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The Minelab Digger . . . . is this a sign of Minelab quality?

E

E-Trac001

New member
Not sure if anyone else had had a chance to try out the Minelab-branded digging tool that I guess is supposed to look like a Lesche digger . . . . but I picked one up for $40 to go with my E-Trac.

I was a little surprised to see the large "Made in China" sticker in the plastic bag it came in as well as the stamping on the back of the blade but the proof would be in how well it performed in the field so off I went . . . . and after 30 minutes of digging plugs in a grassy yard, it wound up bending as shown in the picture. It appears to simply be made of stamped steel unlike other diggers which are hardened to prevent bending.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with their Minelab digger? It was only used in grass and the ground was not that hard so having a tool bend like this was unexpected.

I had thought that with the Minelab logo it would be solidly built but I was quite disappointed. I've placed an order for a Predator which should hold up to anything it might see.

Thoughts?
 
Tim....one of my hunting partners has used his a bit and hasn't seen any problems with it yet. He sharpened the bottom of the digger so it could go into the ground better due to the thickness of the blade and that has been the only thing he didn't really like so far. I might have to see if he will use it tomorrow when we go out and see if his does the same thing after a period of use. Maybe you got a defective digger but I doubt it. Whatever the problem was.....that digger sure took a turn for the worst. Worst one I have ever seen and would rate right up there with one of them cheap gardening diggers made out of tin. Hope the Predator will be the answer for you. Good Luck and HH!:thumbup:
 
We hosted a big Non-Club sponsored group hunt last fall and among the free stuff we were given we got a few of those diggers for door prizes (everybody walked away with something). Well some people got those and yea, within an hour they were all bent like that... Its sad that Minelab put their name on such a crappy product...:stars:
 
I wonder if you bend it back straight, then heat it up with a torch then immediately submerge it in some cold water if that would "temper" some additional strength into it?
 
I just now clicked on the computer for a few minutes. Slip me a PM and let me know what was deleted....I'm curious.
 
Yeah I sold mine without even using it, you could just tell even without the china stamp it wasnt a lesche or predator, and you can get a lesche for about the same price.. not a sign of minelab quality, but of Minelab cheapness :) dont want to give something away that cost too much :) pretty soon everything will be made in China,, just like everything from Japan was cheap in the beginning. When our government and businesses completely sells out to overseas workers and we become the third world country, I would guess China will be making quality items but we wont be able to afford them by then
 
I said this once and It got deleted and I'll say it again and if it gets deleted again , adios muchachos !!
The best thing to do with that Minelab digger is stick it into the ground and then use your Slimline coil like a horseshoe and if you do that long enough they will both eventually pay for themselves .
 
I've had the Predator hand digger for a few years and haven't bent it yet. I'm glad i spent the extra money, the cheap stuff is garbage.

Good post E-Trac, now everyone knows.
 
When it isn't bending, the handle is spinning, or the teeth are getting caught on roots in the hole... It won't cut its way out of anything. I was cursing the $&^$% thing all day today, whenever I dug, I would have to stab it into the ground so I could bend it back into shape for the next hole... PLEASE tell me if I rebuy it in a Lesche, it will be worth the heavy price they go for, and I won't be re-buying it in something else later... like bar stock to make my own...
HH Joe
 
n/t
 
Like many of us, at times I have bought something based on price or perceived value and found out that the decision was a bad one . . . and usually when I am miles from home in a productive site watching my partners clean up . . . . .

Digging tools are a perfect example . . . spending a few dollars more for a proven, quality tool makes the whole experience better and improves your success based on being able to recover more per hour.

Years ago all I used was a military surplus K-Bar knife and actually wore the blade down an inch or so with the 1,000's of holes I dug. You could pry out rocks and hack through roots with no problems. Well, the family bought me a new one (brand new stock) as a gift and the first time I used it bent - go figure, is this what the troops get nowadays? I called K-Bar and they said that the specifications had changed and that the one I had was fine as far as they are concerned - which is why I still have it in the box it came in used just that one time.

I currently use a great digger from Texas Treasure Hunting Headquarters (do not think they are still produced) and 1,000's of holes later, the only thing I can see is that the metal has been shined from use - no bending, no flexing. The Lesche and Predator tools are made from the same mold . . . rugged, solid and made to hold up to the rigors we put them to.

There are probably other high-quality diggers - how about everyone listing what they use in this message - but getting one that will hold up and not frustrate the heck out of you is well worth the little additional cost.

Hate to the see the Minelab digger could not even stand up to grass . . . . . especially with their name and logo so prominent on the sheath.

Andy Sabisch
 
n/t
 
I think the correct expression here is "chinese crap".
If this happened in soft ground like you say, that sort of performance is just inexcusable.

Go buy any of of the predator tools diggers instead of this joke, and you won't be disappointed. I have the "little eagle" (trowel blade on 18" or so T-handle) You can use the the handle for leverage and put your full body weight on it and you still won't succeed in bending the thing. I've been beating the heck out of mine for the last couple years and the only thing I've succeeded in doing is wearing off all the yellow paint. I'm not sure why they even bother painting them (rust resistance, presumably, but that only work as long as the paint is still there). The small digger they make is perfectly respectable too, I have one of them as well.
 
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