I dig pry bars, but why?

[These_Nutz]

Wow my gf family etc thought i was weird for being into knives so much.

 

[Parker]

Don't forget the Cop Tool!

Sorry, $140 for a piece of D2 meant to pry stuff? Gear Queer City, mang. Not looking to insult you, but do you really use this thing for prying and such? If so, I'd really look hard at the CRKT variety, it costs $100 less and will do exactly the same thing.

I have long maintained that a Stanley Wonder Bar or Mini Wonder Bar, or a $6 cat's paw is a far better option than any knife for prying stuff off/ open/ apart. I do carry one of the small wonderbars or a county-comm small pry bar in my "purse" daily. The nice thing about them being inexpensive and small is if you loose or ding it, who cares? I have to do that duct tape thing, never even crossed my mind, and it would prevent any more noise than I already make clanking about.

I have several rental buildings and it seems that any time I visit one, something is stuck in place and needs to be opened. Low rent tenants are able to jam up a brick wall, frankly.

However, I note for the record that while Ed is building prybars out of steels which will handle such things with aplomb, D2, if high enough Rockwell to hold an edge as it is supposed to, is lousy at being ductile, which is a requirement for a prybar.

Ed, I'm always impressed at real knifemakers which spend time screwing around with other stuff like prybars, pliers, hammers, bashing bars, whatever, since I know you guys will take the knowledge gained back to the knife and in the end you make a better knife as a result.

I've got a Stanley Fat Max in the car come to think of it - how many of you guys have come to a car wreck with no help on the way and only a small Sebenza in your pocket? That was enough for me to spend the bucks on something I could twist, pry and smash stuff open or out with.

 

[bodydamage]

Cliff,
A couple questions about your Breacher Bar. What kind of coating is that on the handle?? What did you use to put an edge on it? How well does it hold an edge?? How well does the finish hold up??

Thanks for posting some actual uses guys..

 

[Cliff Nieporte]

Cliff,
A couple questions about your Breacher Bar. What kind of coating is that on the handle?? What did you use to put an edge on it? How well does it hold an edge?? How well does the finish hold up??

Thanks for posting some actual uses guys..

That's just orange spray paint on the handle. I tend to "misplace" things sometimes .

It comes with a "dull" edge on it , but I sharpened it a little with a bench grinder. It's still not you would call sharp by any means , but for pocket carry , it's fine. In fact , I might just have to hit the corners with the grinder to round them off a little.
It seems fairly soft , so it probably won't hold a good edge. I don't use it as a knife so it's not a problem.
It will scratch up easily too. It ain't pretty , but it'll work for rough stuff.

For $12.00 it works well enough. I might just get another one:thumbup:.

Cliff

 

[JohnnyMayhem]

I still want the County Comm one, I just haven't had a chance to get it yet.

Here's the one I made.

I made it out of a section of leaf spring. (and it holds an edge pretty well, ugly as sin and can pry fairly good too)

 

[stieg]

Sorry, $140 for a piece of D2 meant to pry stuff? Gear Queer City, mang. Not looking to insult you, but do you really use this thing for prying and such? If so, I'd really look hard at the CRKT variety, it costs $100 less and will do exactly the same thing.

I have no idea how much I spent on it, it was years ago. But it was not anywhere near $140, I'll tell you that!

You make good points about prybars vs. Cop Tool. I liked the looks of the Cop Tool and at the time (years ago) didn't see anything like it. So I bought it and don't regret it.

It carries well in the kydex sheath attached to the map pocket/bars in my car. I can pull it out without the sheath moving or budging and it doesn't rattle. Things you can't say about a prybar.

The skull lanyard is a bit much. I'd never do that myself. But I don't care enough to change it.

I *do* wonder about why a cop would want a skull on his prybar, however.

 

[Alacran]

For what it's worth, I purchased a Stanley Fat Max prybar back in 2004; thing is made in Mexico and to make a long story short, I've done everything from pull engines to install engines to bust concrete and twist chains (proof coil) to their breaking point (read twist off point) to, well, just about everything but tune up a watch with it. It even helped me solve some "issues" with looters when hurrican Rita came near Galveston a couple years' back. One of the best tools I ever bought. I don't leave home without it when I travel.