Like the Lesche digger, only cheaper

[Ghalt]

I know many of the pros here like the Lesche, because of its awesomeness and the fact that it's indestructible.

For me, though, trying to justify to the wife paying $50 for a garden trowel (in her mind)....that's askin' for trouble.

I found this Ames version to be perfect. It hasn't broken yet, and I've pried with my full 210 pounds, as well as cut through roots 3/4 of an inch thick. And it's less than half of what a Lesche costs. I found one at Home Depot but you can probably get them anywhere, including online.

Ames Planter's Buddy 7-in-1 Tool



My friend who MDs got one, too. My only wish is that these things (Lesche included) had the serrated edges on the opposite side so I can cut my holes clockwise instead of counter-clockwise. Just seems counter-intuitive for a right-hander to cut the whole backwards.

 

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[greydigger]

No reason you couldn't cut serrations on the other side too.
Make it ambidextrous.
Ground is so hard here I am thinking how to put a slide hammer on my Lesche.

 

[savant365]

I bought mine at Lowe's for about $15. I haven't even come close to bending it yet. It's a great little tool. I have even used the flat part of a spade to drive it into the rock hard ground here...lol.

HH Charlie

 

[pegleg]

I got one at lowes for $11. Best tool I ever bought and half the price of others.

 

[Jim 2.0]

Me too! also got mine at Lowe's...very strong

 

[Tricia]

Purchased a similar one for around the same price. Figured it would break after first use. Nope. Still going strong and it's pryed rocks from rock hard clay soil as well as cut thru some vegetation to make digging a bit easier.

Also looks very very intimidating hanging from my belt which is fine with me. Do a lot of solo MDing and if it makes the bad guys think twice about approaching me...

Tricia

 

[godisnum1]

Yep, I bought mine over a year ago... the thing is still as good as the day I bought it! I've sharpened the serrations and the tips, just to give it a little more cut...
I got mine at Lowes for 13 bucks.

Bran <><

 

[seagullplayer]

I saw these tools at Home Depoe last week I almost got one then.
I'm going to try one now, I was planning to save up for the high dollar
version, but my ear phones gave up the ghost this weekend, so maybe I will
just swing both.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Tim(Ca)]

I am new to this forum. Great site with outstanding info . I got mine @ Orchard Supply for $12. Great tool, very strong.

 

[baspinall]

I use that tool as well. Great deal for $

Brian

 

[-lecroix-]

Here's what mine looked like after using it for less than 30 minutes ... it worked great up until then.

p.s. look closely at the pics ... the blade does NOT run the entire length of the handle ... actually only about an inch.

 

[Shaw]

Here's what mine looked like after using it for less than 30 minutes ... it worked great up until then.

p.s. look closely at the pics ... the blade does NOT run the entire length of the handle ... actually only about an inch.

I had a version that I bought that did the same thing, It lasted about an hour. Went ahead and ordered my minelab digger and its proven itself.

 

[BIGHEAD]

I broke mine this weekend, but I've had it for about 4 months. I have beat this thing to death and have to admit it was pretty tough! So I went and got me a new one . Oh buy the way they do have a lifetime warranty!! Bighead

 

[treasureace14]

ive had mine for months and it hasent broken.

 

[jharhed]

I've had mine since July, and I abuse it! Very tough, I'm going to grind the tip down to a point. Another plus is the blunted handle to push into the ground and the hole in the handle for my piece of nylon rope with a carribiner hook to hang from my beltloop.

 

[Brett]

I bought one as well earlier this year. Mine bent the first couple days using it, but I tried to be easy on it after that and it lasted a while. Then one day I snapped in half and boy did that NOT feel good. I was shocked at the little tang. Why are these companies so stingy with their metal

Next digger I bought was the Lesche hand digger and it's a freaking CHAMP! Don't mess around with saving some bux... just accept that you need the best and go get it.

I fully agree with the serrations needing to be on BOTH sides, because I like to cut clockwise as well. The serrations on the Lesche could be bigger and sharper for most roots though.

I actually got my nickname because of the Ames Planter Buddy and how I was tearing up the roots on a particular tree to get to a deep quarter, and now it's hard to uphold my bestowed name with the Lesche.

If metal detecting was easy it would just be a video game though... so no, we can't have everything be perfect. Coins jumping up into our pouches on command... lol.

 

[treasurefiend]

This was my first digging tool. It worked great but I grinded down the end of the handle as it gave me blisters all of the time. I pried as beat the hell out of mine and it never broke, I still keep it in my trunk just incase somebody needs a digger. It cuts through roots like nothing too. I upgraded to a Leache digger but I wish it had the seraded edge like the digger buddy. For $15 you can't go wrong, just don't pry too hard with it as you can see in the above pix.

 

[sniffer]

I bought one of the Lowe's version, it broke the first day, took it back, they replaced it, used that one twice, it broke, took it back. The guy in gardening said I was abusing it. I invested in a Lesche, no problems

 

[Brett]

I bought one of the Lowe's version, it broke the first day, took it back, they replaced it, used that one twice, it broke, took it back. The guy in gardening said I was abusing it. I invested in a Lesche, no problems

I bet you WERE abusing it... but then again, we are not planting flowers so any use for metal detecting is considered abuse. Smart move with the Lesche! You won't be disappointed, unless you get into a nasty bunch of thick roots. Bring a wallboard saw (drywall).

 

[sniffer]

here in Kansas, if it hasn't rained in a while the ground is like concrete