Curved vs. Straight Pry Bars
- Thread starter winlinmac
- Start date
Farmall 1066
Well-known member
I use the question mark shaped Die Setters bars more than any other. Got them is several sizes.
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
curved.
martin666
Well-known member
#2 for curved
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I like straight... I own curved... A lot of them.
Boilerhouse
Well-known member
Mainly own and use curved bars although I have a torsion bar that has been converted to a humongous chisel like device. I have beat and pried on that thing. Very tough.
Farmall 1066
Well-known member
Prybars are like golf clubs, but you can argue that any tool is.
You assess your situation and select the tool. The outcome depends on the appropriate tool selection and the skill with which it is used.
You assess your situation and select the tool. The outcome depends on the appropriate tool selection and the skill with which it is used.
Finky198
Well-known member
^^^ this very well said...
I own both straight and curved tip plus some specialty bars they all have their place. At some point in time, you'll be in the middle of a job and you'll say to yourself I really wish I had a straight tipped pry bar because this curved one is not working for damn... It happens
How many is to many i don't know but I have a lot 8",12",18",24",36",48" curved and 12",24",36" in straight tip... Then there's a half dozen more: lady's foot / indexing, wrecking bars , pinch bars, rock bars. I am sure I will need a few more in time lol.
I own both straight and curved tip plus some specialty bars they all have their place. At some point in time, you'll be in the middle of a job and you'll say to yourself I really wish I had a straight tipped pry bar because this curved one is not working for damn... It happens
How many is to many i don't know but I have a lot 8",12",18",24",36",48" curved and 12",24",36" in straight tip... Then there's a half dozen more: lady's foot / indexing, wrecking bars , pinch bars, rock bars. I am sure I will need a few more in time lol.
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Moose-LandTran
Well-known member
I like curved. I have a set of straight ones that see very little use.
I like aligning bars with a pointed tip and 90 degree end, use them all the time. I also have a 24" prybar with the tip bent to almost 90 degrees which is also very useful. Just depends on the situation.
Brake shoe adjusting levers make great mini prybars too, i have a set of them that are used for such tasks.
I like aligning bars with a pointed tip and 90 degree end, use them all the time. I also have a 24" prybar with the tip bent to almost 90 degrees which is also very useful. Just depends on the situation.
Brake shoe adjusting levers make great mini prybars too, i have a set of them that are used for such tasks.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
I use curved most often, but when you need a straight one, damnit you need one! Anything above 2 feet, I go curved. I find curved easier to use, more leverage, safer for my fingers. Straight is about access. Nice for popping axles when you barely even see the junction.
Check out Harry J Epstein: Great prices in the clearance sections. Like, $10 for a 16inch bar.
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FMC1959
Well-known member
I definitely prefer mayonnaise on my pancakes, but mustard isn't bad either. ( I am anticipating a response to the OP's next thread)
this place just isn't the same without the tags
Strouty
Well-known member
I have been trying so hard to be good, but man I just don't know.
I think I am going to start a thread titled "Windows, Linux, or Mac, what is better????"
I think I am going to start a thread titled "Windows, Linux, or Mac, what is better????"
redwrench60
Well-known member
I prefer straight tip personally and only reach for curved tip when the situation demands. My favorite go to bar is a 30" Cornwell straight tip bar on a Snap On striking cap hard handle. I call it my Snap-Well prybar. Being 3/4" square stock with an inch and a half wide tip it is beefy as hell like a giant screwdriver. Ain't much I can't do with it.
Golgoroth
Member
Curved tip would be my go to bar and I have them in sizes from small to damn big. No such thing as having to big a pry bar!
I do find a straight tip bar is handy when popping a CV axle out of a trans or doing an alignment where you have to shift the engine cradle. For this I have a pair of pry bars. One somewhere around 18" and the other around 36".
I do find a straight tip bar is handy when popping a CV axle out of a trans or doing an alignment where you have to shift the engine cradle. For this I have a pair of pry bars. One somewhere around 18" and the other around 36".
Finky198
Well-known member
From a previous post of mine
The straight one are better suited for tighter areas, small adjustment, and aligning parts.
VS
The curve tip being better for leverage, lifting, and separating parts.
Sometimes I need both it all depends... The 48" is great for removing coil springs
The straight one are better suited for tighter areas, small adjustment, and aligning parts.
VS
The curve tip being better for leverage, lifting, and separating parts.
Sometimes I need both it all depends... The 48" is great for removing coil springs
When you think about it a straight one has the heel about 2" from the tip and let's say it has a 35' angle. A similarity sized curved bar when laid flat along side should have about the same angle at 2" from the tip. Therefor the curved one is useful right all along the curve as the fulcrum point changes as you pry. The straight one has a fixed fulcrum point and only starts working at the 35' angle. (ON A FLAT SURFACE)
I think the curved style is more likely to slip at the fulcrum contact area than a straight one though.
If you are not prying something off a flat surface then the straight one's fulcrum point changes to where it pivots on the lower surface (let's say 1/2" from the tip). The curved one's fulcrum point still still begins where it's back side touches the lower surface and moves to the edge (pivot point)
To visualize, let's say you are prying off a cylinder head from an engine block. There is a 1" flat shelf on the block and a slight recess where you can start the tip. The straight bar will start the lever action at the edge of the 1" flat spot giving you an 18:1 mechanical advantage on a 19" bar. A curved one will start levering before the edge of the 1" flat surface on the block. It will start levering around 1/4" or less away from the tip applying 4 times the mechanical advantage until the fulcrum point reaches the edge of the 1" flat spot where it will be equal to the flat bar.
I have both types but only 3 curved ones which I kind of save for when they are best.
I think the curved style is more likely to slip at the fulcrum contact area than a straight one though.
If you are not prying something off a flat surface then the straight one's fulcrum point changes to where it pivots on the lower surface (let's say 1/2" from the tip). The curved one's fulcrum point still still begins where it's back side touches the lower surface and moves to the edge (pivot point)
To visualize, let's say you are prying off a cylinder head from an engine block. There is a 1" flat shelf on the block and a slight recess where you can start the tip. The straight bar will start the lever action at the edge of the 1" flat spot giving you an 18:1 mechanical advantage on a 19" bar. A curved one will start levering before the edge of the 1" flat surface on the block. It will start levering around 1/4" or less away from the tip applying 4 times the mechanical advantage until the fulcrum point reaches the edge of the 1" flat spot where it will be equal to the flat bar.
I have both types but only 3 curved ones which I kind of save for when they are best.
FMC1959
Well-known member
Don't forget, you need at least 3 follow-up questions within the same thread. Like...Two of my friends have Mac, is that an indication I should get Linux?