GOOD Digger for Cheap?

[Capncrunch]

I have been using an old shovel and an 8" digger to unearth the treasures (or trash) I have detected, for long enough! The shovel is heeaavy and likely looks bad to property owners. Can anyone recommend a GOOD (compact enough to not scare land owners, short enough to carry, sharp enough for small tree roots, strong enough for moderate prying, etc.) detecting shovel that won't cost me as much as I paid for my Simplex?
Thanks in advance for any assistance!
John

 

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[Clad2Silver]

White's Digmaster is very good. Available in many places on the internet.

 

[Capncrunch]

White's Digmaster is very good. Available in many places on the internet.

I appreciate that input, but already have an 8" digger. I'm looking for a shovel now. Mine is old and bulky.

 

[GopherDaGold]

Cheap diggers ain't good.
Good diggers ain't cheap.
I use the 32" Root Assassin and it works quite well.

 

[Tom Slick]

I've used a Hori-Hori knife for years. They are made in carbon steel and stainless steel. The Stainless steel is softer and bends easily. I only use the regular carbon steel knives (indestructible). Available at many online gardening shops. The sheaths are junk but the knives are great.

 

[gary lee]

If you head over to your military surplus store they sell an item which is a small shovel which folds up and is contained in a pouch. This can then be held on your belt and when people see you it doesn't look like you are there to do a major excavation on the property.
Just a thought.

 

[ticndig]

I've used a $15 WW-2 entrenching tool for 30 years . Cheap, effective , heavy duty.
If you buy one be sure it's real and not a cheap Chinese knockoff

 

[Tom Slick]

I'd like to know where you get a "real" WW II entrenching shovel for $15.00. Apparently you haven't bought one in 30 years. Now they're more like $45.00 if you can even find one that isn't Chinese junk.

 

[Capncrunch]

Cheap diggers ain't good.
Good diggers ain't cheap.
I use the 32" Root Assassin and it works quite well.

So, I stood in the shop today and looked at what they had for about 15 minutes. I finally bought the Radius Garden 22311 Root Slayer Nomad. I don't know if I'll like the 'fist' shaped handle, but it is short, light and has some wicked looking teeth on the small shovel blade. Figured I gotta pull the trigger today- it's 1 hour 15 minutes from my house and I went to trade-in the boy's Fisher F22, he HAD to have the Nokta Makro Simplex, like Dads! Not advertising and it is not my business, but Travis and Josh treated us very good at Great Plains Prospecting. I hope it's OK to say that?

 

[ticndig]

I'd like to know where you get a "real" WW II entrenching shovel for $15.00. Apparently you haven't bought one in 30 years. Now they're more like $45.00 if you can even find one that isn't Chinese junk.

you've answered your own question .I have not bought one in 30 years. but I bet you could hunt one out at a flea market, even at 45 bucks and thats cheaper than a relic shovel. I found one in the woods a few years back and now have two

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

Have a 32" root slayer type digger the works great.
Worked a local park in Florida for 8 hrs, until they kicked me out, and used a regular dinner fort that worked surprisingly well for shallow targets in the soil/sand.

 

[Alexis123]

I recommend you try the Gerber E-Tool Folding Spade. It is super compact when folded (9.37 inches only).

 

[pulltabfelix]

I have used both Lesche and Predators and both are still in top shape after 5 years of use. Sharpen the edges on a grinder every year. Not cheap, but I hunt in areas with roots and rocks. These are a must. Plus the 30" is a low profile that does not make you look like your are going to dig a 6 foot hole.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I've used a Lesche digger for over 30 years, never bent or broke it, and I put some hard work on it.

 

[CASPER-2]

I've used a Lesche digger for over 30 years, never bent or broke it, and I put some hard work on it.

lot of cheap knock offs of it - beware

 

[Peyton Manning]

I use a $5 gardening trowel from Lowe’s
Serrated on one side

 

[NapervilleDan]

I bought the Root Slayer Nomad (I also use a Hori Hori knife).

I've seen a few videos of guys that drag their shovel behind them. Can anyone recommend that option? One of the reasons I decided to buy the Root Slayer was the small loop in the handle. WHAT DO YOU GUYS USE TO HOOK THAT ON YOUR BELT?

Dan

 

[Loco-Digger]

I hunted for a little over 2 years using shovels like this ($8-$10)



I am a coin shooter and this is what I use now (Lesche Sampson)



I want to get one of these for field and wood (Predator)

 

[dc.gronlund]

I've used a Hori-Hori knife for years. They are made in carbon steel and stainless steel. The Stainless steel is softer and bends easily. I only use the regular carbon steel knives (indestructible). Available at many online gardening shops. The sheaths are junk but the knives are great.

I second the hori-hori! Only $10, sharp, light, and neat. I've been using mine for years, bought here in Japan too, so it's 100% JDM, haha. I do have the stainless one, hasn't bent yet...

 

[No gold in NY]

I would not let a property manager or land owner see me with anything that looked like a shovel.
This is what I use.

I dug my first hole on 11/11/2014. Since then I have found enough clad to pay for my detector 3X. The gold and silver jewelry gets thrown into a cigar box. The deepest I have needed to go was 14 inches and then I was looking at the bottom of an aluminum can. This little tool has served me well.

But then, maybe I don't dig where you dig.