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{{Short description|Hand tool for prying boards and nails}}
{{Redirect|Jemmy|the Kongolese rebel leader|Stono Rebellion}}
{{about|the tool|other uses}}
]
{{Redirect|Jemmy|people named Jemmy|Jemmy (given name)}}
{{Redirect|Wrecking bar|the long handled socket wrench|Breaker bar|the 2010 single by the Vaccines|Wreckin' Bar}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2023}}
] for leverage and a goose neck to pull nails]]


A '''crowbar''', also called a '''wrecking bar''', '''pry bar''' or '''prybar''', '''pinch-bar''', or occasionally a '''prise bar''' or '''prisebar''', colloquially '''gooseneck''', or '''pig bar''', or in Australia a '''jemmy''',<ref>{{cite book|title=Oxford English Dictionary|url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordenglishdic0015unse|url-access=registration|date=1989|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-861186-8|pages=jimmy 1, n. 6}}</ref> is a ] consisting of a metal bar with a single curved end and flattened points, used to force two objects apart or gain ] in lifting; often the curved end has a notch for removing nails.


The design can be used as any of the three ]. The curved end is usually used as a first-class lever, and the flat end as a second-class lever.
A '''crowbar''', a '''wrecking bar''', '''pry bar''', or '''prybar''', or sometimes (in British usage) a '''prise bar''' or '''prisebar''', and more informally a '''jimmy''', '''jimmy bar''',{{Citation needed|date=September 2007}} '''jemmy''' or '''gooseneck''' is a ] consisting of a ] bar with a single curved end and flattened points, often with a small fissure on one or both ends for removing ]. In the ], ] and ], "crowbar" may occasionally be used loosely for this tool, but may also be used to mean a larger straighter tool (see ]). The term ''jemmy'' or ''jimmy'' (named for a ]) most often refers to the tool when used for ].


Designs made from thick flat steel bar are often referred to as '''utility bars'''.
It is used as a ] either to force apart two objects or to remove nails. Crowbars are commonly used to open nailed wooden crates. Common uses for larger crowbars are: removing nails, prying apart boards, and generally breaking things. Crowbars can be used as any of the three ] but the curved end is usually used as a first-class lever, and the flat end as a second class lever.


== Materials and construction == ==Materials and construction==
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2024}}
Normally made of medium-carbon ] they can alternatively be made from ], which has the advantages of being lighter and nonmagnetic.
A common ], the crow bar is typically made of medium-carbon ], possibly hardened on its ends.


The least expensive, most common crowbars are forged from hexagonal, or sometimes cylindrical stock. More expensive designs may be forged with an ] cross-section shaft. Commonly crowbars are forged from ], either hexagonal or sometimes cylindrical. Alternative designs may be forged with a rounded ] cross-section shaft. Versions using relatively wide flat steel bar are often referred to as "utility" or "flat bars".


== Etymology == ==Etymology and usage==
The accepted ]<ref>]: ; , sense 5a</ref><ref>]: </ref> identifies the first component of the word ''crowbar'' with the bird-name "crow", perhaps due to the crowbar’s resemblance to the feet or beak of a crow. The first attestation of the word is circa 1400. They also were called simply ''crows'', or ''iron crows''; ] used the term ''iron crow'' in many places<ref></ref>, including his play ], Act 5, Scene 2: The accepted ]<ref>]: ; , sense 5a</ref><ref>]: {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312090547/http://www.bartleby.com/61/95/C0769500.html |date=2008-03-12 }}</ref> identifies the first component of the word ''crowbar'' with the bird-name "crow", perhaps due to the crowbar's resemblance to the feet or beak of a crow. The first use of the term is dated back to {{circa|1400}}.<ref>]: </ref> It was also called simply a ''crow'', or ''iron crow''; ] used the latter,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/romeojuliet/page_256/|title=No Fear Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet: Act 5 Scene 2|website=www.sparknotes.com}}</ref> as in '']'', Act 5, Scene 2: "Get me an iron crow and bring it straight unto my cell."
:Get me an iron crow and bring it straight
:Unto my cell.
In the 1719 novel by ], ], the protagonist uses crowbars as pickaxes but refers to these tools as '''iron crows''':
:As for the pickaxe, I made use of the '''iron crows''', which were proper enough, though heavy;


In ]'s 1719 novel '']'', the protagonist lacks a ] so uses a crowbar instead: "As for the pickaxe, I made use of the iron crows, which were proper enough, though heavy."{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
== Popular culture ==
* The crowbar appears as a basic weapon in many ], most notably wielded by the main character of the '']'' franchise, ]. It is also used as a means of opening hidden crates, as seen in the ] series.
* The ] ], ] used this tool as his primary weapon, especially after it was accidentally enchanted by Asgardian magic to give him power enough to challenge ].
* In the ] comic book story arc '']'' (as well as the animated movie, '']''), the Joker beats Robin to death with a crowbar.


== References == ==Types==
Types of crowbar include:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://specopstools.com/blog/what-is-a-pry-bar-and-what-are-they-used-for/|title=What is a Pry Bar and What Are They Used For?}}</ref>
*Alignment pry bar, also referred to as Sleeve bar
*Cat’s claw pry bar, more simply known as a ]
*]
*Flat pry bar
*Gooseneck pry bar
*Heavy-duty pry bar
*Molding pry bar
*Rolling head pry bar

==See also==
* ]
* ]
* ]

==References==
{{commons category|Crowbars}} {{commons category|Crowbars}}
{{Spoken Misplaced Pages|date=2025-01-08|Narration of Crowbar article.mp3}}
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}

{{Types of tools}} {{Hand tools}}
{{Mining equipment}}


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Latest revision as of 15:39, 8 January 2025

Hand tool for prying boards and nails This article is about the tool. For other uses, see Crowbar (disambiguation). "Jemmy" redirects here. For people named Jemmy, see Jemmy (given name). "Wrecking bar" redirects here. For the long handled socket wrench, see Breaker bar. For the 2010 single by the Vaccines, see Wreckin' Bar.
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Crowbar" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
A crowbar with a curved chisel end to provide a fulcrum for leverage and a goose neck to pull nails

A crowbar, also called a wrecking bar, pry bar or prybar, pinch-bar, or occasionally a prise bar or prisebar, colloquially gooseneck, or pig bar, or in Australia a jemmy, is a lever consisting of a metal bar with a single curved end and flattened points, used to force two objects apart or gain mechanical advantage in lifting; often the curved end has a notch for removing nails.

The design can be used as any of the three lever classes. The curved end is usually used as a first-class lever, and the flat end as a second-class lever.

Designs made from thick flat steel bar are often referred to as utility bars.

Materials and construction

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

A common hand tool, the crow bar is typically made of medium-carbon steel, possibly hardened on its ends.

Commonly crowbars are forged from long steel stock, either hexagonal or sometimes cylindrical. Alternative designs may be forged with a rounded I-shaped cross-section shaft. Versions using relatively wide flat steel bar are often referred to as "utility" or "flat bars".

Etymology and usage

The accepted etymology identifies the first component of the word crowbar with the bird-name "crow", perhaps due to the crowbar's resemblance to the feet or beak of a crow. The first use of the term is dated back to c. 1400. It was also called simply a crow, or iron crow; William Shakespeare used the latter, as in Romeo and Juliet, Act 5, Scene 2: "Get me an iron crow and bring it straight unto my cell."

In Daniel Defoe's 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe, the protagonist lacks a pickaxe so uses a crowbar instead: "As for the pickaxe, I made use of the iron crows, which were proper enough, though heavy."

Types

Types of crowbar include:

  • Alignment pry bar, also referred to as Sleeve bar
  • Cat’s claw pry bar, more simply known as a cat's paw
  • Digging pry bar
  • Flat pry bar
  • Gooseneck pry bar
  • Heavy-duty pry bar
  • Molding pry bar
  • Rolling head pry bar

See also

References

Listen to this article (3 minutes)
Spoken Misplaced Pages iconThis audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 8 January 2025 (2025-01-08), and does not reflect subsequent edits.(Audio help · More spoken articles)
  1. Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 1989. pp. jimmy 1, n. 6. ISBN 978-0-19-861186-8.
  2. OED: crow-bar; crow, sense 5a
  3. AHD: crow Archived 2008-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Snopes: crowbar
  5. "No Fear Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet: Act 5 Scene 2". www.sparknotes.com.
  6. "What is a Pry Bar and What Are They Used For?".
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