Prybars: Who needs them?

killgar said:
I believe the right tool for the job is the tool that gets the job done. If a tool is capable of doing the job right, without damaging the tool, then it was the right tool for the job, even if it wasn't designed for that job.

I used the three knives below as prybars over several years at work. I carried the top two (separately) working on a shipping dock, where I was required to cut stuff all day long, and sometimes I had to pry open wooden packing crates. Carrying around a dedicated full-size prybar wasn't practical, I'd hate to think of even trying to carry one around all day. And trying to hunt down a prybar whenever I needed one was often a waste of time. But carrying a strong fixed-blade covered all of my cutting and prying needs in one easy to carry tool.

I also used these knives to cut thick plastic freight straps. They make cutters specific for that task, but I didn't want to have to carry one of those around all day either. My fixed-blades handled that task quite easily.

After that job I used the bottom two knives (separately) for a wide variety of uses on construction sites, including prying, and they served me well.

The picture was taken today, so you can see that they survived everything I put them through.

A good craftsman can adapt and improvise, and accomplish more with a tool than it was ever intended for.

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I sure do like those three knives of yours (especially the Wilson in the middle). Can you tell me what edge angle you ended up at with the Entrek? Any issues with the thinner edge?
 
Knives&Lint said:
I actually own one of those KA-BAR tools I posted above, though I've never used it. I bought it about a decade ago when I had just bought a truck and was loading it out with everything imaginable. It now rides in the spare tire compartment of my SUV (it only has to be useful once to prove worth it).

I did formerly carry one of those small Ti pry-bars back at a time when I was doing alot of fixing up and maintaining of my properties by myself, and carrying lots of things in my pockets. It did prove somewhat handy on occasion, mostly for small prying tasks that (let's face it) most guys we know would use their pocket knife for. It even saved the day once when a friend had a flooding upstairs bathroom behind a locked door (long story) and I used it to pop the door open. Yea, we would've got in somehow no matter what, but seconds mattered, and it was good to just reach in my pocket and solve the problem.

It's hard to believe I used to carry all this stuff, but I must say that I had a good system going with it all secured, and there were no bulky pockets or even signs that I was carrying anything outside of a knife and flashlight. My pants sure did weigh a helluva lot though ;).

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BTW, you never know when inspiration will strike. I just pulled this out of the drawer and gave it a quick flame job and some fresh paracord. Perhaps I'll throw it in the pocket from time to time again. I think it could ride next to the Swisstool without me even noticing the difference.

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Is it me or that second (prytool) picture is super psychedelic....🤪

Anyone make a folding pry-knife yet?
 
For around $10 you can get a three pry bar set from Vaughan that includes this 5.5” mini pry bar.


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For prying paint cans, I use the bottle opener end of a CRKT Krein Dogfish knife.

I don’t pry with the blades of knives. Especially knives that are supposed to look like feathers with stress risers along the cutting edge.
 
I have been carrying a 4" curved Widgy pocket prybar lately. Thing is very useful, it's helped me get into things and take stuff apart, you can lend it out when people think they need a knife and let them pry or scrape whatever. They're small, and they make even smaller versions. No wondering if I'll break a tip trying to pry with a knife. It's nice to have. I recommend them!

https://imgur.com/a/fFwR6Yo
 
Bob Denman said:
Don't think that it can't happen to your knife.
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It's pretty easy to avoid actually - just don't do stupid **** with your knives. 😉

In the name of using the right tool for the job, I like the Ti Widgy Bars from County Comm for small pry tasks. Light, strong, not riduculously priced.
 
scdub said:
I sure do like those three knives of yours (especially the Wilson in the middle). Can you tell me what edge angle you ended up at with the Entrek? Any issues with the thinner edge?
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Sorry scdub, I don't know the edge angle on the Entrek. I thinned the edge out freehand. Even if I tried to figure out the angle with a protractor I'd likely be off by a few degrees, at least. I've never known the actual edge angle on any of my knives.

I never had any issues with the thinner edge. The original edge was to steep, it definitely needed to be thinned out for better cutting. I didn't carry it at work for long though, I wanted something a bit longer for more leverage when prying, and that's when I switched to the Wilson.
 
I used to carry a Leatherman shark I believe it was called, which was a prybar, bottle opener, wrench and screwdriver.

However, I lost it right around the time I had my liver transplant, and no longer drinking, saw no need to replace it. I've gone fairly minimalist with what I carry on my person. Small fron pocket wallet, phone, folding knife, key fob, tiny flashlight. I always have my little medicine bag. Which has a Vic super tinker, 3 keys, a checkbook, and pen. I keep a Sog powerassist in the car.

99% of the time the right tool for the job is nearby. If I break my SAK no big deal. It got run over about 50 times (left my old med bag on the roof of the car once. Found it on a busy road with 45mph limit) so I'm not concerned. Titanium pry bars are like titanium pens, pocket jewelry that just adds weight. The pen in my med bag is carbon fiber, was $15, is near weightless, and is easily replaceable.
 
I keep a few, cheap, keychain tools with prybar capability in various places where they could be needed to open paint cans, lift up the pull ring on cans etc. For slightly more demanding jobs a big, flat, screwdriver comes handy
 
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