Screwdrivers And Probes

CPT_GhostLight · Apr 3, 2022

Digging is not allowed in city parks where I live, so I had to learn the probe method. I didn't like it at first, but now that I've been doing it a few years it's easy and I can get down to 8" without leaving holes. Police, park goers, and parks department personel don't give me any problems and just wave when they pass by.

Bayoutalker · Apr 3, 2022

CPT_GhostLight said:
Digging is not allowed in city parks where I live, so I had to learn the probe method. I didn't like it at first, but now that I've been doing it a few years it's easy and I can get down to 8" without leaving holes. Police, park goers, and parks department personel don't give me any problems and just wave when they pass by.

I use a probe too when I hunt parks. It avoids a lot of issues when you can say "I don't even carry a digging tool".

Cliff

MuddyMo · Apr 3, 2022

That Berry & Bird is about the same size as the Wilcox #50. Longer but a little more narrow at the tip. Not as strong but it looks like it would work real well.

Bleeohio · Apr 4, 2022

People with spades and shovels are getting places here off limits. Can't really say I blame them after seeing the messes left behind.
I hear all the time how people can dig a neater hole with a shovel, but it still looks bad IMO.

Cherry Picker · Apr 4, 2022

Bleeohio said:
People with spades and shovels are getting places here off limits. Can't really say I blame them after seeing the messes left behind.
I hear all the time how people can dig a neater hole with a shovel, but it still looks bad IMO.

I've done both and would say a shovel does leave a nicer looking fill. IF you take the time and do it right. Just like using a screwdriver or spade, you do it right, and it will look fine.

Now I will say carrying a shovel around looks bad to onlookers. I limit the use of mine to fields now, and even then I hang it alongside my leg.

dbowling · Apr 4, 2022

I sometimes use a probe made from welding rod to find a shallow coin then pop it out with wide bladed screw driver, but most times just use tip of digger to pop it out.

Silversmith45 · Apr 7, 2022

Easy Coin Probe

When I first joined the forum, I posted how to make a coin probe, You can still find it under SEARCH-EASY COIN PROBE.

Bayoutalker · Apr 7, 2022

I use a long Philips screwdriver. To avoid scratching a coin it can be covered with a piece of heat shrink tubing. It is stiff enough not to bend and cheap to buy.

Cliff

CPT_GhostLight · Apr 8, 2022

MuddyMo said:
That Berry & Bird is about the same size as the Wilcox #50. Longer but a little more narrow at the tip. Not as strong but it looks like it would work real well.

It does a good job. I bent it a bit using it in frozen ground last winter but straighten it out and it still does the job.

I usually open a slit with my modified weeder and use the Berry & Bird to scoop out dirt below the sod layer. Works really well for deeper targets. After I retrieve the target and close the slit, there is no visual clue that there was any disturbance to the soil at all.

Mikey48 · Apr 8, 2022

CPT_GhostLight said:
Digging is not allowed in city parks where I live, so I had to learn the probe method. I didn't like it at first, but now that I've been doing it a few years it's easy and I can get down to 8" without leaving holes. Police, park goers, and parks department personel don't give me any problems and just wave when they pass by.

hey CPT Ghostlight, where did you pick up the narrow Berry & Bird digger?

CPT_GhostLight · Apr 15, 2022

Mikey48 said:
hey CPT Ghostlight, where did you pick up the narrow Berry & Bird digger?

I got it on Amazon. I didn't see it listed recently, but it will probably pop up again on there. Here's a very similar one by another conpany:

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Garden-Burgon-Stainless-Transplanter/dp/B0079ZFSZQ/ref=sr_1_48?crid=UVZKZUFDU8VT&keywords=berry+and+bird+garden+tools&qid=1649997120&sprefix=bird+%26+berry+%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-48

TheBandit · Apr 15, 2022

old post love it!

Here is a picture of my 1st digging tool from the late 80s. If you learn how to use a probe it worked very efficiently. The death to the probe was the pinpointer and modern depth indicators. It was a different game back in the day. Also there were not many options like today. Maybe we should start a thread call detectors and tools from the past! I know I pull targets 10x faster now then 20 years ago. HH and Dig Everyday.

Martin_V3i said:
I must say, "I have never even thought about carrying a screwdriver or pencil sized, pointed probe, to pop a find, anywhere in all of my years. I still own my Lesche hand digger but it hasn't seem much action in a long time. The Lesche would be my tool in a premier homestead permission, or high profile area, BUT a probe? Never.

It is easy to just use the tip of my Sampson shovel, or the tip of the Lesche hand digger, for shallow targets, shallow enough for my handheld pinpointer to zero in on pre-dig. Jm2c

kamogawa · Jun 25, 2022

Coin Probes

Bayoutalker said:
I use a long Philips screwdriver about 10" or so. It's easy to carry and works great. And if someone complains about holes, I don't have anything with me to dig one.

Cliff

You represent the best of those who employ minimalistic recovery techniques.
The screwdriver and coin probe technique has always fascinated me. It takes some skill to master it, but it is far superior to using hand shovels.

ManInTheWaLL · Jun 25, 2022

CPT_GhostLight said:
Digging is not allowed in city parks where I live, so I had to learn the probe method. I didn't like it at first, but now that I've been doing it a few years it's easy and I can get down to 8" without leaving holes. Police, park goers, and parks department personel don't give me any problems and just wave when they pass by.

Do you think they really know the regulations themself?

Bayoutalker · Jun 25, 2022

kamogawa said:
You represent the best of those who employ minimalistic recovery techniques.

The screwdriver and coin probe technique has always fascinated me. It takes some skill to master it, but it is far superior to using hand shovels.

I guess I was lucky. I didn't have any problem getting it to work. Of course having a good pinpointer helps a lot.

Cliff

bmh · Jun 25, 2022

I carry one of those cheap brass probes because my local parks have rules about them but I also carry my hand shovel and I end up using it anyway because the probe frustrates me. I've detected while the park people are working and they don't care. They have never even asked me if I have the $10 a year permit that my city requires in order to be able to detect our many parks. I've been getting one for several years and have never been asked to show it. The money goes back to the parks department for maintenance so I don't mind.

In other cities that are more strict about it though I would definitely use the probe even though I hate it or I wouldn't detect there at all.

Screwdrivers And Probes

CPT_GhostLight

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Bayoutalker

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MuddyMo

Bleeohio

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Cherry Picker

dbowling

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Silversmith45

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Bayoutalker

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CPT_GhostLight

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Mikey48

CPT_GhostLight

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TheBandit

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kamogawa

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ManInTheWaLL

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Bayoutalker

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bmh

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