Cutting Plugs

[DougsGraphics]

Here's a question for all of you experienced folk. After breaking another hand shovel, I'm wondering what everyone uses to cut your plugs from the sod (or other earth). I experimented a bit today using a drywall saw (hole saw) to cut through sod, which worked very well. However, I broke a plastic "indestructable" hand shovel prying out a plug, and bent a metal one when I hit a large rock. So, tell me your tool of choice and technique. I'm very interested!!
-Doug

[rip]

with a remote control steam shovel ! gotta have somthing when i get old and decrepid !!!! But seiriously I've heard that the lesche diggers are nice i would have one but Pat won it out from under me !!! I usualy use a bowie or survival knife. lately i've been using a digger that i got when i bought my fisher but have no idea what its called.It has a handel simaler to a bike grip and a 1/2 round blade with saw teeth on 1 side.But i think i realy need to work on that remote control idea !!!! The knife works well for a clean edjed cut were the whachamacallit is sturdier AND less threating ! HH...Terry

[cchughs]

I use a Hughs. Took a piece of stainless steel, beat on it a while and then sharpened it up. Next i got a old handle off a grease gun that had "accidently" been run over and welded the two together.
It seems to have more strength than I have, I have even stood on this masterpiece a time or two.

When I dig that big ole diamond ring I am going to sell it and buy me one of those Lesche jobs.

[lucasi 310]

hey i dont know how much one of those diggers cost but i went to meijer and bought this .. and let me tell you what . i dont think i could break it if i wanted to .. just last night i pryed a man hole cover out of the ground with it ... its about 10 bucks

[DougsGraphics]

Thanks for the info. I checked out the preditor line of tools (http://predatortools.com/). Since I'm left-handed, the fact that they even make a lefty version struck home! Gonna have to save some clad and get me one of those. In the mean time, maybe I'll check out an army surplus store -- looks like something they'd sell!

[rocker]

You might take a look at the coin chuck. It cuts a perfect plug of grass and soil, so that the plug can be replaced after the target is removed. $55.00 on my website.

[DougsGraphics]

Thanks, Rocker. I checked it out, but I have a hard time thinking it will be sturdy enough for the hard clay and very rocky soil out here. I hit rock on pretty much every hole so I'm not sure a circular cutter like that would work to penetrate. Cool idea, though. Thanks again -- I saw a few things in your store that I liked! Happy hunting!

[Mr.Silver]

I use 2 trowels Treasure Wise-Stainless Steel Model T-11 and T-12,(T-11 is 3" wide and 6" long with hard rubber handle)+(T-12 is 2" wide and 7" long) and I also use a Craftmans screwdriver 12" long with points rounded off so it will not scratch a coin and sometimes I use a pruner to get rid of roots while digging a hole(always a problem-roots!!) and trowels are made in U.S.A. and I never broke or bent these trowels-in 38 years of detecting. I always cut a horseshoe plug,fold it over, find my target,replace dirt,fold it back over,step on it, and move on!!!

Mr.Silver

[rocker]

Yea the Coin Chuck is not a very good rock cutter, but out here in the sand it works great.

[GySgt USMC]

I use many different digging tools depending on where Iam hunting. I "aquired" an AK-47 bayonet while in Iraq this last tour, and that works wonders on roots and such. I also have a small digger, and I also have been known to use my E-Tool.

Gary Aka= Gunny