• Forum server maintanace Friday night.(around 7PM Centeral time)
    Website will be off line for a short while.

    You may need to log out, log back in after we're back online.

Double blind study comparing dowsing to metal detecting silver coins

There are only 2 things this thread proves, 1 is there are people who have way too much time on their hands, and 2, those people usually feel the need to prove themselves right.
I'm 50/50 😂. I am probably the only one here that will admit I'm not always right. And 2nd , I definitely have too much time on my hands !
 
There are only 2 things this thread proves, 1 is there are people who have way too much time on their hands, and 2, those people usually feel the need to prove themselves right.

Does anyone else here see the irony of this post ? chill-for-life

1) has time on his hands to chime in on this, and

2) feels that his post (saying what he just said), is "right".

Ok, so what's the point ? :?:
 
Does anyone else here see the irony of this post ? chill-for-life

1) has time on his hands to chime in on this, and

2) feels that his post (saying what he just said), is "right".

Ok, so what's the point ? :?:

Oh my Tom, more of your clever rebuttals. I think I hit one of the nails on the head.
 
I check my Ouija board again. Twice now it said dousing doesn't work. Case closed.
 
As a previously active working geologist, from a scientific standpoint, I have always assumed that if water was found by the use of a dowser, it could have been found by the drilling of a well anywhere in the area. One thing I have never heard by a dowser is a prediction of the depth and yield of said water. However, given enough records of well drilled in an area being available, a reasonable scientific estimate may be made as to the depth to water and average yield of a given well…this is done based on statistics, but is no actual guarantee that water will even be found!

I once saw a dowser use a topographic map to “locate” deposits of gold, silver, and various base metals, without even going to the field to prove anything.:laughing::laughing:
 
... However, given enough records of well drilled in an area being available, a reasonable scientific estimate may be made as to the depth to water and average yield of a given well…this is done based on statistics, ....


Correct. A good hydrologist / geologist can do the same thing, by studying the landscape visually. And do with no rods. Thus showing that the rods are doing nothing.
 
I'd like to see everyone around here swap their detectors for dowsing rods and leave the good stuff for me.

The fact that so few people use them, (even tho such observation is anecdotal), is enough evidence for me. Lets start another thread, Nox vs a dowsing rod, side by side comparison :)

I know, I just don't get it. "Show me da money" :)
 
Are you referring to maxxkatt's opening post tally-comparisons , where he studied/compared show & tell videos ?

If so, there's a problem with your above quote : Because dowsers *DO* claim that it works. They claim this all the time.




There is another term for this : This is otherwise known as : "eventual random chance odds".

What I'm trying to get at detector is : That you can't have it both ways : If someone says vehemently : "It works, I can do it, and I've seen it", yet in the very next breath says :

"I can't show it, it's un-predictable, and can't be tested", (but rest assured, it happens all the time) then : Can you blame skeptics for doubting ? :no:

And BTW : There is other more-plausible explanations for the seeming-successes that dowsers can cite, in their anecdotal subjective testimonials. Thus, no one is questioning their "finds" and their sincerity. It's : To WHAT do we attribute these finds ? Eg.: subtle terrain clues (and subconscious tilting of the rods via hand-movements) ? Eventual random chance ? Pointing it at likely looking ruins, and Digging enough holes , and using a detector to "pinpoint" (that's the ticket) ??

If I'm wrong, and the rods are actually doing something : I'm totally game to see it ! The world will beat a path to your door ! Thus : Bring it on ! Let's see it !

Let me rephrase that for clarity. Dowsers say it does work because of the fact that it has been used to find much more than just random water. Being an involuntary response from the dowser, guaranteed results is not possible. Take for example someone that has involuntary movements. a tremor, tic, myoclonic jerk, chorea, athetosis, dystonia, or hemiballism for example. It is a proven fact that it happens, but no one can control or predict when it will happen. Doesn't mean the involuntary movement doesn't happen, just that it is unpredictable.

Another clarification: Dowsers are not hired to just find water as has been said, if you drill deep enough, chances are you'll hit water. Dowsers are hired to find the most shallowest source of water. There is a difference.

Some scientists, that have witnessed it, say it could be such a condition, but one we were all originally born with the ability but lost it from a lack of use over time. The rods are thought to maybe help the people see the results of the body's involuntary movements to a given target such as water. The difference between a dowser being ask to try and find the shallowest water as opposed to telling them I have hidden an item I want you to find.

Again I say, I'm not saying it is a fact only what I have witnessed. What I witnessed could not be a random finding of my septic tank or my sewer lines. For that reason, I tend to keep a bit more open mind because I cannot explain what I witnessed other than one hell of a production, or dowsing happened.

If you're interested, here is a very scientific approach to dowsing, and why it could work. https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/is-there-any-scientific-evidence-for-dowsing/
 
Last edited:
Let me rephrase that for clarity. Dowsers say it does work because of the fact that it has been used to find much more than just random water. Being an involuntary response from the dowser, guaranteed results is not possible. Take for example someone that has involuntary movements. a tremor, tic, myoclonic jerk, chorea, athetosis, dystonia, or hemiballism for example. It is a proven fact that it happens, but no one can control or predict when it will happen. Doesn't mean the involuntary movement doesn't happen, just that it is unpredictable.

Some scientists, that have witnessed it, say it could be such a condition, but one we were all originally born with the ability but lost it from a lack of use over time. The rods are thought to maybe help the people see the results of the body's involuntary movements to a given target such as water. The difference between a dowser being ask to try and find the shallowest water as opposed to telling them I have hidden an item I want you to find.

Again I say, I'm not saying it is a fact only what I have witnessed. What I witnessed could not be a random finding of my septic tank or my sewer lines. For that reason, I tend to keep a bit more open mind because I cannot explain what I witnessed other than one hell of a production, or dowsing happened.

Problem is I once witnessed a guy cut in half at a magic show.... That doesn't mean that is what I really saw or is what really happened.
 
.....It is a proven fact that it happens, but no one can control or predict when it will happen.....

Detector, an analogy to this would be the following :

Let's imagine that I told you that I can use psychic powers (or some un-explained science) to accuately predict cards out of a deck of cards. I can call out various predictions (Eg.: queen of hearts, 3 of spades, and so forth). Eventually, I WILL get some correct. Eh ?

Then technically, I can say that my ability is a "proven fact". After all, it's pretty hard to argue with the times that I was 100% correct. Eh ?

And as for the times I was NOT correct, well then the rest of your quote comes into play : "...No one can control or predict when it will happen ".

Do you see the logical fallacy going on here ?

..... I tend to keep a bit more open mind.....

Yes. And so do I . Which is why I perpetually say : "Great ! Let's see it. "

I am perfectly open and willing to be shown . And would be the first one to adopt it, if it can be shown to work.
 

Detector, your link is asking viewers to click on something. But we can just cut-to-the-chase. Because of the operative word you use (and dowsers use all the time) : "Work" . Ie.: It could or does "work".

In regards to this conversation, there is an implicit claim that the ability can be shown . Lest how else could anyone say "it works" ?? :?: Otherwise, no one could have said: "It works".... IN THE FIRST PLACE ! :?:

The very claim that "it works" (as dowsers claim *all the time* ) MERELY ASSUMES that they have shown it to be workable. And not attributable to other explanations or random eventual chance. In which case, SURE: It would "work". And they do not use the word in the past tense ("worked") They use it in the present and future tense as well. Ie.: worked, and will continue to work (future tense).

But then in the very next breath will say it's random and can't be shown. If that's the case, then how did they ever conclude that "it works" IN THE FIRST PLACE ?

Don't you see the contradiction & logical fallacy going on here ? :(
 
I'd like to see everyone around here swap their detectors for dowsing rods and leave the good stuff for me.

The fact that so few people use them, (even tho such observation is anecdotal), is enough evidence for me. Lets start another thread, Nox vs a dowsing rod, side by side comparison :)

I know, I just don't get it. "Show me da money" :)

Ok, I have owned a nox for 3 years. Never owned a dowsing rod, but have seen pictures of them, but never in a Kellyco detector catalog.

Nox leaks sometimes and dowsing rods I rather suspect never leak.
Nox shaft will wiggle sometimes, dowsing rods if working wiggle.
Nox has a limited charge on the batteries, dosing rods require no batteries.
nox takes a log time to learn, dowsing rods require few instructions.
drop or bump your nox the coil ears will break, dowsing rods solid metal.
nox tid really jumpy in areas of modern trash, dowsing rods unaffected by pop tops.
nox cost $950 now, dowsing rods can be made out of scrap metal rods and a using a vise.
nox weighs 3 lbs, dowsing rods less than 1lb
nox resale value holds up, dowsing rods resale value skyrockets when sold to a foolish customer.
nox may make you some money on a beach with a lot of effort, the dowsing rods can make you a lot of money with little efforts.
nox has 4-5 different coils should by to improve the nox, dowsing rods have no coils.
Nox will go down 10 feet under water, and I suspect you could dowse for a gold treasure chest way below 10 feet under water.
Nox sceen display will sometimes go bad, not a problem with dowsing rods.
Nox often fails when left in a car on a hot summer day, with the windows rolled up, dowsing rods good to 1700 F (927 C).
Nox detectors are attractive to thieves, dowsing rods not so much.
Nox warranty is for only 3 years, dowsing rods need no warranty.
detectors are hard to sneak in national, parks, dowsing rods pretty easy.
Nox is no good in frozen ground because you have to dig targets, dowsing does not require you to actually find targets, let others do the digging.


Well I thought this list would prove that the Equinox is superior, but now I wonder why I wasted $749 and 3 years on the Nox.

Won't start a new thread, having too much fun with this one.
 
Let me rephrase that for clarity. Dowsers say it does work because of the fact that it has been used to find much more than just random water. Being an involuntary response from the dowser, guaranteed results is not possible. Take for example someone that has involuntary movements. a tremor, tic, myoclonic jerk, chorea, athetosis, dystonia, or hemiballism for example. It is a proven fact that it happens, but no one can control or predict when it will happen. Doesn't mean the involuntary movement doesn't happen, just that it is unpredictable.

Another clarification: Dowsers are not hired to just find water as has been said, if you drill deep enough, chances are you'll hit water. Dowsers are hired to find the most shallowest source of water. There is a difference.

Some scientists, that have witnessed it, say it could be such a condition, but one we were all originally born with the ability but lost it from a lack of use over time. The rods are thought to maybe help the people see the results of the body's involuntary movements to a given target such as water. The difference between a dowser being ask to try and find the shallowest water as opposed to telling them I have hidden an item I want you to find.

Again I say, I'm not saying it is a fact only what I have witnessed. What I witnessed could not be a random finding of my septic tank or my sewer lines. For that reason, I tend to keep a bit more open mind because I cannot explain what I witnessed other than one hell of a production, or dowsing happened.

If you're interested, here is a very scientific approach to dowsing, and why it could work. https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/is-there-any-scientific-evidence-for-dowsing/

quoted from the article:

There is some evidence that dowsers can find water or oil when more traditional methods have failed, which seems miraculous. But experiments show that this works only when the dowser has some unconscious knowledge of where the target is. For example, they might be using clues from vegetation, geography or temperature. They might not realise what they’re doing, and so believe in the supernatural power of the rods. Experiments have been done that eliminate these possibilities, by running water through one of 10 pipes laid underground, or moving the position of water pipes. Under such controlled conditions dowsers do not succeed.

My take on it:
"a very a very scientific approach to dowsing"? the only science I saw was the word science in the publication. I think the poster is being very sarcastic with his post trying to fool us all.

very short article the above I cut/pasted was more than half of it.
read it carefully and basically says it cannot be proved to work via their experiments. But notice this article seems to be a puff piece with no citations to the actual experiments.

Shows me nothing to prove dowsing works.
 
just saying things are not always as they seem visually, and your evidence is that You saw it happen.

Exactlly. As I've said I am a sceptic even having whitnessed what I have, but this guy either put on an elaborut hoax to gain nothing but to make me think it was real, or there was something to it. Which is the case I do not know. What doesn't make sense is why he would go to such a great extent to gain nothing?

As far as luck or playing the odds? yes that probably explains what I did, but it does not change the fact I found a silver walker half in an 2 acre field with a pair of coat hangers. That is a fact backed up with a whitness that is on here. DCJohn. I'm sure it was pure coincidence that we followed the coat hanger to an open field, and just happened apon a silver walker in an open field, but it does not change that fact it happened. So in fact, I can say I used dowsing rods and found a silver half in a 2 acre field.
 
Detector - my question is have you been able to repeat finding a silver coin with coat hangers. Heck, I a very hard time doing that with my 800.

I guess that may be where superstitions come into play. I find a silver coin when wearing a yellow scarf, then find another one that same day. Next day don't wear a scarf and get skunked. Hmmm, maybe the scarf is a good luck charm.

And if a good luck charm makes you have more confidence then in some way it might work. Having a positive attitude on a metal detecting hunt may very well improve your odds.

I don't think anyone will argue against the fact that bad luck and good luck does exist but has little emperical evidence to support the theory or belief in both types of luck.
 
Years ago they tested some 'expert' dousers who said they could find water using saplings. The theory was the fresh cut sampling would pull toward water like a root. So they buried some 55 gallon barrels of water in a 100'x100' (?) area and told them to find them. None of them were successful.
 
Since there are so many know it alls on here ...tell you what you can travel to Ohio and bring a pint jar of gold coins and a quart jar of silver coins and bury them one foot deep in two separate locations and if I can find them without using a metal detector, they are mine with no questions ask.

Also if you run your mouth while I am looking for them....you will be charged for my time.

Anyone want to take the challenge? .... I didn't think so.
 
Back
Top Bottom