North
South Trader’s Civil War – Volume 30 No. 1/ 2003
The 30th
Anniversary Issue
Predator Digging Tools
[product review]
A few years ago I took a
phone call from a relic hunter named George Lesche who asked what kind of shovel
I used for relic hunting. I told him that I’d been using army surplus
entrenching shovel for several decades.
He then asked me if I knew
how many I’d gone through over the years. I replied that I had no idea. Usually
a surplus e-tool will last a couple of years before the handle breaks, the
locking nut wears out, or the blade cracks. Any digger will attest that relic
hunting is tough on shovels.
He asked what I might have
spent over the years on e-tools. I told him I’d spent anywhere from $15 to $35
each depending on the circumstances of the purchase- used, surplus store, or the
useless Taiwanese copy of the US army model.
He asked me if I would be
willing to spend $50 or $60 on an e-tool that would last indefinitely. The
answer was a no-brainer but I confess to a degree of skepticism- I’d worn out
quite a few good shovels over time. He offered to send me a sample at no charge
to test it out.
Unlike every other e-tool
I’d ever seen, this one was designed with a metal handle. This makes for a
heavier tool, of course, but it also seemed more substantial. The locking
mechanism was much smoother, and the handle was equipped with a rubber grip
sleeve. I saw that the tempered blade was beveled on point and side for better
cutting. It looked good, so I decided to give it a through test at a Confederate
campsite on the side of a rocky ridge in Orange, Virginia.
After a weekend of serious
relic hunting I called George and told him his folding shovel was the best
digging tool I’d ever used. That was five years ago and the shovel is still as
good as the first time I used it. I’ve hacked through clay, roots, and rocks and
the blade still has an edge and the locking mechanism still runs smoothly. I
admit I’ve worn off much of the paint, but that’s about it for wear and tear.
George followed that tool
with another innovation he dubbed the “Digging Tool.” It is a great tool with a wide hand guard, a serrated edge
for cutting through roots, and a sturdy nylon belt-looped sheath. Another
sample, another test, and another great tool I still use today.
Since then, George Lesche
has designed a line of shovels of varying lengths and blade styles under the
brand name Predator Tools for all aspects of metal detecting from coin shooting
to pit digging. He even designed an interchangeable perforated blade for his
folding shovel for digging in wet ground or sand.
Space prohibits me from
describing the details of each product, but the designs, workmanship, and
quality are the best on the market and the prices are very reasonable. For
details visit George and Pamela Lesche’s web site (www.predatortools.com)
or call them (1-856-455-3790) and equip yourself with the best digging tools
you’ll ever use.
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