[Rockhounds] Virgin Valley Nevada Collecting

[Tim Fisher]

LOL! Maybe we need a "pick list"! I would call the Paleo a soft rock 
pick as you describe. Here's a pic:
http://www.geo-tools.com/paleopick.htm
No this isn't an ad for Geo Tools, although their "wizard" pry bar is 
a wonder to behold. I have used it on some mighty stubborn rocks :)

Imagine a cross between the Paleo and a full size pick, with a 
longer, thinner business end, that's what a VV pick is, essentially. 
Like ted said, the Paleo is good to have for the back end, if it's 
sharp. And yes I was being generous (to hardware store picks), I 
started to type 4-5 times the amount of material (VV vs. standard 
pick) but I backed off lol. While I am thinking about it, an ice pick 
is a good idea too. Ideally, you would want a very large, sturdy ice 
pick (sounds like a project for a machine shop to me). They are great 
to pick around at the opal in the wall once you hit it.

My meager tool bucket of 10 years ago has expanded into two full 5 
gallon buckets and a couple big bars & shovels that I usually just 
leave in the pickup in case I get the urge. I think I have 200 lbs. 
of tools now :D

At 07:12 AM 3/5/2008, you wrote:
>I'm quite surprised by all this discussion about these special
>picks--there's clearly a whole extra subculture here, that many of 
>us "regular  mineral
>collectors" are clueless about.  I was glad that someone picked 
>up  on this and
>asked, because I was wondering about it from the beginning  when someone
>referred to a Virgin Valley Pick.  I'm still trying  to figure out 
>if this is a
>short-handled pick like a regular "rock pick", or a  long heavy one 
>that you swing
>with two hands, like for a regular big old "pick  and shovel".
>
>(I must say, I'm not even sure what an Estwing "Paleo-Pick" is.  To  some of
>us, especially we geologists, there's just a "regular rock pick"  (pointed
>end) which fancy folks call a "geo-pick", vs. a "soft-rock 
>pick",  with a chisel
>end, which I assume is what a "Paleo-Pick" is.)
>
>Well, you learn something new every day!     :   )
>
>Pete

Tim Fisher
Ore-ROCK-On!
Email address at http://OreRockOn.com