Digging tools: - Do You Use a Spud-Bar?

A couple of years back I needed to dig deep through some tough ground.

A fellow fossicker loaned me his "Spud-bar" to break up the ground.

I believe his was a home-made model.

It was about 4.5 foot long, slightly smaller diameter bar than a common crow-bar, had a flat narrow "spade" shape at one end and a flat end at the other.

On top of this slid a smaller version of a star-picket driver which was used to "hammer" the blade end through the tough dirt.

It only weighed about half the weight of a full crow-bar and worked a treat.

Do any members have a bar such as this?

I have been wondering if they are commercially available, otherwise I will make my own.

Apologies, I don't have a photo to show.

Any feedback please?

Thank you,

Peter.

G'day Peter. Welcome to the forum.

Google Digging Bars or Pry Bars. There are many Type/shapes & sizes available. I'm sure you'll find something there that best suit your needs.

Cheers Kon.

Callander make such a product, a great tool.

https://www.slidehammers.com/

Redfin wrote:Callander make such a product, a great tool.

https://www.slidehammers.com/

,
I have seen and used bars like this as bead breakers on truck/4WD tyres, but haven't come across a situation (yet) that would need to use one.  Home made prospecting pick usually does the job.

Peter
Most of the time just a good prospecting pick will do.Should you hit calcrete a eastwing gad and a mini sledge hammer will do the job.You would think you would have it made if you hit calcrete and had a signal under it.Time to crack the champane.One of our legends of prospecting Jim Foster told me a story once of how he hit calcrete with a massive signal under it , "Happy Days".After many hours of hard work he broke thru only to find a coke can.Someone years earlier had dropped the can in a rabbit burrows metres away.In time it had ended up under the calcrete.Not sure what Jim would have done if he found the person that littered.Pretty sure the rabbit would have ended up in a stew
Cheers Dig
Ps Some thing to take if you dont already have them.Small uniden radios to keep intouch with each other (with spare batteries).Motorbike chain and nylon chord.Drag this behind you and you'll never get lost.Just follow your trail. 1 bic lighter plenty of wood out there.Back up if ground not suitable for chain.Also if you go over an ironstone ridge radios fail.If you use a gps check it while you have visual on your campsite Nothing worse than heading to previous logged campsite.Tyre plug repair outfit and quality air compressor(not those cheap crappy green things sold online).Find a mate and explore together, much safer.Look up what sandlewood looks like, it grows wild, magic on a fire
Cheers Dig

I made one of these jiggers from an old car torsion bar which sorta ended up like a mini crow bar ya would say Xlant 4 the rocky areas

Gday olddognewtricks was that out of any particular model Valiant. I liked that one .
Regards big fella

Big Fella a mate gave it to me and I think from memory was from an old Pajero. Heated up and forged a chisel end and cut to desired length.
PS Envy your location .................. living on the gold