Show us your weapon

[mikeymig]

I was cleaning up my hammers, pry bars, and chisels when something occurred to me. I have had this mini sledge for 20 years and its been through hell. Since I bought this hammer I have broken 3 Estwing brick layers, 2 crowbars, and several chisels. This hammer has been laying in water, mud, misplaced, and has smashed through literally several tons of rock. I cant believe I haven't lost it or it hasn't broke in half by now. Take a look at your weapons of geology and see if there is one in your arsenal that has defied the odds.

SHOW US YOUR WEAPON.

[Wrangellian]

After you've been thru that much with a tool, you'd hate to loose it more than you would have hated losing it early on.

I've lost a couple different hammers (geology and masonry) which I think were both Estwing, and the ones I've got right now are old wooden-handles ones and need some repair (loose heads).

[Tidgy's Dad]

Harry the Hammer. 

Had him on permanent loan since I was about 10 years old and he's been with me ever since, across continents and been let behind on beaches, quarries, the desert and once on a coach. But I've always gone back and found him or someone's handed him in. 

[Miocene_Mason]

Before I had chisels I used a modified screwdriver (bad idea btw but worked), must’ve split at least a good half ton of shale with it. About two months ago (when I was too lazy to pull out the chisels) it met its end with some hard dolomite, the front broke

RIP Fossil collecting screwdriver, you served me well!

P.S. I got a new rock hammer now, we’ll see how long it lasts!

[KimTexan]

19 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Harry the Hammer. 

Had him on permanent loan since I was about 10 years old and he's been with me ever since, across continents and been let behind on beaches, quarries, the desert and once on a coach. But I've always gone back and found him or someone's handed him in. 

 When I had my NSR at night experience a few weeks ago I unloaded my pack in a field to lighten the load. I planned to take the best fossils and my Estwing rock hammer with me that my dad gave me. The plan was that I was willing to never go back and get what I left behind, but I left the Estwing behind by accident under the other fossils along with a number of other tools intentionally. I drove back the next day almost 3 hours round trip to go get it.

[Tidgy's Dad]

2 minutes ago, KimTexan said:

 When I had my NSR at night experience a few weeks ago I unloaded my pack in a field to lighten the load. I planned to take the best fossils and my Estwing rock hammer with me that my dad gave me. The plan was that I was willing to never go back and get what I left behind, but I left the Estwing behind by accident under the other fossils along with a number of other tools intentionally. I drove back the next day almost 3 hours round trip to go get it.

Yup, sometimes I think I've spent as long hunting for Harry as i have actually collecting fossils! 

[Harry Pristis]

 

I can't recall ever leaving behind a tool.  I acquired tools in the field, rather than losing them.  For example, I found this pickeroon on a river dive.  After rehabilitation, the pickeroon fit my hammer holster even better than the Estwing hammer.  My experience is, it's difficult to walk away from a land site without your hammer if you've grown accustomed to the feel of it in a holster at your side.

 

 

[calhounensis]

I believe Harry refers to himself finding the head of the pickeroon while diving and then fitting it with a handle. One could imagine that it is a relic from old phosphate mining days in Florida. 

[DevonianDigger]

All of my battle-beaten tools were stolen toward the end of last year's season, so now my tools are all relatively new and shiny, although I've already mushroomed two chisels since then. 

[Harry Pristis]

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 1:17 AM, calhounensis said:

I believe Harry refers to himself finding the head of the pickeroon while diving and then fitting it with a handle. One could imagine that it is a relic from old phosphate mining days in Florida. 

 

Depend on another diver, like calhounensis, to understand my reference to acquiring tools in the field.  It's remarkable how many tools get lost or tossed into a river.  While hunting for fossils, I've recovered fishing rods, pistols, shotguns, propellers, anchors, many hand-tools, even tool boxes with tools, etc.  But, not a single tool/weapon of a fellow fossil collector. 

 

The pickeroon was located under an old RR trestle.  The original handle was axe-length.  I concluded that it was used either in trestle repair or fell off a logging train.  It is steel, and I don't think it's any older than vintage.  Here are another couple of vintage river finds that I kept: