Part Three…Rising cost of Accessories & Equipment

Part Three…Rising cost of Accessories & Equipment, & the Fossils that started it. Oh, & don’t forget the Bag…

What is a fossil ? Before answering that myself i think it’s best described by my son, “as a dead animal, encased in rock !” & nothing to get excited about, but he still keeps an eye out for me…

The boy’s collection of interesting rocks, stones, cool things that “look interesting,” and a significant amount of stuff that littered his side of the work van, when it was cleared out last time, the amount of stones, rocks, and general bits and pieces of interesting stuff was incredible, even down to a rabbit skull and a bird skull… So i think he is more interested than he lets on…

So, where are we with hunting for fossils or just finding random stuff of interest ? & what has it to do with the title of this page…

Well, for me, it’s an ongoing saga. Trying to get the grandchildren involved is a task in itself, with not much interest, just childhood curiosity. Hopefully they just enjoyed the experience, and one they will remember…

My best partner in crime is my long-suffering wife, who has always been interested in my various expeditions, always offering support and showing interest in whatever I’ve dragged home, from mud-covered relics when I’ve been out metal detecting or lumps of old rocks, fossils, & my new interest, seaglass, etc…

As we were going on a fossil hunt, we drove to the Jurassic coastline of North Yorkshire in the hope of finding something of interest & apart from one slight wrong turn, we managed it in good time.

Once upon a time, fossil hunting and acquiring fossils were relatively cheap or with no cost at all, but like everything, the local councils see the motorists as a mobile cash cow, with parking for six hours costing around eight pounds, so making a day of it is a must for families to get any value out of any trip to the seaside…

So what did we find…

Before we go any further, & as a small reminder here, fossils can be brittle, depending on the strata they are found in, as a point of intrest, “this is what happened” after finding a bellamite in the grey rock, the fossil was removed & between the removal and finding a safe & secure pocket, it snapped in half, with one end literally disappearing into the rocks around my feet& trying to find it would have been nigh on imposiable…

Tracey found her first Ammonite, & not an impression of one, a complete fossil found in iron stone which has made it quite fragile & somewhat squashed, but it’s an Ammonite nonetheless…

What has surprised me is the conditions caused by the destruction of the cliffs and the surrounding rocks by various people who smash their way into the cliffs and destroy the rocky floor of the low tide…

End of bag hunt

Well bugger it, i have ordered another very cheap backpack from Ebay, & it arrived in good time, great you might think… mmm not so now, i think, how is this for a moment in time too late, let me explain…

A week or so ago, during a bank holiday weekend i purchased some second-hand detecting gear from Jeff (- as of JR Stainless fame -). Part of the sale included a bag that held the smaller items I purchased. The bag is a lot more sturdy than the ones i have been looking at, but the downside is that it has no shoulder straps, only grab handles and an extending handle, as most cabin bags have ! And dragging it over rocks and wet sand does not sound appealing, so i must find a way to strap it on my back…

Now i have a brand-new backpack, without a home, but more of that later, what else came with the purchase from Jeff, & is it relevant ?

i think my purchase from Jeff is a good reflection of the second-hand market price at this moment in time, & with the information about this sale, came from a social media post by someone I’m following, who is friends with Jeff, and used his contacts to reach out about the items Jeff had for sale…

First thing on the top of the list was a sand scoop with the shaft fitted for £50.00p… This sand scoop was made by Jeff for his own personal use, so it’s well built and very sturdy, & with the handle fitted, that’s a big bonus, as they were well renowned for being difficult to fit, as they are professional ash handles, with this one being put together very well… ( these were retailing for around £ 85.00p )

A black edition “v blade spade” £30.00p, again made by Jeff himself... (unreleased to the general public ) & only a very select few were released to some of the trade as a coming soon advert, whilst Jeff & Ritchie, his partner in the venture had one of these bad boys, & now i have one, these were going to be retailed at £ 90.00p

A very slim digging knife with holster £20.00p, another product of theirs, and very much sought after, the holsters were actually bayonet holders, they were that sharp, also look at the photos and see the welded reinforcement on the blade to the handle guard… ( When new, this would retail at about £ 45.00p )

A Minelab pin pointer £40.00p, it works and is about the right price for a well-known brand… ( New this retailed at around £110.00p )

Wireless headphones £20.00p, these particular headphones range in price from £ 65.00p upward, so again, their use, along with wear & tear, is about the right price…

Along with a small assortment of metal detecting finds, in a clamshell box, & the cabin bag, which i will be trying to use for fossil hunting, I’m hoping the bag is not too heavy to start with.

The prices above reflect the retail prices when the products were on the open market, & not the current retail market…

So are the above second-hand items relevant to this article about the cost of metal detecting accessories ? yes, i think its a fair assumption to say the cost of the items i bought secondhand is a good reflection on how the market is today, as with every second hand item its a buyers market, but being one of those people and knowing the secret of what has gone into the making of the stainless steel items, it is very cost effective, & i consider myself very fortinate to have been able to be in the right place at the right time to purchase these, before anyone else…

In part four, all of the relevant photos will be published, along with the total cost, as this has again escalated from one simple purchase to multiple purchases, of things i never knew were needed…