Category: Hints & Tips

Metal detecting Hints & Tips •• Hints & tips for buying a metal detector

Man with a metal detecting device searches in the autumn

Navigating Seasonal Changes across the UK with your Metal Detector

Jessica Bailey-Womack Leave a comment

As the seasons shift and nature undergoes its cycles, we face distinct challenges and unique opportunities during their field explorations. At Regton, we recognise the importance of adapting to these seasonal variations, especially for detectorists utilising the advanced metal detectors such as the XP Deus.

Spring: Embracing Renewal and Unearthing exciting finds

As winter relinquishes its grip, the arrival of spring revitalises the land. Dormant fields transform into fertile grounds, offering a chance to uncover hidden treasures buried beneath the earth’s surface.

During this season, the softened ground and reduced vegetation enhance target signals. Advanced metal detectors, like those with FMF® technology similar to XP Deus, capitalise on this advantage with fast multi-frequency scanning for precise target identification.

Summer: Tackling the Challenges of Dry Ground

With summer’s arrival, you must navigate the dry and arid ground that characterise this season. The diminished rainfall can harden the ground, making it more resistant to digging. Yet, summer also presents advantages, on ploughed fields we have reduced vegetation enabling better coverage of open fields.

Those with advanced detectors can strategically employ various search modes during summer. Advanced detectors versatility allows for seamless transitions between modes like Gold Field, optimised for mineralised soils, and Coin Fast, ideal for general detecting. By leveraging adaptability, you increase the likelihood of uncovering valuable finds amidst the challenges of summer.

Autumn: Embracing Abundance Amid Falling Leaves

Autumn brings a bounty of opportunities. As leaves descend and temperatures cool, the shifting landscape unveils hidden pockets, offering chances to discover artefacts and relics of historical significance. Crops have been lifted or cut, replaced instead by many fields of stubble.

Some detectors are tailored to thrive in various environments. Armed with adjustable settings and advanced target identification, you can confidently explore areas with fallen leaves or wooded areas, unveiling lovely targets hidden beneath.

Winter: Adapting to Cold and Frosty Ground

Winter presents its own set of trials for us detectorists. The cold weather can freeze the ground, rendering digging more arduous. Additionally, the limited daylight hours curtail detecting time, not forgetting the issues with frozen fingers & toes.

However, winter isn’t devoid of opportunities.. Snowfall blankets and preserves historical artefacts, and if it’s raining, with a waterproof metal detector, you have increasing odds of uncovering valuable items typically obscured by soil.

Throughout the year, we face distinct challenges and opportunities as the seasons change. Understanding how seasonal variations impact field exploration is crucial for optimising metal detecting experiences. With the advanced technology, and versatility of metal detectors like XP Deus metal detectors, you can confidently adapt to seasonal shifts and uncover hidden treasures over various grounds. The Garrett AT Pro International also offers versatility with weatherproof housing designed to cope in wet environments, specifically allowing up to 10-foot depth in water.

Embrace the beauty of the changing seasons and embark on exciting metal detecting journeys. Unlock the harvest of historical artefacts and valuable finds, enriching your passion for treasure hunting all year round. Happy detecting!

How To Clean Found Coins

Gemma Darby Leave a comment
coin cleaning kit

If you’ve had the chance to go beach metal detecting this summer, chances are you’ve had your sand scoop to hand and managed to get yourself some great finds – potentially some coins. If you’re looking on how to clean and store them, we have provided a guide for you!

Certain coins may have been buried for tens or even hundreds of years, building up grime and dirt that isn’t easy to remove. As long as they are not artefacts, cleaning these items can be easy and done with either household items or a specialist coin cleaning kit.

Disclaimer- Please attempt to identify the find/coin BEFORE cleaning anything. If you have something rare, cleaning the coin is strongly not advised as it can damage the surface (and the value) dramatically. Always get as much information about the find as you can before picking up the toothbrush and cleaning pencils, and in extreme cases, seek the advice of a preservation specialist. 

Household Products For Coin Cleaning

Household products can sometimes be harsh on your metal detecting finds, especially on older finds that could easily corrode. If you’re using something typically found in your cleaning supplies, we would recommend using more gentle products and scrubbing lightly.

For your household products, we recommend soaking the coins in distilled water. Place your coins in a bowl of distilled water and leave for a few hours to let the surface grime soak. Once ready, take a nail brush or a toothbrush and some running water and gently wipe over the coins, removing as much dirt as possible. After the coins are clean, place them in a dry box (a Tupperware container lined with tissue paper) and leave them to dry out for a few days. You can also put in silica gel to draw out the moisture, but don’t let it touch your coins. After a few days of patience, you can remove them and coat them in Renaissance wax to seal the coin and give it a nice polished look. Alternatively, put it inside an airtight coin capsule to stop further corrosion and slow down the toning process.

You may have found a silver coin and thought it feels a little bit too delicate to clean using the methods above, so I will go over a little trick I learned a while back. Usually silver coins tend to tone/ tarnish to a black colour, which is hydrogen sulphide, and can occur when silver is exposed to a lot of moisture and humidity. To remove this black coating, get some aluminium foil from the kitchen and tear a small section off. Place the coin in the aluminium foil and (here me out) apply some of your saliva directly onto the coin and foil. Then, fold the foil around the coin and rub gently. You may feel the foil getting very hot and smelling of rotten eggs, which is a sign the process is working. After a minute or two when the reaction dies down, open the foil and repeat until you have removed as much hydrogen sulphide as you wish. 

Creating Your Coin Cleaner Kit

You can also use or create a coin cleaning kit to polish your finds. Using a specialist coin cleaning fluid will get your coins shiny. Submerge your coins into the fluid for 10-15 minutes. Once the coins are clean, rinse any excess fluid off using your tap. You can also use microwax for cleaning coins or cleaning pencils to remove any hard-to-get grime. 

If you have a barrelling or coin cleaning machine, ensure you buy the appropriate products for it before utilising this process. Coin cleaning fluid for these machines is purchasable, however be sure to check the fine print before purchasing to ensure you have the right solution for your needs. .

Regton supplies a range of sand scoops for beach detecting, along with all the products to make up your perfect coin cleaning kit. Be sure to check out our accessories for cleaning and storage here. 

10 Top Tips for Metal Detecting

Regton Detectors

Are you new to metal detecting? Perhaps you are looking to brush up on your metal detecting skills? If so, Regton has provided tips to help you get the most out of your hobby.

1. Do your research before you buy a metal detector. There are many different types and models on the market, and choosing one that suits your specific needs is essential. Regton stocks a wide range of metal detectors for professional use.

2. Get a decent metal detector if you’re serious about finding valuable items. While some good-quality consumer-grade detectors are available, they won’t have all the features or attributes of a more expensive model.

3. Make sure you have a waterproof control box on your new metal detector if you plan on using your detector in anything deeper than 6 inches. Some models’ control boxes are only weather-resistant, so they won’t be able to withstand being submerged in water. You can view our range of underwater metal detectors here. 

XP Deus II Metal Detector

4. Brush up your knowledge of local laws and regulations in case of finding treasure. Research the Treasure Act 1999, and remember that you must report all finds of treasure to a coroner for the district in which they are found within 14 days after the day you made the discovery.

5. Practice using your metal detector in different terrain and soil. Open countryside & beaches are very different detecting experiences. This will help you get a feel for how it works and what kinds of objects it can detect.

6. Be patient, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different settings on your metal detector. It takes time and practice to get good at metal detecting, and you may need to adjust the sensitivity or ground balance depending on the conditions you’re detecting.

7. Keep an eye on the weather forecast before you go out metal detecting. If there’s a chance of rain, it’s best to take precautions, so take a sandwich bag that could be placed over a non-waterproof control box if you get caught out.

8. Wear comfortable clothing and footwear when you go metal detecting. You’ll be doing a lot of walking, so it’s essential to be comfortable. Remember, no steel toe caps. Have you ever seen a dog chase its tail?

9. Bring along a small shovel or trowel to help you dig up objects you find. Make sure you fill any holes you make, so the area is left in its natural state. This is equally important on farmland despite it sometimes being a rough terrain; it’s all about etiquette, making good your holes & remove any rubbish, and helping the farmer.

10. Have fun and enjoy the outdoors! Metal detecting is an excellent hobby for people of all ages. 

For more information, you can look at Regton’s beginner guide here. 

Be sure to check out our range of professional metal detectors and waterproof metal detectors at https://regton.com. 

lost-gold-ring

Lost ring found in lake by metal detectorists

Regton Detectors Leave a comment

A man has been reunited with his lost wedding ring after metal detectorists found it at the bottom of a lake. Matt Walker was swimming in Marine Lake, Clevedon, in August when the band slipped off his finger. He contacted a metal detecting club . Metal detectorists used their metal detectors to search the lake bed when it was drained last week.

lost-gold-ring

Mr Walker grateful to them for finding the white gold band, which is engraved with the date of the couple’s anniversary. Mr Walker was swimming with his children. When he climbed up onto the raft he noticed he had lost his ring. He was devastated to have lost it but there was no chance of finding it.

The “Somerset Artifact Seekers” – which helps people search for lost items – discovered the ring in the silt.

Volunteer Dave Baker said: “It took us about an hour of looking before I was minded to go over to the pontoon and then within seconds I found it.

Mr Walker has given the detectorists a donation by way of thanks.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/