Recommendation? Looking for a slip joint with a pry bar

W

Woody88

Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Messages
4
Hi all,

My first post on the forum - I hope its in the right place, mods feel free to move if needed.

I'm looking for a UK legal edc slip joint. I currently have a James Brand Elko on my keys and it is the best knife I have had in years and it has become my primary knife. Some may scoff at this but I love the pry bar/screwdriver/scraper on the end and use it almost daily. However, it is a bit small on some occasions so I'm looking for something a bigger.

I'm happy to modify something to add a pry bar. Perhaps using something like a Kizer Pinch as a starting point. I'm aware of the bear and son 110 but dubious about the steel being listed as just "High Carbon Stainless Steel". Anyone got any thoughts on these?

Before I go to start modifying something I thought I'd see if anyone out there knows of a slip joint with a pry bar that is bigger than the Elko, or of a good knife to use as a basis to start from for modification.

I welcome your recommendations.

Cheers

Woody
 
Another recommendation for the TL-29.
The screwdriver makes a great little scraper that locks.
Blade is just about 3".
h4EhwbY.jpg
 
Well, others have already made the suggestions that I was going to make. I've carried both and used both for light prying. The TL-29 has probably the more capable blade for use as a prybar but an SAK can offer additional utility in a similar sized package. Which is more important is up to you.
 
Pomsbz said:
The bottle opener on a Victorinox does the task very nicely. I use the bottle opener for that task often.
Click to expand...
Another vote for SAK flat head as an impromptu 'prybar', and I would recommend 93mm Alox models(instead of regular 91mm with red scale) for the task, since they have bigger flathead and their springs are more stout.(if SAK pull is a 5, Alox models are 5.5-6).
 
Another SAK vote. I also find for a more minimalist carry, the GEC Beer Scout does a good job. Just a blade and a cap lifter/flat head. The lifter is quite a bit longer than the SAK version and the knife is only 2 layers thick.
 
The new Lionsteel Jack has a screwdriver which might work for you, there is a preorder for the Collector Knives which is somewhat similar also available.
 
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I use the bottle opener on my Recruit as a pry bar all the time. I could do a "Dcdavis" and make a Razel out of the main blade. It would make a crackin' good scraper.
 
I love the TL-29 electrician's knife for that extra blade that can screw, strip, scrape and pry. :)

...and they're inexpensive. I have at least a half-dozen of them.
 
Avoid Bear; I bought one of their sodbusters just for interest and was not impressed by the slipshod construction. A SAK works fine or as others have suggested an electrician's knife. Or a simple mini-prybar.
 
Lee D said:
Put a Leatherman Brewzer on your keychain
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So much this!

You'll wonder how the hell you ever did without it. It's amazing, and it's only like a $5 bill for one.

Leatherman makes some similar ones, like the Leatherman 2 for cheaper, but the Brewzer has a beer bottle carved in it. :thumbsup:
 
Hi All,

Thanks for all your replies! I've been on various forums over the years but never had so many responses so quickly, great work everyone.
I should have perhaps given some more details on what I'm looking for, but you all generally have the idea. A couple more things...

I much prefer knives with only one blade, hence my love for the Elko where the pry bar is part of the body. I've had an alox sak before and I've always been a bit dubious of their skinny blades, not sure why though. The one I had was a farmer model (I think) which I modified - I took a layer of tools out (saw and second blade?) to leave just the awl and main blade. I do still have the Sak, I think its in my tool box in my car. Saks are good knives but not something that have ever wowed me. The TL29 several of you have recommended is quite a beast too, I was looking for something more minimalist and comfier on the pocket.

I understand why some of you are suggesting I look to carry a separate tool for this such as the Leatherman brewzer etc. I carried a Gerber shard for a couple of years, a great little tool, however I grew tired of it sticking into my leg through my trousers. I also have no need for a bottle opener, once you know how to pry a bottle open you can do it with anything, the back of a knife, a lighter... the guy who showed me how to do it demonstrated with a rolled up magazine! So I have no need to carry a bottle opener anymore. As the old adage goes; the more you know, the less you need.

I know I mentioned having a pry bar on the knife, but upon reflection this is a bit misleading. The reality is that I don't do much prying with it, it's more used as a scraper and screwdriver. I put it in the title so readers would clearly understand what I mean - perhaps I wasn't giving everyone here enough credit.

I think I've gone on enough here, sorry about that. Perhaps I'm looking for something that doesn't exist. But if it does I'm sure someone on here will know of it!

Cheers

Woody
 
One more suggestion... a pocket-friendly knife I carry every day: the Lipic advertising jackknife that was manufactured by Camillus. Just two blades... a medium/small pen blade and a screwdriver/cap lifter. Made in "the good ol' days" with quality and of quality materials. Inexpensive. If you look around, you can probably find one with an ad imprint you like. If not, you can easily remove the imprint for a plain knife (which is what I carry). It's a little larger than it looks... very handy.
KLC14510_1.jpg

(image from cuttingedge.com)
 
desmobob said:
One more suggestion... a pocket-friendly knife I carry every day: the Lipic advertising jackknife that was manufactured by Camillus. Just two blades... a medium/small pen blade and a screwdriver/cap lifter. Made in "the good ol' days" with quality and of quality materials. Inexpensive. If you look around, you can probably find one with an ad imprint you like. If not, you can easily remove the imprint for a plain knife (which is what I carry). It's a little larger than it looks... very handy.
KLC14510_1.jpg

(image from cuttingedge.com)
Click to expand...

A good looking knife no doubt. But see my post above re bottle opener and more than one blade (which also include another folding part, in this case the bottle opener).
 
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