▁S - mine ▁was ▁constructed ▁mostly ▁of ▁metal , ▁so ▁it ▁could ▁be ▁easily ▁detected ▁by ▁metal ▁detect ors . ▁However , ▁such ▁expensive ▁and ▁bul ky ▁equipment ▁was ▁rarely ▁available ▁to ▁inf antry ▁units ▁and ▁was ▁pr one ▁to ▁mal function . ▁The ▁mine ▁could ▁also ▁be ▁detected ▁through ▁careful ▁manual ▁prob ing , ▁a ▁time - consum ing ▁process . ▁Using ▁a ▁kn ife ▁or ▁a ▁bay on et , ▁an ▁inf antry man ▁would ▁pro be ▁at ▁a ▁low ▁angle ▁through ▁the ▁soil . ▁It ▁was ▁important ▁to ▁pro be ▁at ▁an ▁angle ▁that ▁would ▁not ▁accident ally ▁de press ▁the ▁pressure ▁sensor . ▁ ▁Once ▁an ▁S - mine ▁was ▁discovered , ▁dis arm ing ▁it ▁was ▁fairly ▁simple . ▁To ▁prevent ▁trigger ing ▁while ▁the ▁mine ▁was ▁being ▁plant ed , ▁the ▁German ▁pressure ▁sensor ▁featured ▁a ▁hole ▁where ▁a ▁safety ▁pin ▁kept ▁the ▁sensor ▁from ▁being ▁de pressed . ▁This ▁pin ▁was ▁removed ▁once ▁the ▁mine ▁was ▁plant ed . ▁If ▁the ▁discovered ▁mine ▁was ▁fitted ▁with ▁the ▁pressure ▁sensor , ▁the ▁dis arm ing ▁personnel ▁would ▁s lip ▁a ▁pin ▁( such ▁as ▁a ▁se wing ▁need le ▁or ▁pin ) ▁into ▁this ▁hole . ▁If ▁the ▁device ▁was ▁armed ▁with ▁a ▁trip wire ▁or ▁elect rical ▁trigger , ▁this ▁could ▁simply ▁be ▁cut . ▁Germ ans ▁were ▁known ▁to ▁use ▁bo oby ▁tra ps ▁to ▁disc ou rage ▁this , ▁so ▁ca ution ▁was ▁suggested . ▁The ▁mine ▁could ▁then ▁be ▁removed ▁carefully ▁from ▁the