Recommendations for a good hand trowel?

[CA Gold Hunter]

Well broke my hand trowel again last saturday when I was out sluicing. I keep getting cheap lowes or home depot ones and they break about every 5-6 trips. Anyone know of any heavy duty built ones that will last a bit longer or forever lol?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[NeoTokyo]

What kind of digging are you doing with it?

If it is mild digging and scooping I prefer one of the green Jobe scoops. They are super strong and last a long time.
If I come into a hard spot I just whip out my Estwing Masonry Hammer and chop that stuff up, then scoop it with my Jobe scoop.
For tight spots and bedrock cracks I will use my Estwing Geologists Hammer and some sort of long scraping pick and a bush if the conditions are dry.

I have steel trowels, thick aluminum trowels, large aluminum feed scoops, narrow aluminum serrated cutting trowels and mini shovels but I still prefer the Geo Hammer and Jobe scoop combo.

When I go metal detecting, the only things I bring with me are my Geo Hammer and Jobe Scoop.


That's just me though, everyone is different.

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

I usually end up using one to scrape under large rocks that I always end up shoulder deep in. There's usually roots and larger cobble in there that I have to kinda chip at. The one on Saturday broke right where the scoop and handle meet. The last one the scoop bent in half and a little while later cracked and the scoop was in two pieces. I'll check those out that you mentioned, thanks

 

[Goldwasher]

Thrifts stores are your friend...good solid metal spoons abound!!!!!!!! Different lengths and way cheap. and yes ye' ol' nugget scoop should always be in your pack.

 

[infotraker]

I bought a great strong trowel from a garden store in folsom ca called green acres. It is the one with the curved handle on the right.

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

well I ordered the jobe off amazon today so I'll see how long it lasts. I like that it is all one piece but the plastic might just wear down but it's in the same price range as the hd or lowes hand trowels so its worth given a shot.

 

[fowledup]

Those plastic Jobe scoops are tough you'll be amazed. I like to bring a quart plastic cup wrapped in duct tape like those used for mixing paint, or holding your change at a casino, they're tough, hold alot of material and they bend and conform to cracks, making it easy to sweep material into it. I also always bring an Estwing gad bar, and a rock hammer. Good combination for prying, chiseling, and breaking material up.

 

[NeoTokyo]

I bought a great strong trowel from a garden store in folsom ca called green acres. It is the one with the curved handle on the right.

View attachment 1115260

Ahh I can actually give some input here too.
Green Acres is a great place, I like them quite a bit.
The closest that we have to Green Acre's is Wyntour Gardens off of Airport Rd. which is a dead ringer for a twin. We also have Gold Leaf Nursery but they aren't quite on the same level for their non-plant related selections.
I very much miss Capital Nursery, I had known them my entire life.
Just about every time I would visit my Grandmother in Citrus Heights I would get to go to Capital Nursery just off of Sunrise Blvd. Now they are gone.

Anyways, I have the thin, long trowel furthest to the left but mine has a blue handle.
I also have a wider version of the trowel second to the left.

While these tools are good for some condition, I would not really recommend them for tough, rocky digging.
The tip of my long trowel broke off right away and I have been very careful with the wide trowel as these were a little spendy.
They are aluminum so what can you expect when going through tough rocky digging?

The long serrated trowel is good for digging grass because it cuts the roots fairly easy.
So if you like to detect parks and grassy area's, this isn't a bad trowel to have.

Though for the most part, they stay home for the garden as I have more durable tools to take their place.

 

[Jeff95531]

I've abused the daylights out of this one for two years and it keeps taking it.

Amazon.com : Fiskars Big Grip Trowel (7073) : Garden Trowel : Patio, Lawn & Garden

(Go to the most recent reviews. Past few years is 5 stars overall).

 

[infotraker]

I have not tried the trowel yet, hopefully it will hold up, if not I will try to take it back. Should be ok if not prying with it. Used it yesterday, worked great !

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

If the jobe ends up breaking I might try one of these, looks like it might work good for cutting roots under large boulders and looks pretty heavy duty, a little pricey though.

Lesche Digging Tool with Right Serrated Blade (Standard) | Shop | Features | Reviews | MetalDetector.com

 

[2cmorau]

don't have a picture of the one i use, but it's been with me for years

 

[NeoTokyo]

I really don't see the Jobe breaking easily.
I have pried stuck bowling ball sized rocks up with that trowel, its tough.

 

[NeoTokyo]

lol, its funny how us prospectors view tools in the same way.

Jeff, I also have the Fiskars trowel and it is a very sturdy, I do like that one but its still not my #1 choice.
If it had higher sides I would be more apt to bring it with me more often.
If I am sluicing with friends, it comes with us for someone to use.

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

The only thing I'm worried about the jobe is it's plastic and will wear down in the grit when prying or scraping. Seems like it should hold up better than the regular trowels I've been getting though. Should be delivered today so hopefully I can get out soon and use it to feed the bazooka some more

 

[Jeff95531]

lol, its funny how us prospectors view tools in the same way.

Jeff, I also have the Fiskars trowel and it is a very sturdy, I do like that one but its still not my #1 choice.
If it had higher sides I would be more apt to bring it with me more often.
If I am sluicing with friends, it comes with us for someone to use.

Yep, shoulders are skinny but mine makes up for it as a heck of an impromptu rock excavator. I give up before it does when it comes to prying one out...and it was cheap, just like me! (sometimes it works out )