To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Mini pick set

BikeFitter

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Messages
14
i'm looking for a good mini pick set. Right now I'm looking at the Snap On, the Mayhew Dominator set, and the Gearwrench. So basically $44 for the Snap on, $30 for the Mayhew, and $15 for the Gearwrench.

I'm wondering if there is a real difference in quality between them all, I tend to bend the tips of these quite often. I'm just having trouble justifying almost $50 for a pick set.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

kunkernator

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Messages
2,438
Location
US of A
If you want really mini, get a bunch of the HF $0.99 orange picks. I use them all the time, and at $0.99 for four of them, you can't beat it. I have a little carton full of them, and if I break or bend a tip, no big deal.

(I have yet to break or bend a tip on one of these)
 
OP
B

BikeFitter

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Messages
14
If you want really mini, get a bunch of the HF $0.99 orange picks. I use them all the time, and at $0.99 for four of them, you can't beat it. I have a little carton full of them, and if I break or bend a tip, no big deal.

(I have yet to break or bend a tip on one of these)

I've actually been using those for a while, and i'm on my 5th set, and just don't want to deal w/ the hassle anymore.
 

tjmonsen5

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Messages
1,341
Location
Crystal Lake IL
The mini snapon picks are great, I have no problems with them. The dominator/craftsman pro full size picks are awesome too.
 

Skin

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
Messages
11,713
Location
Boston
they all bend, they all break. Used properly any set will last.
 

cookefab

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 2, 2012
Messages
151
Location
Just south of Hell, SW Va
Pratt & Read...<$10 for the set...Amazon...on par w/ SO, Mac...actually made the old
SO w/ the knurled shanks...I'll sell my green SO ones...I use the P&R ones now....PM me if you want 'em...
 

chris6278

Well-known member
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
458
Location
USA
I have a set of matco ones that I've had for awhile. They were around $25
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Fedwrench

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Messages
14,952
Location
Valley of the sun
I like the Gearwrench set. Decent sized handles fairly strong blades, excellent pouch. All picks bend or snap if used as pry bar. To me the ullman made ones for Craftsman are worth picking up when on sale for $5 for a 4 piece set. Yes the rubber grip will slip off under pressure but, a dab of weatherstrip cement fixes that. At that price they're expendable.
 

supra90turbo

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 30, 2011
Messages
595
Location
Central MA
I've had the craftsman ones forever, they definitely last a long time, they're built right. I got rid of the rubber grips almost immediately, though. They're pointless.

I've also had my snap on set for a long time, and only broke the 90º once, and that was my fault. They are extremely tough, hard to beat IMO.
 

jjjrmx5

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
3,431
Location
Cincinnati, OH
You mean even the Snap-ons break?

Yep. They bend too.

If pressed into heavy duty or daily service most mini-picks will have issues.

The tip on my S-O straight mini-pick kept bending when alligning plastic trim via the screw holes for install in vehicles, and I kept taking it to the grinder to get a new point if the point bent or broke and when it got too short I'd warranty it with my driver. He was aware of the issues due to other floor guys having the same problem.

Holes and jobs were too small for large sturdy picks so had to do mini. All in all they are pretty easy to buger up no matter the brand. Even snap-on,
 

Mr. Tool

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2013
Messages
1,867
Yea, I hear you and I know what you mean. Basically you can question what it is, exactly what are you paying for? Is it just the name, the quality or both? Just because of the name doesn't always apply to quality. I'm sure that there are some brands that cost alot less and built to last!
Although, these look pretty cool, from PB Swiss, but the price! $47 bucks for the set or depending on which individual one that you want, anywhere from $7 bucks to $10 bucks!
 

Attachments

  • 7681.jpg
    7681.jpg
    143.6 KB · Views: 4
  • 7675.jpg
    7675.jpg
    138.5 KB · Views: 1
  • 7676.jpg
    7676.jpg
    95.3 KB · Views: 2
  • 7678.jpg
    7678.jpg
    96.9 KB · Views: 1
  • 7679.jpg
    7679.jpg
    96.9 KB · Views: 1
Last edited:

Jawn

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
3,594
Location
Stuck in traffic, GA

t4runner

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
719
Location
Lake Grove. NY
For mini picks . I get them from my dentist. One day while sitting in the chair. I asked the hygienist what they did with their old picks she told me they got rid of them so I asked and she got me a bunch of them they work great.
 

Spudland_Dave

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2010
Messages
3,025
Location
Maine
Yea, I hear you and I know what you mean. Basically you can question what it is, exactly what are you paying for? Is it just the name, the quality or both?
(Although, these look pretty cool as well as the set, but the price!)


Well, people wouldnt pay for the name if the quality wasnt there. Chicken & The egg thing.
I've got a set of CMan, SnapOn, and MAC...the SnapOn's I got because they were green...havent even used them...kinda debated selling them and getting another set of MAC picks...
Right now MAC has BOGO on pick sets...Buy large set, get the mini's free.

IMO To make picks last, use the largest for the job...many people I've seen use the mini's for EVERYTHING...Myself included up until last week. The larger ones have their place.
 

dirtydogintex

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2012
Messages
927
Location
inner looper-3rd Div Houston w & n

metaldad

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
Messages
7,751
Location
nw indiana
I have most, if not all brands........... other than truck ones.
The gearwrench ones are nice. handles fit well in my paws, except, I pulled the handle off a shank without alot of effort.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom