Just hit 1000 miles on my rock hammer's current handle and it hasn't even chipped

I've been logging every field day with my Estwing since I started my project in the Arizona desert last year, and hitting that number made me realize how much I used to underestimate good tool maintenance. What's the highest mileage you've gotten out of a single geology tool before it needed a major fix or replacement?

3 comments

3 Comments

benk261mo ago

Read an old field report where a guy logged over 3,000 miles on a Brunton compass before the needle housing gave out. That Estwing build is solid.

zara_hill461mo ago

Always thought those old school compasses were just for show until I saw that field report benk26 mentioned. My Silva would get fussy after a few rough trips, but 3000 miles is insane. Makes me wonder how much plastic junk I've gone through that wouldn't last half that distance. That Brunton story totally changed how I look at gear built to actually survive.

phoenix_singh1mo ago

Fair point, but that Brunton probably cost three times as much as your Silva though, @benk26.