One of the most useful tools, besides a shovel that is, you need to successfully dig bottles is a good privy probe. With the hollow steel handles welded to the spring steel, the handle acts like an amplifier to help you hear and feel what is below the surface. After a little practice you will easily be able to locate bottle dumps, old priveys and Civil War winter hut sites. Using a good spring steel privy probe I can quickly find the bounderies of the Civil War winter huts I dig so I can carefully excavate the entire hut.
I have found a source for spring steel rods which I have been making into very nice all steel privy probes with all welded construction. I have seen these privy probes selling for $40 to $50 for 4' probes and sometimes more. I will build you one to your custom specs. for $37 + $10 shipping and handling for a 4 foot probe. Due to the increased price of steel and the almost impossibility of finding spring steel since China has started buying every scrap of steel they can find, I have been forced to increase my price by $2. The spring steel won't bend....they flex and "spring" right back and the hollow handle acts like an amplifier. I have seen privy probes made with thin solid steel handles. They have no "amplifying effect and will "kill" your hands in short order. Don't be fooled by the "replacable tips"....these screw on and only serve to deaden the feel and sound from your probe tip. The screw together handles are cute but absolutely kill the sound amplifying effect of your privy probe. Rubber grips.....please. Tap one of these on a concrete floor and you get a "THUNK"....tap one of my privy probes and it rings like a tuning fork. Simpler is always better! Some of my satisfied customers call them "Singing Probes" hehehe! If someone trys to sell you one with all that crap, rest assured they have never used a privy probe
I have decided not to make probes any longer than 48". There is just too much labor involved in welding the spring steel together to make the longer probes. If I am able to find longer spring steel in the future, I will offer longer probes.
Handles vary from 1" to 2" dia. The hollow steel handles with the rod welded on both the top and botton acts like an amplifier for the feel and sound that is absolutely necessary for successful probe work. An archeologist friend told me my privy probes were MUCH better than the commercial "tile probes" he has purchased.
This is a collar welded about an inch back from the tip. It makes it easier to get the probe started in firmer ground and since you are only pushing that small collar into the ground it is MUCH easier to use the probe. The flat on the backside of the collar will pull back some dirt from the bottom to "sniff" whats down there. You can then see what is 4 feet below.
Heres the weld on top of the handle. The shaft extends all the way through the handle but on a 3/8" shaft for instance, I drill a 5/16" hole and taper the shaft so there is no way the shaft can come all the way through the handle, and give you a new belly button, even if both welds were to break.
Heres the weld on the bottom of the handle. These welds are done with a MIG welder so there isn't any "excess" heat to draw the temper from the spring steel.
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