Gold Claw, a professional gold pan, is the fastest and easiest way for anyone to pan for gold, claims Klint Washburn, its designer. He has announced plans to launch a fundraising campaign through crowdfunding website Indiegogo, following a successful Kickstarter fundraising venture. The newest and most innovative way to pan for gold, Gold Claw invites users to:

·         Pan like a professional with no prior experience or training required

·         Experience simple and fun gold panning—just “Shake and Tilt”

·         Enjoy an extremely durable and long-lasting product

·         Pan many times faster and yield more gold than traditional methods

Washburn says “panning for gold the traditional way requires years of training and practice to yield even the slightest of results. This is due to ineffective technology that, if not utilised properly, could let the miniscule flakes of gold slip away. Gold Claw has taken this antiquated method’s basic properties and repurposed them to create a fun and easy way to prospect for gold. In fact, the Gold Claw pan is so easy to use.” Washburn claims that even a child can out pan a traditional pro their first time learning the tool.

The Gold Claw is great for professionals and those who struggle with traditional gold panning equipment, but the simplicity and ease of use really opens the door for anyone who has ever wanted to experience the magic of finding their own gold.

“I have spent a lot of time studying the physical and chemical properties of gold,” said Washburn. “I found that dynamics at and below the surface push gold up and carry gold out of the pan. Using this knowledge, I created a new design for a gold pan that is much more effective.”

Washburn’s idea was to take the gold-catching ridges found at the bottom of a traditional gold pan and move them to the surface. When liquefaction, or the separation of materials into layers according to weight, takes place, the ridges are in an ideal position to capture gold as the lighter layers of soil flow out of the pan.

With Gold Claw, it takes under 30 seconds to pan gold. Gold Claw is the product of many iterations of prototypes. Washburn, a professional in engineering design, constructed the Gold Claw and sent the blueprint to 3D printing company Whiteclouds to model for testing his product. Washburn went through many iterations to perfect the design using Tritan copolyester as the base material with its reputation of indestructibility in the outdoor industry.

In September 2016, Washburn began a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for his project. Washburn was able to meet his goal of $20,000 in just 35 days of campaigning. Propelled by the success of that campaign, Washburn is now attempting to reach a new funding audience at Indiegogo.

“The Gold Claw is more than just an improvement, it’s a paradigm shift,” Washburn said. “With this new design, a newbie can literally outpan a pro!”

To learn more about Gold Claw and the Indiegogo campaign, visit https://igg.me/at/GoldClaw.