Ever since my first blog on modifying a standard rex tool to be able to carry it in your pocket I have received lots of emails and had lots of questions about which modification (the pipe or the adz bracket). The reason why there is a debate about which one is better or more applicable is because I tend to like the adz bracket modification better because it allows you to rock the tool side to side and "walk" tough cylinders out off the door, with the pipe modification you loose the ability for the side to side movement.

The main reason that some guys like the pipe modification better is because in their company they utilise the wide adz halligan. So my latest project was to come up with a way to use either the pike or the adz to pull the cylinders. I have also seen on different blogs and websites  several other modifications by other people to give the ability to use both, this was usually accomplished by welding a pipe on the top of the adz bracket. This modification made the tool extremely heavy and awkward. Remember that this is a tool that you want to carry in your pocket most of the time, it should not look like something that a gas station should have the rest room keys attached to!

The first thing I did was cut the handle off a standard Rex Tool with a band saw. The next thing was I cut the length of the head down by 1'' to decrease the weight and size of lock puller, the head was now ready for the new staple. The new staple had to be made to accommodate the pike and the adz, the answer was far simpler than you might think. With the help of Jamie Hiller at H and R Machine I used a shop press to bow the centre of a piece of 1/4'' plate, the ends were then bent to fit the width of the lock puller. A MIG welder was then used to attach the bracket to the lock puller.

This modification gives you the best of both worlds, it allows you to be able to perform through the lock using either the pike or the adz. This new modification gives you a tremendous and light weight lock pulling option that you can keep in your pocket.