Think i defo need to be more informative regards what type of rocks etc, think I need to plan the content more, in the workshop I just drink and wing it and down the beach it’s just the same but without the drink!

Cheers dude, having a bit of a break over Xmas, really going for it next year though, still learning regards video production, felt like I’ve winged it this year :)

That is awesome! My girls would rather be in TKMax than down the beach with me at the moment! Ukfossils.co.uk is a good site for finding places to go discoveringfossils.co.uk is another resource you could use to find some interesting places to go.

Yorkshire is an awesome place to collect, where I started out, Dorset is a brilliant place to collect and well worth a visit.

Cheers dude, was nice to be out

Practice! :) keep on whacking, you’ll soon work out which rocks break well, some types loads better than others, look for all the fine bedding plane lines, on the next video I’ll do detailed view of what I’m looking for and how it informs how I tackle them with a hammer.

Cheers dude :)

If in doubt, give it a clout.... that’s the mantra that’s always stood me in good stead.

instablaster.

Sorry dude only just saw this, cheers for the kind words.

Give us a shout when you do and I’ll pop down the beach family shizzle permitting

@@TheFossilAcademy will do buddy!!

Ahh you’ll love it, gets really addictive! Don’t forget to check the tides, you want a good spring tide and start about 2-3 hours after high water on the falling tide, give you loads more beach to search and be loads safer so you don’t get cut off.

@@TheFossilAcademy Thankyou can’t wait. I spend alot time beach combing in Sussex. what size hammer is best.

I use a machinist hammer, I get mine from a company called Zorro online, minimum 500g(think I use an 800g), Estwing geological hammers are good too but very pricey and the head is pretty small so can be very ‘chippy’ when you are whacking down blocks, the machinist hammers have a larger head and I find they feel better, more of a chunky hit, all goes on what you like and your style of whacking down blocks though.

Go big or go home! Think that one is an 800, really nice size. Minimum size I’d say would be a 500, can do quite a bit of damage with a 500

@@TheFossilAcademy I have actually bent the shafts of some nice all steel hammers trying to get a rock to split along a bedding plane! Is there a name for yours, I don't mean Dave or Brian 😂.. like, a geological five pounder? What's a 500? I assume it's a weight reference. Cheers again, can't wait to get back on the beach there, that Ben area is a fav of mine, never got anything from Church Cliffs areas 🤔👍🍻

@@TheFossilAcademy used to use 1kg head weight and currently using an 800g, but my favourite is the 500g. You can do a lot with a small hammer and a bit of technique! 😉

@@nobbys007 it's a machinist pattern/german engineering pattern hammer. They don't have the chisel on the back like a proper geological hammer and the bevel around the front edge can take some getting used to, but they are a lot cheaper than geological hammers and the metal quality is seemingly much more consistent.

@@jamescarroll2435 just bought two sizes 👍.. so, won't be many big rocks left on the beach 😜 thanks for the info and keep the bids coming. I spent so long wearing down a large nodule that had a large smashed up ammo on one side. I thought that maybe there would be some smaller ammos under the big one.... Wishful thinking! Can't wait to get back there, I usually bring my caravan to manor Farm and spend my evenings in the George 😜🍻 thanks again for the bids, I assume these flat rocks you dig out could have some Echthiosaur bits in? Looks like a similar area and stone that previous bits were found in? Sorry mate, rambled on a bit here 👍🍻🦕

Hey dude, sorry for the late reply, working on some good stuff at the moment, got some new content coming out this month, going to be documenting my new shop/workshop, hopefully be running some 2 Day one on one courses starting September after the family fossil walk summer holidays

@@TheFossilAcademy sounds good, can't wait.... Happy days

I’ll do a video soon and take the good camera down so I can get some good detail of the rocks, there are some easy to spot signs that will help narrow down the search for the rocks which contain ammonites etc, I’ll get on it! Been out of action with a herniated disc in my neck this past few months but that’s nearly 100% now.

Best start is the heritage coast centre on the beach at Charmouth, entrance is up the stairs at the front, free entry and loads of good info, you’re looking for the grey rocks with signs of ammonites on them. If there is something on the outside there is a good chance there could be something inside. Don’t forget your goggles too! Safety first.

@@TheFossilAcademy Many thanks for responding, yes, we will head for the heritage centre first. Will report back if we find anything. Cheers

Surprising I’ve only done it a few times, I think the worst I’ve had was stiches from hitting a small rock while holding it, spun around and sliced my hand.

Especially dancing folk...........

Evening Andy, I get them from zoro.co.uk search for machinist hammers and the ones I use are by Kennedy, they are a really good hammer and they do a whole range of different weights to suit, my fave is the 800g one

That’s super thankyou! And great videos 🤙🏼

@@andypowlesland599 cheers dude, not posted any stuff for ages, lost my dad recently and it’s knocked us for six, slowly getting my head sorted out :) more ups than downs now, tried making numerous new videos but just ended up crying! Not good content.

Type in machinists hammer 800g into google, the company I get mine from is called Zorro tools, really good price think mine were about £14, Zorro do a good selection too.

@@TheFossilAcademy many thanks for the fast reply, just ordered a couple from them.

@@psm2day I used to use an Estwing geological hammer but these are so much better for me. Would never go back now.

@@TheFossilAcademy I was using a brick hammer I found in my shed last weekend until the handle snapped as I tried all the shops in lyme and all they had was 250 or 500g hammers at more than double the cost of the Zoro ones, ordered Thursday morning and arrived Friday afternoon, less than £12 each and free postage. Thanks again for quick reply and info, might see you down the beach in the future.

@@psm2day if you see me give us a shout and I’ll come over for a chinwag

Got it from The Wobbly Fossiler, you can find him on Instagram, send him a pm on there, I bet he could sort you one out. Lovely lad, heart of gold.

Just found the site ont tinterweb, called zoro.co.uk

Always possible, fish remains are very rare, there is a much better chance of finding marine reptile remains though. Single ichthyosaur verts are the most common find, plesiosaur are a little harder to come by.

@@TheFossilAcademy thanks I'm hoping to have a go looking on that beach

Either a wolf or a large badger. One of the two. Could have easily been someone’s dog........all dogs have a bit of wolf in them, so technically a bit of truth, not much mind.. :)

It’s knowing when to use it that takes time to learn, certain types of rocks break different to others, the fossils in one type of rock will ‘pop’ around the fossils, flatsones, wood stones and birchi nodules usually pop around a fossil because they have a really good bedding plane, loads of layers laid down over time which causes weakness in the rocks which help them to split nicely. Some rocks like Margi stone from Eype, belemnite marls or green nodules don’t have the bedding planes so with those types of stones I wouldn’t hit and bring them back to use the air pens in the workshop. You will break stuff a lot when starting out but you will get better at understanding how the different rocks behave over time and minimise crying on the beach after you’ve just broke in half one of the best finds of your life! I’ve got a nodule in three pieces, I’ll do a video of how to put them back together and show you how they can be saved.