Mini Pick Set Comparison: Mayhew Catspaw vs PB Swiss vs Snap-on

Introduction

A good mini pick set is one of those quietly indispensable workshop items: useful for seals, o-rings, gaskets, stuck debris, and dozens of fiddly jobs where fingers will not fit. This comparison looks at three well-known options: the Mayhew Catspaw Mini Pick Set, the PB Swiss Mini Pick Set, and the Snap-on Mini Pick Set. All three contain four standard pick patterns, but they differ noticeably in shaft thickness, tip precision, flex, and handle design.

The Mayhew Catspaw set is the newcomer here, purchased for around 15 dollars for the full four-piece set. It is made in Taiwan with rubberized handles, and it immediately raises an interesting question: how much of what you pay for the Swiss and American options translates into real working differences? Measuring all three side by side answers that fairly clearly.

How They Compare on Shafts and Tips

Measured at the midpoint of the shaft, the PB Swiss picks come in at roughly 3 mm, the Snap-on at about 3.3 mm, and the Mayhew at around 3.6 mm. The Mayhew is clearly the thickest and beefiest shaft of the three, which suggests it will hold up to more side loading.

The tips are where things diverge. The PB Swiss tips are the most precisely ground, with a taper that starts far back from the end, giving a finer, more delicate point. The Snap-on and Mayhew tips are somewhat more spear-shaped, which affects how fragile the front end is and what kind of recesses they can fit into. One detail worth noting: the PB Swiss set includes a curved hook-style pick that is genuinely hard to replace, and that pick shape is missing from both the Snap-on and Mayhew sets. It is arguably the most useful single pattern in any mini pick set, so its absence matters for some buyers.

Flex and Stiffness

Bending each shaft by hand reveals another practical difference. The PB Swiss shaft is the most flexible of the three, the Snap-on is fairly flexy as well, and the Mayhew is clearly the stoutest. Thicker shafts resist bending and are less likely to be permanently deformed under leverage, which is a genuine advantage if you lean on your picks.

That stiffness comes with a trade-off: a stiffer shaft transmits more force to the tip, so a heavier hand can snap a fine point more easily. Precise work with delicate tips rewards the more forgiving, thinner shafts.

Handle Design and Grip

The Mayhew Catspaw handles are the standout in size. They are the longest of the three, with the largest finger guard, based on a square or rectangular handle adapted from the company’s Dominator pry bar and screwdriver handles. The handles are rubberized and oriented for directional use, with grip texturing on one side.

The PB Swiss handles are translucent and heavily knurled near the front, offering extra grip when you choke up for precision work. The Snap-on handles are lightly textured but essentially plain. Knurling down near the mid-handle, where picks are often spun quickly, would be welcome on all of them, but the front-end grip is the more useful of the two locations for controlled work.

Shaft Depth Inside the Handle

Using a neodymium magnet slid along each translucent PB Swiss handle, it is possible to see exactly where the shaft ends inside the handle: the magnet releases right at that point. Applying the same test to the other two sets suggests the Snap-on and Mayhew shafts both extend a similar, moderate distance into their handles, while the PB Swiss shaft runs noticeably deeper. A deeper shaft seat means less unsupported length and, all else being equal, a stronger joint between shaft and handle.

Buying Advice: Which Set Makes Sense

For around 15 dollars, the Mayhew Catspaw set is a genuinely attractive package: four useful standard patterns, the thickest shafts of the three, large comfortable rubberized handles, and colorful storage-friendly packaging. Storing the picks tip-up in the supplied plastic container works better than tip-down, which makes them hard to remove. The main gap is the missing curved hook pick that many users reach for constantly.

The PB Swiss set remains the precision pick of the group: the finest tips, the deepest shaft seating, the most flexible shafts, and that invaluable curved hook pattern. It is the choice for delicate seal and gasket work where tip control matters more than brute strength.

The Snap-on set sits between the two, with mid-thickness shafts, decent if less refined tips, and plain but serviceable handles. It makes sense mainly for buyers already invested in that tool ecosystem.

Conclusion

All three mini pick sets are competent, but they optimize for different things. The Mayhew Catspaw wins clearly on value and shaft stoutness, the PB Swiss on tip precision and versatility of patterns, and the Snap-on lands in the middle. If you only want one affordable set to keep in a drawer or overlanding kit, the Mayhew is easy to recommend, and many users will happily add the PB Swiss hook pick alongside it.