Horses for courses

I just unboxed a beautiful Sovereign XaS that Keith Southern built - highly custom.

Now why would I get a 20 year old machine from a company whose products I have used, never stayed with - and whose business practices I have not admired?

Well, let’s see. Keith is a knowledgeable guy and he made this custom unit to his own “focus”.

Then there’s the whole thing about suiting the tool to the job.

And then there’s that whole thing about “deep silver”’

Our club here in Phoenix has pounded the “Patton Camp” at Hyder AZ for years - recovering lots of relics and a good number of pre WWII coinage. Lately, the finds are becoming scarcer.

Keith writes how the Soverign has a way of finding large brass and copper targets in iron, where more modern detectors call the large or flat iron a high conductor - leading to a loss of time digging junk.

Our club has a member who is a specialist on returning WWII dog tags to the families of the young GI’s who lost therm training in AZ.

Viola! Hope to go out there in the next couple of weeks and see if there is really any BBS magic to uncover some tags or high conductor goodness amongst 10,000 discarded Gillette double edge razor blades (they had to shave daily) and 10,000 soda bottle caps, not to mention ration can bits, etc.

Even if no treasures emerge, Keith’s custom work is remarkable! Have a look.

[www.dankowskidetectors.com]

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold

That’s quality work by someone who knows what he’s doing from the looks of it. It’ll sure be interesting to see if anything pops up,and more importantly,HOW EASILY it pops up. If it just starts raking stuff in then you know you’re onto something...lots of success stories from the Musky to the Equinox,and everything in between. Hopefully this go around brings better vibes and you have a good reason to hang onto it! It’s no secret I’m a huge Minelab fanboy and it’s because of RESULTS.

Ive hunted some of the old Patton sites in and around Jericho ..... naily and LOTS and LOTS of bullets and casings hard to work in. Have you done much hunting along the Butterworth stagecoach line...... or went to Benson to chase the old train robbery area Rick?

Rick you mentioned your club has a fellow who returns lost dog tags to families--what a wonderful gesture.

My dog tag story: A few years ago we were in Quartzsite,AZ and visited one of the many vendors there--this fellow had a large gold pan full of old dog tags--I reached in and the tag I pulled out was from a man who lives just a few miles up the road from us in Mississippi. Was returned to family.

doc - our guy is a real specialist. Reminds me, we need to get him to make a presentation at one of our monthly meetings.

It’s a good club - been around since the ‘70’s I think. Anyone in the area is more than welcome to drop by - 3rd Monday every month 7PM at the American Legion Hall on 7th Ave. Phoenix.

[www.aztreasures.org]

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold