So... I keep ruining my blades' tips (more specifically the edges) trying to pry open food cans, such as this one :
Typically the metal cap is screwed too tightly to the glass, so to open it I need to either punch a hole in the cap (but rust will eventually form, and the food will no longer be protected by an airtight seal) or pry from the sides - damaging my blade in the process.
So what would solve my issue would be a cheap, small knife with a blade made for prying.
For the record, another forumer mentionned the need to separate frozen food with a thin enough prying tool, a need which an actual pry bar wouldn't address.
A quick search returned an article from 2016 entitled 10 knives you can pry with. That's a useful collection of references, however there are several issues, given that some models either :
- Don't exist anymore
- Are too pricey
- Feature a prying part which is too large
- Just feature a pry bar beside a normal blade
- Are just a pry bar with a sharpened side
The Benchmade Boost 591BK is a folding knife which is good, but a relatively big (21cm open) and expensive (170€) :
The TOPS Mini Pry Knife MPK01 is a fixed blade knife, that is relatively big (20cm open) and expensive (150€+) :
The Mantis MT7.2 B looks like a better fit, given it has nice steel (S30V), nice G10 handles, and is much cheaper (80$). However it's also on the relatively bigger side (20cm open), its ergonomics aren't the best (small tabs on the blade, hardly accessible liner lock), and also I don't this it's available outside of the USA.
Therefore my proposal is for Spyderco to make a Pry-Byrd based on the Robin 2.
The reasons for this are multiple :
- Byrd is a cost-conscious brand which can release affordable knives
- Hence customers will be less apprehensive using a knife as a prying tool (even if they ruin it, it won't be too costly)
- The Robin 2 is a successful platform whose compact size and ergonomics are perfect for a carry-everywhere, light duty prying tool
- Most of the R&D is done (see below) so additional research into the matter shouldn't be too expensive