The PMP (Pimped Mini Prybar)

Metropolicity · **on:** May 28, 2012, 06:47:22 AM

Taking a break from packing up our house and decided to dig into my tools one last time.

Since we started pack, we are endlessly taping boxes with packing tape, opening boxes, repairing things taken off the wall and removing small nails and such. So, I pulled out my trusty 3" straight widgey bar from County Comm. I like the straight widgey because they are flat and do the job with a little less leverage than it's curved brothers. I would never buy one of those mega expensive Atwood tools, so time to make my own.

A little bit of research, use analysis and some material research, I went out to the shop and stock straight widgey bar and out came this...my PMP (Pimped Mini Prybar).

The paint is a hard wearing enamel based paint, sprayed with a 'stipple' effect (sprayed from more than 14" away with purposeful over spray). This stipple effect created texture on the paint. A couple of coats of clear sealed it in. I baked it in my toaster oven (shop one, not my kitchen one) at 200F for about 45 mins. Cured it good and solid.

The main use for the the PMP is to cut tape and open boxes so after giving the tip a little bit of profiling to smooth out the ramp, I took a round file and roughed out a little notch that make a little pokey box/tape cutter. Then polished with a 600 grit wet paper.

Some jimping for a little grip when cutting duct tape or harder stuff:

I've used my pico widgey as a screw driver before but since I semi sharpened the pry bar end of the PMP, I re-profiled the round end of the back side into a big flat bit driver.

I wanted to avoid a paracord wrap as I wanted to keep this as flat as possible, so I used some wide shrink tube for some grip. I learned a lesson from my pico widgey, so to avoid the tubing from slipping off, I stuck a small strip of skateboard grip tape underneath the tubing before shrinking. The result is a grip that has some texture but not overly overwhelming. A little lanyard made from a mini ziptie folded in half and heat shrunk the same way (grip tape etc).

The reason why I wanted to keep it as flat as possible is that for the last week I have been carrying my BO Wave and Spacepen around the house for repairs before we move. The Skinth VS prototype I've been carrying has a TINY pocket up front no good for much else but bandaids and...you guessed it...The PMP!

The grippy mini-lanyard makes extracting the PMP easy.

My Skinth VS loadout: The Black Tide (Ultimate BO Wave) a Black Space Pen and the PMP.

So that's how you can pimp your mini pry bar.

Hack on!

AHB · **Reply #1 on:** May 28, 2012, 06:50:19 AM

Excellent work..

David · **Reply #2 on:** May 28, 2012, 08:25:53 AM

Great work on that pry bar.

I got a thing for little pry bars. But have not modded one yet.

Sparky415 · **Reply #3 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:32:44 AM

I like that a lot

and the grip tape under the heat shrink idea is genius

Vladimir · **Reply #4 on:** May 28, 2012, 05:00:51 PM

Really excellent prybar!

radiotecha1234 · **Reply #5 on:** May 28, 2012, 05:30:59 PM

Okay, so how much for a box of twenty? Just kidding. But, that is nice work. And very handy.

tattoosteve99 · **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2012, 05:54:17 PM

What kind of paint was that you used? How well will it hold up? Nice work!

Metropolicity · **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2012, 06:12:22 PM

It's hard wearing high temp enamel. Sprayed on with light coats and baked on.

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #8 on:** May 28, 2012, 07:10:50 PM

Certainly looks the part matey

enki_ck · **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2012, 07:30:48 PM

Quote from: sparky415 on May 28, 2012, 10:32:44 AM

I like that a lot and the grip tape under the heat shrink idea is genius

Agree, this is an excellent idea. I love every part of it. Even the small lanyard is pure genius.

I might have to steal/borrow this.

TheRodfather · **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2012, 04:13:56 AM

Quote from: enki_ck on May 28, 2012, 07:30:48 PM

Agree, this is an excellent idea. I love every part of it. Even the small lanyard is pure genius. I might have to steal/borrow this.

Ditto. Great job

Metropolicity · **Reply #11 on:** June 01, 2012, 11:32:57 PM

I REALLY wanted to get rid of the can/bottle opener on my Black Tide in favor of a chisel or something useful, so inspired by a simliar design but in reverse, I went ahead and added a cap lifter to my PMP.

Using a 1/4" solid carbid end mill, I was able to get through the D9 steel pretty easily, the rest was done on a 1x30 belt sander.

While I was there, I resanded the tip to 1000 grit and then a quick polish on my cloth wheel with diamond paste. Mirror shiny! This gave the little hook a sharper edge.

Then masked the tips with tape, and reshot it with enamel paint and a coat of clear. A quick bake at 250F for 30 mins and boom, back in action!

It's a downward pushing motion for the opening action instead of the traditional upwards pull.

And with the rest of my black edc. Working out well so far!

Now to think about what to replace the cap lifter with on my Black Tide.

Metropolicity · **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2012, 07:42:41 AM

Haha. Gave it a go on some awesome Canadian beer, Steam whistle

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