How to dig Items with a SHOVEL !! whats your opinion

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Looks like Jer digging in Gare?s yard. I?m sure Gare enjoyed getting tips from Jer. Good times guys.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[ARC]

AARC, I am interested in how you dig a lawn or any grassy area with a scoop. Could you post a video or even pictures of your scoop and the technique you use? I hunt plowed fields 99% of the time and it doesn't even matter whether I cover my hole up or not but I do cover them out of habit from earlier years when I hunted public parks. Now that I am up in age and have some lower back problems I am very interested in any technique that would keep me from getting down and back up.

Well well... someone who's interested

I feel like i can offer something here now :P

SO...

Lets see... lets start by saying that the scoop i use was custom made for me... and then i modified it after that.

I personally hate getting down unless i have to... it slows down the whole dealio and i want to cover as much ground in as short of time as i can with effort being a concern as to not "wear down" as fast.

My scoop is all stainless heavy wall tube that has grip coming off back side.. (this part i added)...

Tell ya what... a picture says 1000 words right ?

Think i should take one... OH wait... i think i have something on this computer... hold that thought.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Well well... someone who's interested

I feel like i can offer something here now :P

SO...

Lets see... lets start by saying that the scoop i use was custom made for me... and then i modified it after that.

I personally hate getting down unless i have to... it slows down the whole dealio and i want to cover as much ground in as short of time as i can with effort being a concern as to not "wear down" as fast.

My scoop is all stainless heavy wall tube that has grip coming off back side.. (this part i added)...

Tell ya what... a picture says 1000 words right ?

Think i should take one... OH wait... i think i have something on this computer... hold that thought.

I am holding like I have to pee real bad!

 

[ARC]

Lean scoop forward as far as poss...

Kick / push with foot... til back lip (one towards the handle) touches... NOT cuts...

Pull up and flip plug gently forward.

Repeat if needed like surgeon in hole.

Most times i see item within that first flip... and pick up item with lip of scoop most times.

 

[ARC]

Oh... and use foot OR the scoop... depending on mood at moment i guess and size... to flip plug back in.... step on it... walk away. heh

 

[ARC]

Most digging can be "honed in"... simply by mastering the X.

I see these vids where the MD'r sorta just "side to side" sweeps / "waves" the coil...to pinpoint.

This is incorrect.

 

[ARC]

Wanna see some well made... Well IMO anyway... scoops ? ? ?

 

[xr7ator]

Interesting, ARC. At some point I can see not wanting to bend down for e-v-e-r-y target.

If you ever have a chance, preferably someone else running the camera, I'd love to see you in action.

 

[Tpmetal]

Watching vids of many who use these small shovels and lesches or whatever the frig they call em... (or why) for what i would call a "belly / knee" shovel... AKA a "trench shovel"... which i have experience using in my youth... pre all these new "fixed" "cool looking" versions.

I can say... if you enjoy "working out" while you detect... these are the tools for you.

I get enough of a workout using a scoop let alone adding a whole bunch more physicality to it.

And... i might add... they are also WAY slower to use... by far.

I have detected beside users of these... the ratio has got to be 2 to 1... meaning... i have dug 2 targets to their one in the same amount of time.

And on a smooth roll i think i could say that would be 3 to 1.

Kick and flip... recover... rarely do i set anything (detector or scoop) down... unless i have that pesky eluding item...

and rarely do i ever bend over to pick something up... let alone to dig a target.

I can pick a penny off a frogs arse without disturbing the frog using only my scoop... this is something i take great pride in trying to do...

And sure beats the bends.. and kneeling and the "up and down"... "up and down".... "up and down".........."up and down".

Not to mention all the wrestling and crawling and knees... and ... and... and...

:P

come try to scoop anything by me and see what happens. shovel is 100% necessary. you are arguing sand digging to dirt diggin and I can not figure out why? scoops barely work in water around here let alone on land......

 

[ARC]

come try to scoop anything by me and see what happens. shovel is 100% necessary. you are arguing sand digging to dirt diggin and I can not figure out why? scoops barely work in water around here let alone on land......

Lol... heh... Um would be glad to show ya...

My scoop rips hard pack... rocks to asphalt... no problem... doubt your ground will give me any trouble.

I have detected ground from here to Maine... and have yet to be beaten.

The only thing stopping me is concrete or boulders... but so will you be stopped. heh

 

[ARC]

Oh and "PS" TpMetal...

did i mention my scoop is custom made ?

304 hardened Stainless heavy wall... it is not one of the above scoops pictured.

Although... would love to test drive / rip into 2 of those just for ----'s and giggle's.

Also... before i forget...

I also need to point out that... the "shape" of my scoops "tongue" is key.

Also... before i forget... half... repeat half... of your time... generally anyway... in a decent spot... is spent detecting... the other half is retrieving / digging...

So... just like swinging the coil and reading the info... be it any way your device talks to you... yes i say "device"... (for to me they have never been "machines"... for they are not machines)

digging with a scoop truly is also an art and learning part... AND this is WHY scoops were invented to begin with.

They are a specialized tool designed solely to do exactly what i stated above.... TO NOT dig with a shovel. heh

To be able to pick up a coin or anything else for that matter... quickly... using just the lip of your scoop to retrieve it... without bending...

requires practice.

 

[xr7ator]

And, let's be honest here, practicing picking an item up with the tip of your tool, took time. Time NOT detecting, but retrieving.

 

[Steve in PA]

I'm not going to read all the posts, but I cringe when I see the tip of the shovel being scraped across the bottom of the hole after the plug is removed. I put the shovel in and give it a little forward nudge to loosen the dirt in the hole and if I can't locate it with the pinpointer, I remove the dirt with my hands and place it on a drop cloth if in a mowed area. Any further deepening is done the same way, straight down with the shovel, slight forward nudge to loosen the dirt, repeat all the way around the hole.

 

[ARC]

Now... with all of my babble now babbled... the above is not "gospel" or "textbook"...

This is just another prime way... my way... but circumstances vary as we all well know.

I will say this... scooping a coin up with the lip is hip and all... but does not always work... and 25% or more your are down on a knee anyway.

Sometimes you cannot see it... so you tap with lip... poke with lip... grab too much dirt... miss it... knock it off... drop it on its way up cuz you tipped it.. etc etc.

Plug gets tattered by accident push too hard wit lip... on and on.. so it does require concentration... and a smooth day to rip and run well.

 

[xr7ator]

I find that I'm already too careful so as to not scratch that mint silver, so that sounds slow, Steve. Your success speaks for itself, however!

Most of my plugs are hinged and very small in diameter. Smaller than can be dug with a shovel. I'm excellent at pinpointing. I've never used a drop cloth but there have been a few messy times I wish I had. A little loose soil on top of the grass is good for it. I use the lesche to sweep the pile of dirt back into the hole, if needed. I always finger the grass blades around the edge of the hole out of the hole before replacing the hinged plug. Stand up on the plug area and start swinging again.
I still screwdriver pop out a ton of shallow targets. There is no plug...just a dirty aeration hole and again good for the sod.

 

[ARC]

And, let's be honest here, practicing picking an item up with the tip of your tool, took time. Time NOT detecting, but retrieving.

I am always honest... even when I lie

Um... when you learn to detect when getting on your knee(s) is not really a smart... and much slower option... you learn quicker. heh

 

[ARC]

I find that I'm already too careful so as to not scratch that mint silver, so that sounds slow, Steve. Your success speaks for itself, however!

Most of my plugs are hinged and very small in diameter. Smaller than can be dug with a shovel. I'm excellent at pinpointing. I've never used a drop cloth but there have been a few messy times I wish I had. A little loose soil on top of the grass is good for it. I use the lesche to sweep the pile of dirt back into the hole, if needed. I always finger the grass blades around the edge of the hole out of the hole before replacing the hinged plug. Stand up on the plug area and start swinging again.
I still screwdriver pop out a ton of shallow targets. There is no plug...just a dirty aeration hole and again good for the sod.

Ok lets compare "techniques"

1. I don't even use a drop cloth to paint... j/k... have never used one detecting.

2. Sweep the pile of dirt... i strive to have no pile... i use my foot... standing.

3. I never "finger the blades"... errrr sounds ummm

4. EVEN the word... "screwdriver"... makes numismatists around the world cringe... and veteran detectorists scratching their heads. (silly wabbit)

Let alone dig with one...

that's like eating spaghetti with a straw.

 

[villagenut]

Just dropped in here a little late but I am still old school here and I like getting my hands dirty and having that suspensive moment of stooping over the hole waiting for the target to show itself. I am sure there are lots of you out there who love getting their fingers under a root to wiggle an old silver out.

 

[Tpmetal]

Oh and "PS" TpMetal...

did i mention my scoop is custom made ?

304 hardened Stainless heavy wall... it is not one of the above scoops pictured.

Although... would love to test drive / rip into 2 of those just for ----'s and giggle's.

Also... before i forget...

I also need to point out that... the "shape" of my scoops "tongue" is key.

Also... before i forget... half... repeat half... of your time... generally anyway... in a decent spot... is spent detecting... the other half is retrieving / digging...

So... just like swinging the coil and reading the info... be it any way your device talks to you... yes i say "device"... (for to me they have never been "machines"... for they are not machines)

digging with a scoop truly is also an art and learning part... AND this is WHY scoops were invented to begin with.

They are a specialized tool designed solely to do exactly what i stated above.... TO NOT dig with a shovel. heh

To be able to pick up a coin or anything else for that matter... quickly... using just the lip of your scoop to retrieve it... without bending...

requires practice.

let me know next time you are in western ny, would love to see it. I Just can't see digging coins at 6-10 inches with a scoop and not leaving a mess.

 

[pepperj]

Just dropped in here a little late but I am still old school here and I like getting my hands dirty and having that suspensive moment of stooping over the hole waiting for the target to show itself. I am sure there are lots of you out there who love getting their fingers under a root to wiggle an old silver out.

Oh you should of scooped that root-