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Are Snap On Striking Pry Bars worth it?

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danmcph

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Jan 20, 2015
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Idaho Falls, ID
I have a number of pry bars but don't have any of the striking variety and I want to get a few. Of course the Snap On version is high priced but looks nice. I have heard they flex less than their competitors and are a smaller profile but I can't verify that.

Are these a Snap On item that justifies the higher price or is there a striking prybar set that is similar in performance for less money?
 
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IdahoMan

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Feb 26, 2015
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Looked it up. Looks like a piece of bent metal with a plastic handle...but it says "Snap-On", so: $45.
 
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PT Doc

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Craftsman professional are super nice. Made by mayhew. Don't know if still Available. If you are likely to beat on them hard, snap could be worth it for warranty.
 
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ihateminimumwage

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If you can get the old style hard handles, go for them. Much better feel (in my opinion) than the oversized "shake-weight" handles on the current version. A buddy had a 48" with the current style and the handle still seemed oversized, but the bar was awesome to use.

Maybe they got sick of folks sliding big cheater pipes over the old style handles.:dunno:
 
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danmcph

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These are looking awesome. The entire set of prybars for less than $100 and correct me if I am wrong but still made in the USA.
 
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outdoorspace

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I am willing to pay more for quality, especially for striking and prying tools, but I cannot rationalize the price gap between the sets sold off tool trucks and the current Craftsman sets made by Wilde in the USA that also sport a strike cap and regularly go for $20/set.
 
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jfcasey

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Jan 30, 2010
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New Hampshire
If you use pry bars daily and have broken them before then I'd consider them, if not I would stick to mayhew bars.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
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WhiffySpark

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Oct 22, 2009
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I prefer the snapon. I have new and old style as well as Matco (mayhew)? I'm always scared they will snap. Never had that feeling with the snapon.

I prefer the new grip as well
 
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T45

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jfcasey said:
If you use pry bars daily and have broken them before then I'd consider them, if not I would stick to mayhew bars.
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I'd also add, if you want or need hardhandles--they wipe clean. Mayhew doesn't make striking hardhandles. And there is some value in not having to buy & store extra sets of prybars. Cman Pro line and Mayhew Pro are good value on, often on sale or with BOGO.
 
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Finky198

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Feb 25, 2014
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ihateminimumwage said:
Maybe they got sick of folks sliding big cheater pipes over the old style handles.:dunno:
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It's Funny you say that its never crossed my mind as I wouldn't do it. I have a full set of black hard handles and a 48" new style in green hate the color but it works extremely well,
:lol_hitti that would need to be one big pipe :pimpflash

After using both styles I'd be happy either way the newer style offer a little more protection as well as less vibration both are good things. I have hammered on them with 16oz hammers to 5lbs sledges I've broken one bar in 7 years at the tip. Great tools well worth the coin in my op.

I also have a mayhew stiking scraper with the dominator style handle they're are very nice but the handle are not as tough as the snap on. Once it got dirty it would not come clean my snappy wipe clean.
 
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ihateminimumwage

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Finky198 said:
After using both styles I'd be happy either way the newer style offer a little more protection as well as less vibration both are good things. I have hammered on them with 16oz hammers to 5lbs sledges I've broken one bar in 7 years at the tip. Great tools well worth the coin in my op.
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I didn't think about that, and it makes WAY more sense for the larger end to protect hitting a hand. I've beaten the hell out of my CM Pros, and have narrowly missed my holding hand a few times.

My friend's big bar was mostly used to pry truck wheels off that were stuck to the drums, or lifting them back on. Not hammering on the bar in those situations.
 
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ckblum

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Jan 20, 2013
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BC, Canada
I cracked the old style SO handles in half beating on them. Warrantied my 18" recently and got it replaced with the new style handle and I like them way more. Now I just need to warranty the rest to match!

For the price I couldn't find better "big" bars for the money. I have the 36" and used a buddies 48". Plan on buying some bigger ones here soon as well. Also look into the Mac prybars, they have a new handle design and it has a striking cap as well.
 
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earlthegoat2

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Jun 11, 2011
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SE GA
I pound on my red handle craftsman (also mayhew but no strike cap) and have yet to break one. I would buy the Dominators before any others.
 
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Renchi

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Mar 31, 2014
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The Garage
outdoorspace said:
I am willing to pay more for quality, especially for striking and prying tools, but I cannot rationalize the price gap between the sets sold off tool trucks and the current Craftsman sets made by Wilde in the USA that also sport a strike cap and regularly go for $20/set.
Click to expand...

I have lots of pry bars -- new Craftsman, older Craftsman, some really old Craftsman, and new Snap-on. There is a reason the new Craftsman pry bars are regularly on sale for so little money. There is nothing wrong with them for light duty use, but they are thinner than the older Craftsman pry bars and flex like crazy compared to the Snap-on pry bars.

For the record: I am not a "Snap-on fanboy" (probably a third of my tools are vintage Craftsman), but I greatly appreciate quality tools. I can assure you that the price gap you mention can be rationalized.
 
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The Fall

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Austin, TX
PT Doc said:
Craftsman professional are super nice. Made by mayhew. Don't know if still Available. If you are likely to beat on them hard, snap could be worth it for warranty.
Click to expand...

Beat the hell out of them at work. They're awesome. Money well spent and the Sears near me still has them in stock. It's one of the few remaining USA-made Professional line tools still available.
 
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dan360

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Jan 7, 2017
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WA state
The Mayhew Dominator bars are rebranded by many. Matco, Lawson, Armstrong (at one time), a version of the C-man Pro.

I have both the Snappys and the Mayhews. Its a pick 'em, price wise the Mayhew wins out.

Warranty is only as good as your Snap-on man....
 
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walrus

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Maine
I have Mayhew and Snap On hard handle striking bars, like them both. The Mayhews get used more and abused more. No issues with either
 
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2ndGearRubber

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Mar 24, 2014
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Pittsburgh
dan360 said:
The Mayhew Dominator bars are rebranded by many. Matco, Lawson, Armstrong (at one time), a version of the C-man Pro.

I have both the Snappys and the Mayhews. Its a pick 'em, price wise the Mayhew wins out.

Warranty is only as good as your Snap-on man....
Click to expand...


I have the Mayhew as well, they're tanks.

Online, BOGO deals often have the big-*** 56inch (ish) for $100, get he 46inch (ish) free. (lengths stated might be off a hair)
 
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LB-1911

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Loscaldazar

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Feb 23, 2013
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gdocktor3 said:
So it isn't just me or they'd leave them the way they were, no?
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They bought an injection modeling/plastics company and are having the handles now made in the USA instead of Taiwan. Handles will be different now because they are being made in a completely different factory.
 
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bsg1

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Sep 3, 2015
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so cal
i've got Snap-on, all swap meet finds. i have old grip and newer fat grip; prefer older grip.
 
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Finky198

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Feb 25, 2014
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I don't have a dealer and I've never had and issue warranting items one phone call and it's taken care of. Including items like pry bar, hammers. Usually takes 3 days.
 
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bixxjs

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Jan 22, 2017
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293
Location
United Kingdom
I use a lot of pry/crow bars at work ,during home renovations and working on cars.My SO guy wanted crazy money for the latest all singing and dancing prybars,I couldn't justify spending that sort of money on a tool that will be abused.So I bought a 4 foot Dekton pry bar off eBay,it's cheap made of a good quality forging and gets the job done.I posted a picture a few weeks ago.
 
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T45

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Nov 20, 2014
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If you just need a good piece of steel without any of the service element, don't forget to keep an eye out on CL and fleabay for a deal. For whatever reason, people seem to still value used SO prybars so there is a healty secondary market.
 
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HighPlainsWrencher

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Jun 10, 2013
Messages
218
I took my Snap On pry bars home after they changed the handle design. I bought two sets of the 6 or 7 piece Meyhew Dominators from my Snap On driver. I like the handles, they have held up well and carry a lifetime warranty. Those OTC pry bars that were linked in this thread are also damn good pry bars.
 
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gearhead1

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Oct 14, 2013
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NC
They are to me. It's a matter of opinion of course. I have mostly Craftsman but sometimes I bought other tools before Craftsman carried them. They other thing is I sometimes like higher end brand for things that have a rough life.
 
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dr_clyde

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Jan 7, 2009
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6,451
Location
Holland, MI
I have 2 sets of the old style Snap-On prybars, and 1 larger version of the new style. They are very nice.

We have a set of Mayhew Dominator bars in the company box at work, and they are nice as well, but I like the Snap-On grips better.

If I had to go out an buy another set today, I'd get the snap-on.
 
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