Tesoro Euro Sabre User manual

OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL
"The Name That Means Treasure"

EURO SABRE
OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your new Tesoro Euro Sabre metal detector is part of a new series of
detectors designed to provide you with many happy hours of enjoyment in
the most rewarding hobby I can think of—treasure hunting.Ahead of you
lie fascinating and exciting experiences as you step into the past—uncov-
ering artifacts lost by past generations, or as you take pleasure in the great
outdoors with family and friends searching for precious metals. I wish we
could share these experiences with you, and all of us at Tesoro wish you
the best of success.
Your Tesoro detector is capable of meeting your needs in a wide range
of treasure hunting situations. As with any other metal detector, familiar-
ity with this instrument is probably the limiting factor in determining how
successful you can be. I recommend that you read this manual and fully
understand how to operate this detector before attempting to use it in the
field. As you become more familiar with your detector through practice,
your rate of success will increase dramatically.
The Euro Sabre is a precision electronic instrument that will last for
years if properly cared for. Treat it right and it won’t let you down.
Good Hunting!
Jack Gifford
Under the copyright laws this documentation may not be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated
or reduced to any electronic or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without the prior written
consent of Tesoro Electronics Incorporated, except in the manner described in this documentation.
© 2001 Tesoro Electronics Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States.
Tesoro Electronics, Incorporated
715 White Spar Road
Prescott, AZ 86303
[phone]

GETTING STARTED
UNPACKING THE BOX
Your Euro Sabre was shipped with these parts:
1 Upper Pole Assembly
Fully assembled, including upper pole stem with handle grip, pad-
ded arm bracket and control housing.
1 Middle Pole Assembly With Pole Lock
1 ABS Lower Pole Assembly
Fully assembled, complete with two friction washers, mounting
screw, and thumb nut.
1 9 x 8 Concentric Searchcoil With 3’Cable
1 9 Volt Alkaline Battery
1 Operator Instruction Manual
If any of these items are missing, immediately contact the Tesoro Au-
thorized Dealer where you purchased your detector.
Assembling the Euro Sabre is simple and requires no special tools.
Just install the battery, mount the searchcoil on the lower pole assembly,
connect the pole assemblies together, wrap the excess cable around the
pole and plug the cable into the control housing. Finally, adjust the pole
length and searchcoil angle and you're ready!

INSTALLING THE BATTERY
Your Euro Sabre is equipped with a battery test switch so that you can
always be sure you are getting top performance. (See QUICKSTART for
operation.) The battery should be checked after the detector has been on
for about 10 minutes and then periodically when used for long durations.
To install or replace the battery, first make sure the SENSITIVITY
control is set to POWER OFF—turned completely counterclockwise past
the “click.” Remove the battery door from the back of the control housing.
Do this by pressing your thumb firmly on the louvered square—at the bot-
tom of the battery door—and sliding the battery door upward in the direc-
tion of the arrow.
Check the polarity on the battery and on the diagram inside the bat-
tery compartment. Make sure that they match and simply drop a fresh 9
volt alkaline battery into the compartment. Note: If the battery is not in-
stalled properly, damage may occur to your detector.
Replace the battery door by sliding it into place making sure the up-
per mount slots are in line and the lock tongue is snapped in place.

ASSEMBLING YOUR DETECTOR
1) On the lower pole assembly, remove the mounting screw and thumb
nut from the pole tip.
2) Insert the pole tip between the mounting ears of the searchcoil and
align the holes of the pole tip and washers with those of the mounting ears.
Note: The pole tip should fit very snugly into the mounting ears.
3) Insert the mounting screw through the holes in the mounting ears and
pole tip—entering from the side opposite the cable connection.
4) Install the thumb nut on the mounting screw and tighten by hand.
Note: Do not overtighten the thumb nut. It should be snug but not too
difficult to loosen up.
5) On the middle pole assembly, depress the two spring buttons and slide
the middle pole assembly into the upper pole assembly until the spring
buttons click into the holes, locking the two assemblies into place. Tighten
the pole lock to secure the two assemblies together.

6) Slide the lower pole into the middle pole until spring buttons click
into the first set of adjustment holes. Turn pole lock to tighten the assem-
blies into place.
7) Wrap the cable around thepoleleaving enough slack near thesearchcoil
to permit searchcoil adjustment.
Note: Do not allow the cable to flop loosely over the searchcoil. Since
the detector is sensitive enough to “see” the tiny wires in the cable, a
floppy cable can cause false signals as the searchcoil senses the moving
wires.
8) Plug the male cable end into the female connector on the control hous-
ing and tighten the cable thumb nut. You are finished!
Note: You will want to adjust the pole length and the searchcoil angle to
your preference.

ADJUSTING THE POLE & SEARCHCOIL
The pole length should be adjusted so that the detector does not be-
come uncomfortable or tiring after long periods of use. The detector grip
should rest in your hand with your arm relaxed, your elbow straight but
not locked, with the pole extending out in front of you at the approximate
angle shown in the photo.
You should be able to swing the
detector back and forth in front of
you—using relaxed shoulder move-
ment—while keeping the searchcoil
as close to the ground as possible.
This swinging movement is often
called a “sweep.”
The searchcoil should not touch
the ground during your sweep. The
pole length should be adjusted to al-
low this without having to lift the de-
tector with your elbow or shoulder.
The searchcoil should rest about one
inch above the ground while you are
standing erect. The angle of the
searchcoil should allow the bottom
to be parallel to the ground.
The pole length is adjusted by
loosening the pole lock, then de-
pressing the spring buttons and ex-
tending or shortening the pole until
the spring buttons click into the set
ofholes that gives youthemostcom-
fortable pole length.
To adjust the searchcoil angle, simply loosen the searchcoil thumb nut
slightly and move the searchcoil into the desired position. Tighten the
searchcoil thumb nut by hand so that the searchcoil will hold in place.

QUICKSTART
SELF-GUIDED TUTORIAL
The Quickstart is designed to teach you how to use your new Euro
Sabre. It provides a quick and easy means of learning your detector and the
concepts behind all of the functions.
You will need the following items:
1) Your fully assembled Euro Sabre.
2) An iron target (a small nail or screw will do), steel or iron
washer, a pull tab and a copper or silver coin.
3) A nonmetal tabletop or counter.
Here’s what you will do:
1) Prepare for the Quickstart
2) Perform Audio Battery Test
3) Adjust THRESHOLD
4) Adjust GROUND BALANCE for Air Test
5) Perform Air Test in ALL METAL Mode
6) Adjust SENSITIVITY
7) Perform Air Test in DISC Mode
8) Perform Air Test in Iron ID Mode
Prepare for the Quickstart
Place your assembled Euro Sabre on the nonmetal surface. Make sure
that there are no metal objects near the coil and remove any jewelry from
your hands and wrists.

Start with the controls as shown in the photo below:
1) THRESHOLD, SENSITIVITYand DISCRIMINATE LEVEL
knobs turned completely counterclockwise.
2) MODE and Iron ID switches in the center position.
3) GROUND BALANCE knob at the 12 o’clock position.
Perform Audio Battery Test
Turn the SENSITIVITY knob from OFF to about 7 or 8. You will hear
a quick double beep tone. This is the detector letting you know that it is
turned on and ready to go. Push the MODE Switch to the left and release.
The switch is spring loaded and will pop back into the center position. If the

battery is fully charged, you will hear 6 or 7 beeps. When you hear only 1
or 2 beeps, it will be time to replace your battery. This test can be per-
formed at any time while the detector is turned on.
Adjust THRESHOLD
To adjust the threshold tone, turn the THRESHOLD knob clockwise
until you hear a slight but steady tone. You will have to turn the knob to
somewhere between the 1 o’clock and 3 o’clock position to get the best
hum.
The purpose of the threshold tone is to give a reference to judge targets
for pinpointing and to adjust the ground balance. (For more information on
ground balancing, see the “Adjust GROUND BALANCE forAir Test”
section below and the “Ground Balancing in the Field” section.)
In the field, some targets may be small enough or deep enough that
they will not be able to generate an audio signal by themselves. By moni-
toring a threshold, you already have an audio signal so changes in volume
will be easier to hear. However, if the threshold is set too soft or too loud,
small changes in the signal will be hard to hear. Take some time and find a
threshold level that is right for you.
Adjust GROUND BALANCE for Air Test
The ground balance function for your Euro Sabre is a form of discrimi-
nation that allows you to tune out the mineralization in the ground that may

mask targets or decrease the detector's depth and sensitivity. The GROUND
BALANCE knob is on a 3 and ¾ turn potentiometer. While the knob will
turn endlessly in either direction, when the knob is at the end of its range, a
slight drag will be felt while turning.
The following procedure is for the Air Test only. For directions on
ground balancing your Euro Sabre in the field see the “Ground Balanc-
ing in the Field” section.
To set the GROUND BALANCE knob for theAirTest, turn the knob 5
turns counterclockwise and then turn the knob 2 turns clockwise. This will
make sure the GROUND BALANCE knob is just slightly above the middle
part of its range. No further turns will be needed for the Air Test.
Perform Air Test in ALL METAL Mode
Once you have set the correct threshold hum and adjusted the ground
balance, you are ready to perform an Air Test in the ALL METAL Mode.
Your Euro Sabre has a VCO-style ALL METAL Mode. You will find that
as targets get closer to the coil, the threshold tone will get louder and higher
in pitch.
Try waving your targets in front of the coil. Start from a distance of 10
to 12 inches away from the coil and slowly work your way closer to the
coil. Then try starting from 6 inches away from the left or right of your coil
and work your way to the center of the coil. Notice the changes of the
audio signal. Your strongest signal will always be closest to the center of
the coil. Additional information can also be learned by the signal strength
and pitch. A smaller or deeper target will give a less noticeable change in
the threshold than a larger or more shallow target will give.Take some time
and try all of your targets at different depths to find out how your detector
sounds.

Adjust SENSITIVITY
We are now ready to switch the detector into the discriminate mode
(DISC MODE). Go to the MODE switch and flip all the way to the right
and into the DISC MODE setting. The switch will lock into position and
you will notice that the threshold hum will stop. The discriminate circuit
uses a silent search mode, meaning that no sound will be heard until the
coil goes over a target. The most common use of the detector is to hunt in
the DISC MODE and switch toALLMETAL to pinpoint a target. This will
give you the advantage of ignoring unwanted targets and not having to
listen to the threshold hum until you are ready to pinpoint and dig a target.
The all metal circuit uses a single channel to detect various metals.
The discriminate circuit uses two different channels, then amplifies and
filters them. The detector will then compare the signals and determine
whether or not to beep at the target. While there is a great advantage to
ignoring unwanted targets, it can make the circuitry more susceptible to
interference. A number of outside conditions such as power lines, highly
mineralized soil, and wet salt sand can cause interference.
The SENSITIVITY knob is used to raise or lower the power to the
operational amplifiers, which changes the gain. Gain is a measurement of
how much a signal is amplified. The higher the gain the more depth and
sensitivity to small objects a detector has. Unfortunately, any small inter-
ference that is amplified can cause the detector to become erratic. The
SENSITIVITY control is used to find the best gain setting in any location
without letting the detector become unstable.

The SENSITIVITY knob is numbered from MIN to 10 and then has an
orange area called the Max Boost Zone. For normal hunting, anywhere in
the numbered zone will work very well. However, the Max Boost will al-
low you to increase the power to the operational amplifiers to the point of
overload. This may cause your detector to become unstable and force you
to turn the SENSITIVITY knob to a lower setting. An overload situation
will not hurt your detector, but it will maximize the gain that is used by
your detector. This can, in certain conditions such as low mineralization in
the soil, cause your detector to penetrate deeper into the ground and be-
come more sensitive to small targets.
Take some time to try waving targets in front of the coil with different
sensitivity settings. Notice that the higher the sensitivity setting, the farther
away from the coil that a target can be and still respond with an audio
signal.
Perform Air Test in DISC Mode
As discussed before, the discriminate mode is used to filter unwanted
targets from good targets. The principle behind this is pretty simple. The
detector sends out a signal and then receives it back creating a small elec-
tronic field.As metal passes through the field that the detector generates, it
causes a change in the received signal. The amount of change that each
type of metal causes is fairly constant; therefore, we can tune our detectors
to miss targets that we don’t want to find. The change is based on the type
of conductivity that each target has. The general list of conductive targets
is as follows: iron, foil, nickels, gold jewelry, pull tabs, screw tabs, pennies
and silver coins starting with dimes and working up to silver dollars. This list
is meant to be a guide only. There is a point that some pull tabs, nickels and

gold jewelry overlap.Also, the depth of the target and its orientation in the
ground can change the received signal. A coin that is flat to the coil will
produce a better signal than a coin that is on edge. Take some time to try
different combinations of depths and orientation of your targets and find
out how your detector responds.
We are now ready to discriminate targets from each other. We will start
with the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL at MIN. Please notice that the DIS-
CRIMINATE LEVELknob has words that correspond to the items that are
discriminated out.
All four targets (the iron, washer, pull tab and coin) will respond with
a good audio signal at the MIN setting. Next, we will turn the DISCRIMI-
NATE LEVEL up to the Iron setting. This should be high enough to knock
out the iron target and still get a positive response on the washer, pull tab,
and coin. When you are done with the Iron setting, turn the DISCRIMI-
NATE LEVEL to the pull tab setting. At this time, the iron target and the
pull tab should give no response. While the coin will give a solid response,
the washer may or may not give a target signal. Now, roll the DISCRIMI-
NATE LEVELall the way to MAX. Notice that the quarter is still respond-
ing. The discrimination will not go high enough to lose most of the silver
coins.
ThisAirTest was designed to quickly show you how your discriminate
mode works. Each machine may be a little different from all of the others,
so you may want to take some time and try different targets to find re-
sponses of your machine.At a later date, you may want to build a test gar-

den to test your detector in the field.
Perform Air Test in Iron ID Mode
When detecting in the field, iron and steel targets can present quite a
problem. Most of the targets have been in the ground long enough to create
a halo of oxidized metal around them. These targets ring very loud and can
waste valuable detecting time by pinpointing and digging them. The Euro
Sabre’s Iron ID Mode is designed to help the detectorist concentrate on the
signals that are not iron.
Experienced detectorists have found that steel washers can be detected
when the discrimination level is turned up high enough to drop out other
ferrous targets. This is due to the hole in the metal. Any ferrous target that
has holes will act in the same manner. As the detector starts to see the
target, a steel washer or other holed target, it will give a phase shift like a
coin target that quickly shifts to an iron-type of response. This can cause
headaches for most users. However, the Euro Sabre’s Iron ID Mode can
accurately identify these problem targets.
Please remember that the Iron ID will only work in the Discrimina-
tion Mode. If the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL is turned higher than the
Iron setting, the Iron ID Mode will not be active. It is recommended that
when you use the Iron ID Mode, you hunt with the DISCRIMINATE
LEVEL at its lowest possible setting.
Before starting, make sure that the DISCRIMINATE LEVELis turned
completely counterclockwise to the MIN position. Push the Iron ID switch
all the way to the right into AUDIO. The AUDIO Iron ID has three differ-

ent tones: a high tone for targets that are above the iron range; a low tone for
targets in the iron range; and a high-low or rolling tone is used to identify
iron targets with an odd shape or holes.
Start by waving the copper or silver coin in front of the coil. You will
hear the high tone. Next, wave the iron target and listen to the low tone.Take
some time to try the targets and notice the difference between the two tones.
When you are done, wave the washer over the coil and notice that the signal
starts high but ends low or vice versa. This distinct tone alerts you to holed
and odd-shaped iron targets. If you turn the washer on its edge, you may get
a single low tone response instead of the rolling tone. Take some time to
experiment with other targets so that you can feel comfortable with the
Audio ID.
When you have finished with the Audio ID, push the Iron ID switch
past the center and all the way to the left into the BLANK position. In this
mode, most iron targets will not respond with a target signal. Wave your
small iron target and notice the lack of response. Next, wave the coin or
pull tab over the coil. You will get a positive target signal. However, the
washer will give a different response. As the washer starts to pass the coil,
the detector will see it as a coin and beep at it. When the detector recog-
nizes the target as iron, it will attempt to blank the signal. So instead of the
regular target signal, the washer or odd-shaped iron will produce a clipped
tone. Start by waving the washer over the coil in BLANK Mode, then while
continuing to wave the target, switch to OFF. You will hear a slight differ-
ence from the normal to the clipped signal. Repeat switching from the OFF
position to the BLANK position to become familiar with the clipped tone.
Take some time to check all of your targets and listen for any difference in
the tones.
In the field, we would recommend that you use theAudio ID Mode for
most hunting purposes. Some odd-shaped or holed targets may fool the
blank or cause a clipped tone that could be misinterpreted.TheAudio Mode
with its multiple tones will give you the most accurate iron identification.
The Blank Mode is best used in an area of high amounts of junk iron that
would cause the Audio Mode to sound off too often.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have just finished the Quickstart for your new
Euro Sabre detector and in the process have learned quite a lot about your
detector. But experience is the best teacher. I would recommend that you
get out and practice with your detector as much as possible.Any time spent
using your detector will give you valuable experience.

OPERATING TECHNIQUES
Ground Balancing In The Field
Ground balancing is not a difficult procedure, but it is critical if you
desire maximum depth and stability. It is especially important if you plan
to find deep relics or prospect for gold nuggets.
No matter how or where you will be hunting, or whether you will be
huntingin theAllMetalorDiscriminate Mode,youmust tunetheground
balance for the area that you will be hunting. If you fail to ground bal-
ance for every site, you will not be working at the peak of your detector's
performance and may lose both depth and sensitivity.
To ground balance in the field, we will start by assuming your detector
is turned off. This will be the normal condition of your detector when you
start hunting. Ground balancing can be done at any time while you are
using the detector. It is not necessary to turn the machine off each time that
you ground balance.
Start with the controls in the following positions:
1) SENSITIVITY on OFF.
2) MODE in the ALL METAL position.
3) All other controlswillbesetduringtheground balancing proce-
dure or are not applicable at this time.
Turn the detector on by rolling the SENSITIVITY knob clockwise to
about9or10onthedial.Youwill
hear a quick double beep to let
you know the detector is operat-
ing. Next, adjust the THRES-
HOLDknob until a slight, steady
hum is heard. The machine is
now ready to be ground bal-
anced. Next, find an area that has
no metal targets in the ground,
as this may give false readings
while in the ground balance pro-
cedure.
As showninthephotos,raise
yoursearchcoilabout6to8inches
off the ground. This is high enough so that the detector will no longer read
the minerals in the ground. While listening to the threshold sound, lower the
searchcoil to about 1 inch off the ground.As the coil is dropped, the detec-

AVOID THIS! Never tilt your searchcoil when
"pumping" your detector to ground balance.
tor will start to read the ground
minerals and will give you one
of three sounds: 1) The thresh-
old tone will get louder and
raise in pitch. This is a positive
response. 2) The threshold tone
will go quiet, followed by a
quick tone. This is called a
negativeresponse. 3)There will
be no change in the threshold
tone as the coil is dropped. This
is the balanced response.When
yougeta balanced response, the
detector is telling you that it is
ready to hunt.
The positive and negative responses are easy to adjust. If you get a
positive response, turn the GROUND BALANCE knob towards the minus
sign on the face or in a counterclockwise direction. Getting a negative re-
sponse means turning the GROUND BALANCE knob towards the plus
sign on the faceplate or in a clockwise direction.
Here is an example of balancing: After setting up the detector, you
raise the coil and then push it to the ground.As the coil drops, the threshold
hum gets louder. You then turn the GROUND BALANCE knob counter-
clockwise towards the minus sign. You pick up the coil and push down
again. This time you get a slight
negative response. Turn the
GROUND BALANCE knob a
little bit towards the positive or
in a clockwise direction. When
raisingand lowering the coil, the
threshold makes no change as
the coil is dropped.At this point,
the detector is balanced for the
area and is ready to hunt.
Ground balancing is a
learnedskill,onethatyoushould
practice often. It is easy to prac-
tice almost anywhere—your
front or backyard, a local park,

Handling Your Detector
The detector should be held in a position that is comfortable for you as
shown in the “Adjusting The Pole & Searchcoil” section in GETTING
STARTED. Swing the detector from side to side in about a three foot arc,
overlapping succeeding strokes well.This motion is called a “sweep.” The
Euro Sabre was designed to get maximum depth without the frantic pace
required of earlier motion detectors, so go at a pace that is comfortable for
you. In fact, trying to hunt too fast may even cause a loss of depth in
heavily mineralized locations.
Regardless of which mode you are using, try to keep your searchcoil
height constant and close to the ground. Most people tend to raise the coil
at the end of a sweep—much like a pendulum—especially if they are in a
hurry. Try to avoid this as any increase in height from the ground will
cause a corresponding loss of depth.
In areas with well-kept lawns, the easiest way to maintain a constant
searchcoil height is to allow the coil to rest on the grass as you sweep from
side to side. In rough and rocky areas, it is best not to “scrub” the coil on
the ground, as the rocks will act like abrasives and wear away the coil
bottom (an optional coil scuff cover will protect against this). Sweep the
coil as close to the ground as possible without touching. Hitting the ground
or rocks may cause a false signal, much like a desired target would. Sweep-
ing the coil too high above the ground results in a loss of depth.
Pinpointing a Target
When pinpointing a target, the All Metal Mode can offer advantages
over the Discriminate Mode, such as no false signals and no need to move
the searchcoil to get a target response.
A good method for pinpointing in All Metal Mode is “X-ing” the tar-
get with the searchcoil. Remember that the target's response sound is al-
ways greatest when the target is directly under the center of the searchcoil.
To “X” a target, sweep the searchcoil over the target from side to side and
or a fair-sized flower garden.When you are practicing, make sure that there
are no pieces of metal underneath your coil that may cause a target sound.
Pleaserememberthat the coilmustbeliftedstraightoffoftheground.
Swinging the coil in an arc, like a pendulum, will cause false readings
and will result in an improper ground balance.

then from front to back until you can identify the center of the X—the spot
on the ground where the target response sound is the greatest.
Pinpointing a target in Discriminate Mode is probably best done by
“X-ing” as well. Remember that the detector will beep just as the target
passes under the center of the searchcoil. Slowing the sweep speed down
will help you pick out the center of the X because the target response is
reduced at very slow speeds making it easier to correlate the sound with
the coil center.
Another easy method is to sweep the coil from side to side across the
target in very short sweeps as you slowly move forward and backward
across the target. Slow down the sweep rate and shorten the sweeps until
you just barely get a response at one spot.The target will be directly below
the coil center at this response time.
Another method of pinpointing in Discriminate Mode is to quickly
change toAll Metal Mode to check the target response. Remember thatAll
Metal Mode is not susceptible to the false signals of Discriminate Mode
and can sometimes give a clearer and more consistent response to difficult
targets such as a dime buried next to a pull tab. By switching back and
forth between modes and comparing the target response sound inAll Metal
to the target response sound in Discriminate, you can often better identify
the likely location of the target.
Finally, raising the searchcoil during pinpointing can also help by nar-
rowing the response to the target. Practice pinpointing often, and you will
soon become more accurate and faster.
Planting a Test Garden
To better learn how your detector will perform in the field, it would be
helpful to bury some coins and trash metal junk items in an area that you
know is clear of other metal objects, and then try the Euro Sabre in theAll
Metal & Discriminate Modes. Check the area inAll Metal Mode to be sure
it's clear of trash. Then bury the targets at least 1 foot apart and from 2 to
4 inches deep to start. Make a map of the area to be sure you know what
each target is and how deep it is. Practice on these targets to familiarize
yourself with your detector’s target response. This will also help you learn
the proper sweep speed for best operation. This type of practice area is
often called a “test garden” or “test bed” and is one of the best tools to help
you develop your metal detecting skills.