park detecting, I am there just for the detecting itself, just to see what I might find by random for the day, not to get into confrontation with park maint. I think the same would hold true for lawns as well. If you WERE to go "Door knocking", I know it in itself is hard enough, at least for me, if I were to be granted permission, I somehow feel that the moment I'm standing on a fella's lawn with detector and SHOVEL, he might then have second thoughts and want me to leave, I'm just saying...….put yourself in his place. (I will add that I avoid nice lawns in the dead of summer, the ground can be so dry, it's hard NOT to damage it) The shovels aren't "big bad shovels", I own a shovel JUST for detecting. It's just that for me, different tools for different locations.

I have never had a problem. I simply explain the process before hand and everyone is quite happy how their lawn looks when I leave. I do totally agree about needing a special plug shovel, I even explain to everyone that I used a shovel specifically designed to make clean cuts that won't destroy the lawn. The dry thing I also agree, I have brought water to water my plugs before though lol

 

[civil_war22]

A lot will depend on where you're hunting, the climate, and what your main targets are. For the beach hunter (which is most of our newbies here) a good sand scoop makes life a whole lot easier. For water hunting there is a whole list of other items to get. A hat and sunscreen is a must here as well as proper clothing and a good rain suit. Bug spray is essential in many areas, as well as a knowledge of other local things that can hurt you, such as snakes, spiders, ticks, poison oak/ivy, etc. If you're going to be far away from your vehicle, a back pack with water, first aid kit, and in some cases, survival gear can save your life. People have lost their life just a short distance from their vehicle or a trail when having something as simple as a compass or satellite based GPS could have saved them. Being prepared for the elements can't be overemphasized here. As for other gear in urban hunting, the only other thing that comes to mind is a water pouch or holder. It's easy to get dehydrated during a hunt. I also like to have a lanyard tied to my pin pointer to keep it from being left behind (yes, I've done that several times!), but, that's just a personal need for me.

Which is why I always carry my bag full of my meds, a Casio Pro Trek Triple Sensor watch, knife, lighter, and sometimes my concealed carry

 

[sprailroad]

I have never had a problem. I simply explain the process before hand and everyone is quite happy how their lawn looks when I leave. I do totally agree about needing a special plug shovel, I even explain to everyone that I used a shovel specifically designed to make clean cuts that won't destroy the lawn. The dry thing I also agree, I have brought water to water my plugs before though lol

Well sir, then you are GOOD TO GO. Great good luck on all future hunting.