Hobbies And Interests
Collecting Tools
Collecting and digging up geodes requires at least a pail, pickax and shovel. A variety of hammers and chisels are also useful for breaking up soil or rock. A mattock is an effective ground-breaking tool with one end a pick and the other a cutter or pickax. The flat head is also used for prying up rock. A geologist's hammer is a smaller version of the mattock. The head of a geologist's tool usually has a hammer on one side and a pick or chisel on the other side.
Opening Tools
A hammer and chisel are the basic tools used to split geodes open, applied with a light touch. More serious geode hunters can invest in a soil pipe cutter or a rock saw, though the rock saw may harm crystal formations inside the geode by cutting them in half. The soil pipe cutter looks like a large nutcracker with a chain attached. The chain is lined with carbide wheels that score the rock and apply equal pressure around the circumference to split it in half. The rock saw is also useful for cutting slices off a geode.
Safety Tools
Safety glasses are an essential item in any geode-hunter's toolkit. These help protect your eyes from flying dirt or rock chips. Gloves are also helpful to protect your hands from blistering when using tools over extended periods of time and when handling rocks or prying them out of the ground. Steel-toed boots or heavy-duty hiking boots help protect your feet from dropped rocks, as well as providing ankle support when traversing rough ground to find geodes. When exploring an unfamiliar area on a geode hunt, it is always a good idea to bring a backpack with hiking supplies such as a map and compass, a first aid kit and a supply of water.