“It’s All Relative”

For detectorists all over the world, unearthing objects before knowing what they are invariably brings a thrill of anticipation. The enthusiasm, joy and sometimes exhilaration for what we find depends on the country and situation. For example, taking into account on which side of the pond you live, the discovery of a modern padlock or coin dating back 70 or 80 years can be cause for great celebration. But, it’s all relative.

I was reading about an American detectorist who went o the site of a scout camp and found lots of tins and wire. Not much really, but then he found a bottle opener and was ecstatic. He’d never seen one like that before, said it was in excellent shape and ended by saying he’d had a great day detecting. Forum members commented that it was a cool find, awesome even, and would look good in a display case.

An old Coca-Cola bottle opener from about 2007

How many detectorists in the UK would have been quite so thrilled? Very few; I guess you would have expected more. Would you be satisfied detecting on school playgrounds, flea markets, sidewalks, abandoned airfields and old amusement parks etcetera? Think about this next time you go on a dig and all that is available is pasture. With thousands of year’s history all around us, we are literally spoiled for choice!

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Tip-Tip – alternative to TOP-TIP

Here’s a little wrinkle for the preservation of your equipment that I haven’t heard before and am happy to pass on, but it involves the cooperation of your (female?) partner. It’s good for any make of pinpointer and involves preserving and saving the tip, presumably the part that has the most use.

If you borrow some of your partner’s fingernail hardener and coat the tip of the probe three or four times it saves a lot of wear and could prevent possible failure.

Then again, if she/he doesn’t use the stuff, it’ll cost you about £4 for Boots Expert Ultra Strength Nail Hardener, but you may think the cost doesn’t warrant that kind of outlay!

Look out for more super tips soon!