Tool List For A New Collector? Also Tools I Bought At Local Hardware Store

[Jed '06]

You can safely and effectively drive cold chisels with it, just don't strike any hardened steel with it (another hammer, or a wood chisel, for example)..

Please wear good eye protection when you're wailing away; it only takes one chip of something to spoil your day...

Eye Protection ALWAYS!!! A good friend of mine lost an eye several years ago. Although it wasn't from banging on rocks (stringing up a longbow actually) her accident competely made me a believer in protecting my eyes! She went through 4 operations trying to save it. Another good friend lost an eye while riding a 4 wheeler without eye protection, drove a stick through the eye socket and into his brain.Luckily no permanent brain damage.

So, like Auspex says "Wear Good Eye Protection" ALWAYS!!!

Thanks Auspex for the advice!

[Jed '06]

Jeepdigger and I have the exact same hammer you have in the photo from Menards, and both of us have the handles slipping off. I would guess yours will be slipping soon. I've heard that silicone works best to glue them back on so the never come off. I guess I'll give it a try next time I need to use silicone. I second Tim's idea of using paint scrapers. I use one that has the metal going all the way through the handle so you can hammer on it without it breaking. It is about the most used tool in my kit.

Ramo

Hi Ramo,

You were right, my hammer handle started slipping off this weekend! No big deal though, just pulled the handle off and coated the inside of the handle and the tang of the hammer with 30 minute epoxy glue. Will never come off now!!

Picked up a stubby light weight hammer with about a 6 inch handle, works well for the more delicate chiseling.

Thanks for the heads up on the hammer handle !

[Fossilzombie]

this is great i will start assembling my equipment right away

[Jed '06]

this is great i will start assembling my equipment right away

So far everything I've listed here worked fine this year and nothing broke! Used on limestone, sandstone and shale. I did buy a couple chisels with the attatched handguards after busting a couple of knuckles

Good luck and Happy Fossiling!

Jed

[louisvillefossiller]

Auspex, you said " Don't be tempted to use a digging bar for prying; they bend very easily. They are designed to chop straight down through soil, and would have very limited utility in fossil excavation."- . Harbor freight sells a "pinch point bar,60" long,18 lbs, by Central Forge $25.00 . Home Depot sells one for $39,drop forged steel,looks same. Are these the ones that bend and I don't want to buy? Can you recommend one that is good? Thanks, David

[Auspex]

...Harbor freight sells a "pinch point bar,60" long,18 lbs, by Central Forge $25.00 . Home Depot sells one for $39,drop forged steel,looks same. Are these the ones that bend and I don't want to buy?...

The ones that actually have the word "pry" in their description ("Pinch point pry bar for demolition and prying") should work fine. They are tempered for the purpose.

[ZiggieCie]

Eye Protection ALWAYS!!! A good friend of mine lost an eye several years ago. Although it wasn't from banging on rocks (stringing up a longbow actually) her accident competely made me a believer in protecting my eyes! She went through 4 operations trying to save it. Another good friend lost an eye while riding a 4 wheeler without eye protection, drove a stick through the eye socket and into his brain.Luckily no permanent brain damage.

So, like Auspex says "Wear Good Eye Protection" ALWAYS!!!

Thanks Auspex for the advice!

Jed, I hope you don't mind if I don't want to be friends with you, I hope you can SEE my point.

[Mike Pocock]

Hi, a MUST is a really good pair of gloves, don't go for the normal DIY type invest in some industrial cut proof gloves, and then a pair that will let you do delicate work.

People always say that they cant use gloves for delicate work, but that's for 2 reasons.

1 - Not using the right gloves

2 - not being used to using gloves.

Once you damage your hands it makes it harder to participate in your hobby, and that's speaking from experience (painful experience)

Regards

Mike