Hi Guys, I am a newby. I hope this subject hasn't already been beaten to death. I have been thinking of adding a pry bar to my survival tools and was wondering if anyone has experience with the pry bar. My question is how long should it be? I have been looking at a 17" bar and its very portable. I'm speculating but I would think that anything shorter would not have enough leverage. Any recommendations or suggestions are appreciated. This is an excellent board, by the way.
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Pry Bar
- Thread starter Zip06
- Start date
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- Jan 28, 2002
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- 790
I keep a prybar in the bedroom and in my car trunk as an emergency tool, but I don't carry them around so they're both 24". If you need portability but don't mind added weight, you can throw in a cheater bar (pipe) along with your 17". Let us know what you decide!
If it's something that you might have to pack, give some consideration to getting a titanium pry bar or crowbar. For general survival I like a 17 inch crowbar. EDIT sorry actually I like a 21 incher.
They aren't hideously expensive (under $40 is easy to find). They are stronger than steel and steel alloys and most makers claim that they are 40% lighter. And they are non-sparking, which might come in handy in an emergency situation.
Do a search for "titanium crowbar" and you'll find scores of sources.
pil sung
They aren't hideously expensive (under $40 is easy to find). They are stronger than steel and steel alloys and most makers claim that they are 40% lighter. And they are non-sparking, which might come in handy in an emergency situation.
Do a search for "titanium crowbar" and you'll find scores of sources.
pil sung
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- May 22, 2002
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- 1,485
I have a smaller (13 in Wonderbar)in my SHTF pack.
Many uses.
Many uses.
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2000
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- 6,104
My favorite is the Estwing "I-Beam Construction Pry Bar". Got one when working for a contractor tearing out and replacing the exterior siding on apartment buildings, where it was used constantly, and it stays in my truck most of the time, now. The model # is PB-18, and it's listed as 22oz/18" long(mine is actually 17 1/2").
A great tool, and less than $20. There's another version of it on this page, too.
A great tool, and less than $20. There's another version of it on this page, too.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2000
- Messages
- 1,526
Zip06,you've got some good answers from the guys.Owen,thanks for that link,I like that 12 inch chisle.
I am a pry bar fan myself,to me in a city it is the "urban fixed blade".For a blend of the 2 check out Beckers Tac Tool
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Yes the bigger the better,but... the harder to carry.That Pry Baby is cool and would save a lot of broken knife tips if evertone caried that along with their folder.
But don't sell a smaller bar "short",its like the .38 snub in your pocket beating the .45 at home.I carry a 7 inch Stanly flat bar,5 bucks and I got to say wow,how did I get by without it.Your not going to tear doors off,but I have slid the latch back a number of times to get though locked doors,popped some windows,and if nothing else it may open up enough of a gap to stick something larger in.
Heres a recent story.A couple months ago we catch a highrise fire,its a Saturday so not many people at work in the building.The fire knocks out the electric system and back feeds the emergency generator,so no almarms or back up lights go off.People don't know theres a fire,till some smell it others when they see/hear the firetrucks pull up...
So they try to leave,go out into the stairways like they should,only the stairways are pitchblack and have some smoke entering them...some are afraid to go down and can't go back into their office 'cause the stairway doors are locked from the stairway side.
We had people laying on the stairway floor sucking air off the ground,to scared to go down unable to go back in their office floor.
I used that little bar to open more than one door to check floors for people.If they had one or that little Pry Baby on them or even in an office "go bag" they would not have been laying on a dark, dirty stairway floor that is filling with smoke.
I am a pry bar fan myself,to me in a city it is the "urban fixed blade".For a blend of the 2 check out Beckers Tac Tool
.Yes the bigger the better,but... the harder to carry.That Pry Baby is cool and would save a lot of broken knife tips if evertone caried that along with their folder.
But don't sell a smaller bar "short",its like the .38 snub in your pocket beating the .45 at home.I carry a 7 inch Stanly flat bar,5 bucks and I got to say wow,how did I get by without it.Your not going to tear doors off,but I have slid the latch back a number of times to get though locked doors,popped some windows,and if nothing else it may open up enough of a gap to stick something larger in.
Heres a recent story.A couple months ago we catch a highrise fire,its a Saturday so not many people at work in the building.The fire knocks out the electric system and back feeds the emergency generator,so no almarms or back up lights go off.People don't know theres a fire,till some smell it others when they see/hear the firetrucks pull up...
So they try to leave,go out into the stairways like they should,only the stairways are pitchblack and have some smoke entering them...some are afraid to go down and can't go back into their office 'cause the stairway doors are locked from the stairway side.
We had people laying on the stairway floor sucking air off the ground,to scared to go down unable to go back in their office floor.
I used that little bar to open more than one door to check floors for people.If they had one or that little Pry Baby on them or even in an office "go bag" they would not have been laying on a dark, dirty stairway floor that is filling with smoke.
If you are looking for the ultimate in small pry bars and are willing to spend some money ($70-140), I would suggest a fire/rescue tool. I have used them in municipal firefighting and tearing apart vehicles on accident scenes. While they do not have the power of full-size tools, e.g., Haligan or hydraulic scissors, they will surprise you with what they can do.
The best are non-sparking and are telescoping so you can use them as a sort of battering ram. Here are some from Galls.com:
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=FE144
and
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=FE221
As to length, I suspect you are right, 17 inches is about the minimum. Smaller ones are really for things like taking apart shipping crates, not buildings and cars.
Scott
PS:
Here's one for $13. It's a little bigger than what Lone Hunter describes, but it has a lot of utility and the price is right:
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=RT013
The best are non-sparking and are telescoping so you can use them as a sort of battering ram. Here are some from Galls.com:
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=FE144
and
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=FE221
As to length, I suspect you are right, 17 inches is about the minimum. Smaller ones are really for things like taking apart shipping crates, not buildings and cars.
Scott
PS:
Here's one for $13. It's a little bigger than what Lone Hunter describes, but it has a lot of utility and the price is right:
http://www.galls.com/shop/viewProductDetail.jsp?item=RT013
RokJok
Gold Member
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- Oct 6, 2000
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- 4,198
Scott, Thanks for the links to Gall's. That little mini-evacuation-hammer looks pretty sweet. It's small enough to be easily packed and weighing less than a pound it isn't prohibitively heavy. I'm thinking I should get one for my urban bookpack carry-about. Another company that sells fire/evac tools is Firemark. http://www.firemarktools.com/
It's small enough to be easily packed and weighing less than a pound it isn't prohibitively heavy. I'm thinking I should get one for my urban bookpack carry-about. Another company that sells fire/evac tools is Firemark. http://www.firemarktools.com/
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2002
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- 719
Check out the Barracuda Rescue Saw!
glockman99
RIP Dann, you were a good guy.
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- Jun 12, 2000
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- 21,269
How about a sharpened pry-bar that also has a line-cutter and a part serrated-edge?...The Camillus/Becker BK-3 TacTool.
talk about a handsaw on steroids!
Anyone have any experience cutting anything with this? The teeth are so huge I do not thing it would work well on 2x construction, the writeup indicates panels and windows mostly, prefab and trucking type stuff, but not the heavy shipping containers?
Anyone have any experience cutting anything with this? The teeth are so huge I do not thing it would work well on 2x construction, the writeup indicates panels and windows mostly, prefab and trucking type stuff, but not the heavy shipping containers?
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2002
- Messages
- 126
The Barracuda is an interesting saw. Basically it is designed as a heavy force tool for dealing with glass and standard auto sheet metal. I know they'll work on the side of a standard Semi Trailer (slow going, but better than anything save power tools) but for a standard shipping container, I'm not sure about that.
They take a lot of force to use on sheet metals and it's more of a shearing action than cutting.
I've only had the opportunity to check it out once, so I can't describe it any better.
TC
They take a lot of force to use on sheet metals and it's more of a shearing action than cutting.
I've only had the opportunity to check it out once, so I can't describe it any better.
TC
I personally think there are better ways through things than using a saw. You can use the hatchet part of a rescue tool or, better yet, the "can opener" that comes on some of them. The "battering ram" action of some tools lets you go pretty fast through sheet metal: set the point of the tool and pound your way along the desired cutting line.
I have seen saws work pretty well, but if you don't have the rescue truck right there with a spare, you don't want that brittle blade to break. They also get glass all over when you use them on windshields.
Here's a cool trick that gives away my rural roots: to remove an auto windshield quickly, insert a hay hook in the seal and unzip all around. If you can't get inside to kick it out, you can usually hook the edge of the glass and unzip again on the inside enough to get it loose.
Scott
I have seen saws work pretty well, but if you don't have the rescue truck right there with a spare, you don't want that brittle blade to break. They also get glass all over when you use them on windshields.
Here's a cool trick that gives away my rural roots: to remove an auto windshield quickly, insert a hay hook in the seal and unzip all around. If you can't get inside to kick it out, you can usually hook the edge of the glass and unzip again on the inside enough to get it loose.
Scott