Metal Detecting Shovels and Digging Tools
A metal detecting shovel is not a garden spade: the blade is narrow so the plug stays small, the edges are sharpened or serrated to cut roots, and the length suits digging standing up. Here is every digging tool History Seekers sells, from CKG, DragonXT, Excalibur Shovels, Lesche, Minelab, and Motley.
Which metal detecting shovel or digger do I need?
Parks, lawns, and shallow coins: a hand digger. The Lesche Digging Tool with a 12 in (30.5 cm) single-edge serrated blade, in right-handed and left-handed versions; the CKG Digging Tool with a 2.76 in (7 cm) double-serrated blade; the 11 oz (313 g) Motley Grass Knife; and the non-marring Minelab plastic digging tool.
Fields, woods, and deep relics: a full-size shovel. The CKG T-Handle Shovel in tempered steel, the DragonXT 36 in (91 cm) T-Handle at 3.4 lb (1.54 kg), and the one-piece, U.S.-made Excalibur line: the smooth-edged Arthur for lawns, the single-edge Lancelot and its mirror twin the Galahad, the Sir Kay with both edges serrated, and the wide-blade Mordred at 11 x 7 in (28 x 18 cm).
Travel and long walks in: the CKG Carbon Fiber Shovel at 2.25 lb (1.02 kg), and Motley's adjustable spades, 26 to 39.4 in (66 to 100 cm), that pack down: the smooth Field V-Point for clean soil and the Forest Double-Serrated for roots.
Buying from History Seekers
History Seekers is an authorized dealer for every tool brand here. Pair a shovel with a finds pouch and a pinpointer and the hole gets smaller still; call 256-284-2247 with questions. The story is more important than the artifact.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best shovel for metal detecting?
Match it to the ground. Lawns and parks: a hand digger such as the Lesche, or the smooth-edged Excalibur Arthur when you need a full shovel that leaves an invisible plug. Fields and relic sites: a T-handle shovel in tempered steel, the CKG T-Handle, DragonXT 36 in (91 cm), or Excalibur Sir Kay. Root-bound woods: the wide-blade Excalibur Mordred or the Motley Forest Double-Serrated. Long walks and travel: the CKG Carbon Fiber Shovel or a Motley adjustable spade.
Do I need a serrated blade?
Only where roots and hard pack are the problem. Serrations saw through root mats and compacted soil; in clean turf and plowed fields a smooth edge enters faster and cuts a cleaner plug, which is why the Excalibur Arthur and Motley Field V-Point are smooth and the Sir Kay, Mordred, and Forest are toothed. The single-edge Lesche, Lancelot, and Galahad give you one of each.
What digging tool should I use in a park?
A hand digger, never a full shovel. The Lesche Digging Tool and CKG Digging Tool cut a neat hinged plug in turf, the Minelab plastic digging tool is non-marring for manicured lawns, and the Motley Grass Knife is the lightest of the group. Cut a three-sided plug, fold it back, recover the target, and press the plug flat so no one can tell you were there.
How long should a metal detecting shovel be?
Long enough to dig standing up: 31 in (79 cm) for a compact shovel that rides on a pack, 36 to 40 in (91 to 102 cm) for most hunters. The Excalibur shovels come in 31 in (78.7 cm) and 40 in (101.6 cm), the DragonXT is 36 in (91 cm), and the Motley spades adjust from 26 to 39.4 in (66 to 100 cm) so one shovel fits a suitcase and a tall hunter.
Is there a left-handed Lesche digging tool?
Yes. The Lesche Digging Tool comes serrated on the right edge for right-handed diggers and on the left edge for left-handed diggers; both ship with the belt sheath. The Motley Grass Knife has teeth on both edges, so either hand cuts with the same stroke.
