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The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

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xeo

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Post Wed Apr 17, 2013 5:00 pm

The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

First and foremost, thank you to Dicey for supplying the Technical Entry prybars FOR FREE for me to use and comment on. What a generous fellow.

Background


Photos are high resolution, click to enlarge

The two products in question are the Peterson Prybars from Peterson International: http://www.peterson-international.com/tensiontools.html

vs

The two Technical Entry Prybars from Technical Entry: http://www.technicalentry.com/products/prybar

Picture 128.jpg

1.png

tips.png

tips2.png

peterson.laser.png

curve.png


Comparison


Technical Entry description:

Technical Entry sensitive pry bars are quite simply excellent. We deliver them as a set, two pieces, 1mm and 1.2mm thick to cover a great number of pin cylinder locks. Serrated teeth bind in keyway to give a very good purchase. Hold above or below the cut out to apply more or less tension. Made of the highest specification steel available the feedback they provide is second to none. The right material in the right configuration, we are very happy to offer you this pry bar, tension wrench and believe it will be one of your favorites. Pry bars are laser etched for easy identification.


Prybar description:

You asked for it, You Got It! The Peterson Pry Bar is for the many locksmiths who requested a strong and solid tension tool. At 0.050,” our "Serrated Pry Bar" is the width of the key blade segment of most keyways. This strong-arm partner is notched to eliminate contact with the first pin, flat to fit in your pick set, and has our serrated edge technology that locks it in any keyway! Made of our famous Government Stainless Steel: only the best, of course!

Who says you can’t please everyone? When several locksmiths felt our original pry bar was too thick for some of their needs, we did just that. Now almost everyone buys both! At 0.040” the Peterson Pry Bar Lite has the same great features as our Pry Bar, but with a little more flexibility of keyway fit. And, of course it has our serrated edge technology applied to lock it in the keyway! It is made from the same Government Stainless Steel that made the original pry bar such a hit in the field.


As some of you may know, Peterson Prybars are my favorite tensioner. Well I finally got the chance to play with their evil clone twin from Europe. Since we are talking about two very similar products in form and function I am going to be as picky as I possibly can. As you can see from the photos, it should immediately strike you that the TE prybars are far more precisely produced than the Peterson ones. The Peterson Prybars do not have anything close to the clean lines that the TE prybars do. I could be wrong on this, but I'm fairly certain Peterson laser cuts his government steel. It would seem that the bumps and ridges are a result of the laser cutting. This same type of bumpy ridge texture is found on Peterson's government steel picks as well. There is also a nasty looking knot of metal you can see on the Peterson prybars which may be where the laser started or stopped, or both. I have always preferred performance to visual appeal, so I am willing to set this aside... for now. If you are one of those people who prefers an extremely precise product for your money, go ahead and subtract points away from Peterson's Prybars for their apparent manufacturing sloppiness.

The tips on both products are very similar. I will go ahead and say that Technical Entry straight up copied Peterson's design. It is obvious. The tips, thicknesses, lengths are 99% similar. The TE prybars are slightly longer by a very small amount visible to the naked eye. I don't have a micrometer handy otherwise I would have taken measurements. The length difference is insignificant in my opinion. Both products have "teeth" meant to prevent slipping out of a keyway and to provide grip. Both products are identical in the length and size of the business end that inserts into the keyway with the exception of the back end opposite the tip. There is more metal there, the curve isn't as steep. I think this adds slightly more strength but that is only conjecture. The teeth on the TE prybars are smaller, shallower, and higher in number than the Peterson prybars. The peterson teeth are deeper and wider. I noticed no difference in performance despite this.

As you can see from the photo, the Technical Entry prybars have a curved midsection. I honestly don't know what the purpose of this is other than to add a visual streamline artistic touch to fit with the theme of the Technical Entry company as a whole. The only other thing I can think of is to try and engineer a precise point of stress fracture where if you bent the prybar hard enough it would snap there. I doubt it. Personally, I find the curve to be annoying as I slide my fingers down and up on prybars to adjust tension strength I would rather not deal with the sensation of a sudden indentation in the tool I am using.

Feedback. I have used enough tools enough times to say that there is absolutely zero difference in feedback between these two products. I used them on all kinds of locks high and low security from Kwikset to ASSA Twin. Light tension, hard tension, medium tension, bucking bronco bouncing betty tension... its all the same. Honestly, take my word for it. There is literally no difference.

Strength. I am an animal. Wait... what? Anyway... strength. I spent a good 5-10 minutes sitting here flexing each one trying to determine which one is stronger on top of the hours I spent picking with the Technical Entry prybars. Well, The Peterson Prybars are *SLIGHTLY* more flexible than the Technical Entry prybars. When I say slightly, I mean slightly. Without snapping each one with a fish scale or some other tool to know for sure, I can't tell you for sure. Both of these tools would require you to put some serious force on them to snap them. I did not venture into the cataclysmic torsion seismograph level tension to try and torcher these prybars. I would rather not snap my brand new tools. I think both of these tools are extremely similar in their strengths. Only time will tell. As long as you keep the tension level below insanity I can see both of these products lasting a lifetime.

Litmus Test


This is my personal litmus test. I tested to see if the TE prybars can sit unattended in a Medeco classic keyway. They can.

DSC07693.JPG

DSC07694.JPG

DSC07695.JPG

DSC07696.JPG


Magnetic Peterson Prybars


While photographing these tools, I noticed my two Peterson prybars were sticking together. They are magnetized. I don't believe I have ever seen this fact stated anywhere online or mentioned by anyone. The thicker one is strong enough to hold several paper clips and is strong enough to lift and hold the thin prybar completely. Since I had not known this until now, I can honestly say this has had zero impact on picking. Perhaps if you were dealing with keypins made from a certain metal they would attract to the prybar and hover. Can anyone else check if their prybars are magnetized? I can't think of any situation where I would have accidentally magnetized them.

magnetic.png


Conclusion


My personal opinion is that these are a toss up. I grab the nearest one when I go for a lock. I favor neither.

Performance-based scores:

Peterson Prybars: 10/10 - Stellar
Technical Entry Prybars: 10/10 - Stellar

Visual appearance scores:

Peterson Prybars: 9/10 - Visual laser-cutting artifacts, doesn't look pretty under a macro photograph.
Technical Entry Prybars: 9.5/10 - I don't like the curved midsection. Aside from that, STELLAR production.

Overall scores:

Peterson Prybars: 9.5/10
Technical Entry Prybars: 9.75/10

And, of course, the TE prybars can be used to pick Medecos, quite nicely I might add. :D

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Oldfast

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Post Wed Apr 17, 2013 5:17 pm

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

xeo wrote:Can anyone else check if their prybars are magnetized?
Yup, mine too! What an unexpected discovery! lol

This whole write-up looks like a GRAND read Xeo.
Unfortunately I'm on my way out the door... so it'll have to be later.
" Enjoy the journey AS MUCH as the destination."
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fgarci03

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Post Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:12 pm

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

XEO, you are the MAN!

Awesome review! I'm considering making a few pry-bars for me, but I may give it a shot to either of them anyway (which ever ones that are cheaper :razz:)

Many thanks for this :drool:
Go ahead, keep plugging away, picking on me! You will end up on bypass or with rigor mortise.
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dicey

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Post Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:59 pm

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

I knew you were the right man and also right lock picker for this job mate :)

TE is cutting there material with another technique and not with laser and the result is a nicer and smother finish as we can see in the report. I am a perfectionist and I like my tools to be nice and smooth so they would be my choice. It is interesting to hear that there is no difference in the "feel" of them though. You know that I am more a researcher then a lock picker and therefore I handed the pry bars to someone who is up for the job and also a very experienced lock picker.

There is one last thing I would like to mention however...
Living in the US I would definitely buy the Peterson but as I am from Europe I would go for the TE because they are made in Britain. The delivery route will be shorter and therefore also more ecological. At least this is how I think about it.

Well done and great review xeo!
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gunny

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Post Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:22 pm

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

Issue resolved...Drive on. FYI, great review. I have personal experience with Peterson tools. OUTSTANDING tools and the CEO as well. Had an issue with an order and he personally made sure that his associates handled it in an most efficient and timely manner.

- Semper Fidelis
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Squelchtone

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Post Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:48 pm

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

gunny wrote:Issue resolved...Drive on. FYI, great review. I have personal experience with Peterson tools. OUTSTANDING tools and the CEO as well. Had an issue with an order and he personally made sure that his associates handled it in an most efficient and timely manner.

- Semper Fidelis


I'm a big fan of Wiha tools! =) My precision screw driver set with roll up case is Wiha.

xeo: awesome write up, thank you!

Squelchtone
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ARF-GEF

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Post Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:28 am

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

Outstanding post Xeo. I've greatly enjoyed reading it!

Technical entry tools look really nice.

I have the petersons and I must say their finish leaves some to be desired. I've spent half an hour on each to make the nice and presentable, they actually had a spike at the middle before I got there with the sandpaper. That was disturbing for me it annoyed me a bit while picking.
That said they are still excellent tools. I thought before it's THE tension tool to get but now I say it's the technical entry.

performance to visual appeal, so I am willing to set this aside... for now.

I agree with this one to some point ,but let's not forget peterson makes premium products and are definitely not cheap.
And I'm a maximalist so I hate when tiny details screw things up.
So I totally agree with Dicey we have the same mentality:
I am a perfectionist and I like my tools to be nice and smooth so they would be my choice.


I don't like the curved midsection.

That's purely a question of taste of course :) I like it but not even primarily because of the visual effect, but because I see that they put in thought and effort to make it nicer and better. Bonus points in my eyes.

. Can anyone else check if their prybars are magnetized?

Mines are magnetised too and I love it! A nice feature because shows attention to details. It's not really see why it's useful but I give them points for the effort. (I'd say it gives back the point I mentally subtracted for the untidy finish.)
To infinity... and beyond!
=== WARNING DANGER OF TYPOS!===
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Equals in plain English: cleaning lady comes: you allow her key in the morning
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dicey

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Post Thu Apr 18, 2013 4:50 am

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

I have personal experience with Peterson tools. OUTSTANDING tools and the CEO as well


I have to agree with that :)
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xeo

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Post Thu Apr 18, 2013 5:55 am

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

gunny wrote:Issue resolved...Drive on. FYI, great review. I have personal experience with Peterson tools. OUTSTANDING tools and the CEO as well. Had an issue with an order and he personally made sure that his associates handled it in an most efficient and timely manner.

- Semper Fidelis


Yeah, Ken Persson (that is his actual last name), is a great guy to deal with although he can be a little quirky to have a conversation with. Anytime they screwed up my order they fixed it promptly... and I even got some free tools out of it on a few occasions. Overall great company however I do not agree with their move to the .015 thickness slenders from their previous width of .018.
Image
The code is hidden in the tumblers. One position opens the lock, another position opens one of these doors...
http://www.youtube.com/xeotech1

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MrAnybody

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Post Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:22 am

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

Holy crap! I've wondered for many months how in the hell I managed to magnetize my Pry-bars! HA! Now the answer!

I am not alone.

But, that's not all. Just to throw the theory a curve ball ..... I've also got a set that are not magnetized. Go figger!

Nice review though. Many thanks, xeo
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Oldfast

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Post Thu Apr 18, 2013 3:11 pm

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

MrAnybody wrote:..... I've also got a set that are not magnetized. Go figger!

....and the plot thickens. lol
" Enjoy the journey AS MUCH as the destination."
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kilby

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Post Fri Apr 19, 2013 2:48 am

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

MrAnybody wrote:But, that's not all. Just to throw the theory a curve ball ..... I've also got a set that are not magnetized. Go figger!



My aren't magnetized either(only bought the about 2 weeks ago)

I was told that the slimmer waist in the Technical Entry ones where to permit a little more flex
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darkhorse

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Post Fri Apr 19, 2013 8:38 am

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

i have both sets...cant tell the difference apart from the slim middle section and yes my petersons are magnetised too
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huxleypig

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Post Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:24 am

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

xeo wrote:
gunny wrote:Issue resolved...Drive on. FYI, great review. I have personal experience with Peterson tools. OUTSTANDING tools and the CEO as well. Had an issue with an order and he personally made sure that his associates handled it in an most efficient and timely manner.

- Semper Fidelis


Yeah, Ken Persson (that is his actual last name), is a great guy to deal with although he can be a little quirky to have a conversation with. Anytime they screwed up my order they fixed it promptly... and I even got some free tools out of it on a few occasions. Overall great company however I do not agree with their move to the .015 thickness slenders from their previous width of .018.


He's a top bloke aint he?! He sold me my 1st Peterson 1/2 diamond (now deceased thanks to the ASSA Twin) for just £2.50 from some locksmith convention I went to. Did he think Petersons sounded better than Persson for a company I wonder?
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Logan

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Post Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:48 pm

Re: The Battle of the Prybars: Peterson vs Technical Entry

I love my TE prybars; my only gripe with them is that oils from your skin cause them to lightly rust. I have yet to get a set of Petersons to see if they suffer the same or not.
BTW...
Great thread Xeo.
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