New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

Hi,

Anyone tried one of these digging knives ?

Fiskars Big Grip Garden Knife

Seems to be about $25 on eBay shipped.

Might buy a couple and try them out. I don,t have a Lesche digger but do have a Kelly co gator one but find it to heavy and clunky. :-)

Edited by user Tuesday, 18 September 2012 7:47:43 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I think you are right Grant.
I have a trowel of that brand that I used when I first started.
It digs well but I would be reluctant to use it as a lever while digging as I think it is cast alloy and would snap.

Chris.

After breaking/bending two of my wife's gardening trowels I bought a Lesche ...
bit expensive at $47 but tough as old nails.
http://www.texaspremiumd...item/4731964/4775036.htm
Thing when pulling it out at a park, it looks like a major weapon, which I am not so comfortable with. Any how it works well and I can use it like a crow bar sometimes :) ..
Be interesting to see how the beast of your performs too ! :)

Hi No8, Here's some tips on using the Lesche:

Give the blade edges a sharpen with a file (using a grinder can destroy the steels temper), it will be so much better at cutting through grass roots. After the initial sharpen I zip mine with a knife sharpener after every few hunts to keep it in good condition.

Cut an oversize plug with the target smack in the centre. I make mine U shaped about 10-13cm wide (keep the plug attached by roots at the top of the U and flip it over). An oversize plug means the chances of hitting the target is a lot less and it means it has a lot of roots left, a small plug will be a dead patch of grass in a weeks time. This size is also big enough to get my hand or the Lesche's handle in the hole for a deep dig.

When cutting the plug or digging, angle the Lesche at 90 or greater degrees so that the sides of the hole are straight or slope away from the centre. This makes finding the target a lot easier and avoids the risk of gouging it. I then normally pin point the plug, sides of the hole and the centre of the hole to find out where the target is. If its still in the hole then I dig the point of the lesche in at angle (well away from the target) and lever it to loosen the dirt. I scoop the dirt out with a hand and run the pin pointer over the pile, if still in the hole - repeat.

If there are a lot of gravel or rocks in the dirt then levering the lesche to loosen the dirt/gravel will greatly help in avoiding damaging the find. Use it like a crow bar instead of a pick in these situations, the tool is built to take it.

Its surprising how often when after cutting a clean plug and flipping it over, the target is just sitting loose at the bottom of the hole with its indent on the bottom of the plug. Its almost like the soil naturally parts where the target is.

Got a stainless trowel from Warehouse for $10 - I have been quite hard on it & it hasn't looked like bending or breaking ............... & it comes with a money back guarantee

I don't think I would like the Fiskars as the feedback on it is quite shite

Edited by user Friday, 28 September 2012 11:28:38 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I cut pentagon shaped plugs...................................

The devil made me do it.

Carved up my own lawn for practice. Found a 1908 3d and most of the leadheads off the nails on the roof.

Cheers Mike.

here's a good reason not to get a Fiskars -

fwd through to approx 5.20 on the video -
http://www.youtube.com/w...t&list=ULMseZ314ynKA

Nah still hasn't arrived but i'm thinking i might have to weld the handle to the blade a bit better me thinks.. lol

That sure is a mean machine OP.
I like it.

MK

It arrived in the post today.

From end to end it's about 310mm long.
The blade etc is at least 2mm thick and feels very strong.
It could possibly do with another seam weld along the shank as its done on one side and not the other.
Can't see to well how its attached to the handle or whether the blade continues through or not to the handle. Possibly welded. if it did break here then I would weld a new stronger handle.

Edited by user Wednesday, 10 October 2012 10:19:35 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified