I have to preface this week's metal detecting morning with an observation I made a few years ago at the same park. One cool fall weekday morning, I was detecting at a city park that also has the city's municipal swimming pool. No parents with toddlers or preschoolers were there due to the chill of the morning, so all was quiet. As I was detecting more than half the length of the park block away, a white panel van went down one street along side the park, turned, then pulled in longwise, across the angled marked parking slots. As it slowed to a rolling stop, the panel door rather quickly slid open and somewhat "Boomed" as it hit the end of it track. Out jumped two large dogs without breaking the forward momention.... They hunted around a few places and began to do their business. When finished, they jumped back into the van, the door roared forward and slammed shut as the van pulled away.... I just hung my head and gave a groaning laugh comment.... " I wish I had a camera....." and kept detecting.
I was caught by surprise and just had to laugh!!! Out in open area of the park, laying the grass was a "Remington Arms" slotted handle knife done in a camouflage scheme for a commando knife with a blade that is blued and half sharp/half serrated. Sells between $20-$30. The flat handle houses a folding lock blade and is about 1-1/2" wide. To the far arc swing of my detector, because it was steel, it didn't cause the detector to make a sound. Laying there with the blade folded up, in such a flat state, dusty and dirty, and in those light tan, green, and black camouflage colors. It took me three glances, and finally a bump with the edge of my coil, to decide it wasn't a flattened specimen from a white panel van with a pair of big galloping dogs.....
At the end of the morning's detecting, I found a .925 ring with a cabachon ruby and also $6.06, including 14 quarters....