Good ones are made of a solid piece of forged steel with a handle wrapped with tape or fast-grip polyurethane. The hammer's size, weight and feel depend on the digger's personal preference. Contrary to common belief, individual bone fossils are not plucked from the ground. Instead, the explorers first dig a trench around the collection of bones. If the resulting rock, bones and plaster mass is too heavy, sometimes the team might use a truck winch with cables to pull it out.
Tarps are also key for digging, providing shade in the blistering sun.