Rent, buy, or borrow a metal detector / None of the above - Ring recovery in Dunstable MA

I read a story by Cliff Scott today, a member of the ring finders. The story was about helping Catherine find her beloved bracelet, so it motivated me to go back and finish a short story covering my last two recoveries.  The first one I didn’t even get past the introductions and the ring was found. Fortunately a few questions and a strong suggestion saved the day. Like Cliff after hearing the story of a lost wedding ring I made a suggestion,“ Turn your  daughters pockets inside out while looking for the ring” You see the 6 year old daughter was playing dress up with her big sisters wedding ring when it went missing.  Mom said she had already gone in the pockets so with that done I began asking the daughters a series of questions and Mom went inside.  After about five minutes mom came out smiling with a ring in her fingers. Turns out mom had previously only patted down her daughters clothes. Good deal and problem solved. You see there is a big difference between patting down your pockets and actually turning them inside out. I guess you could say, “A ring of a difference.”

JUNE 2013

“Rent a metal detector, buy a metal detector, or borrow a metal detector?”  That was the question Michele and Joe, from Dunstable Massachusetts kept asking themselves. Dunstable is a community about 35 miles south of Nashua New Hampshire, where my shop is located.  You see Joe lost his wedding ring at the end of the warm season in 2012 and a few attempts had already been made to find the ring.  While investigating how to use a borrowed metal detector on you tube, the couple came across a video on The Ring Finders and that is how I got involved. After arriving at the home and meeting Michele I went through a series of questions and answers with her. Joe was out and not being able to interview Joe in person put me at a little disadvantage.   At first the ring had to have been lost in the front yard or where the owner was dumping grass clippings. No real specific place was given where the ring came off and it was a big yard. You understand some people actually see or feel the exact moment a ring has left their finger. That was not the situation in this case. I still felt confident that if the ring was in the yard we would find it. Well, after 3 trips to the home and many hours later the ring had not turned up. I was starting to get a bad feeling, but then I realized I was veering from my typical search routine. Michele was extremely nice and very helpful, but I still had not been able to visit with Joe. When Joe arrived and we talked I discovered the ring could have been lost in the front, back, or side yard and also where the grass clippings were dumped, in one of three piles. With this expanded area to hunt I decided to start from scratch and follow a standard grid search. I identified targets in the ground and Paige, my daughter, investigated each one with my Pro Pointer. About 15 minutes after starting, over my right shoulder I heard a big Ah! The rest of the story was filled with emotion, smiles, and laughter. What a great experience for all involved. For personal reasons Michele and Joe chose not to be on camera, which is completely understandable. I can’t wait until my next phone call and the chance to reunite a ring with a smiling owner!