by nite0wl » 13 Feb 2015 12:34
The main difference is that the PXS-14 has plastic (or possibly vinyl, or rubber) slip-on handles, the MPXS has metal handles.
There are also slight differences in the tool assortment. Going by the pictures the PXS contains:
4 tension tools
1 double ended small half-diamond/batarang rake
1 small half-diamond
1 ball
1 batarang rake
2 hooks (1 large/gonzo, 1 standard flat-tip)
1 city rake
1 extractor (used to remove debris, broken tool tips, broken keys from the keyway of a lock)
1 half-ball
1 snake rake
The MPXS replaces the double ended tool with a larger half-diamond and the half-ball with a snowman, the rest of the tools are the same just with different handles.
Looking over that list, despite the extra $10 I would buy the MPXS kit (if I was in the market for a set like that). The metal handles on the MPXS are two plates attached on either side of the tang of the pick, this provides a comfortable grip diameter (and removes that 'sharp' edge' of tang-only picks) without deadening feedback. The MPXS also drops some of the most useless tools in the PXS assortment and ensures you have a real variety (I have no idea why you would want two half-diamonds of the exact same size and two batarangs).
If you are not familiar with the uses or the pros-and -cons of those different tools, look around the forum for some of the discussions of different pick designs and look up Deviant Ollam's Distinguishing Picks presentation (or just the slide deck as his presentations can be a bit NSFW) or the index from his book Practical Lock Picking.
