This article is about the hand tool. For other uses, see Crowbar (disambiguation).
The tool called a crowbar in modern American usage, or a jemmy in British/Australian/New Zealand usage
A crowbar, wrecking bar, pry bar, or prybar, pinch-bar or sometimes a prise bar, prisebar, and more informally a jimmy, jimmy bar, jemmy or PikiPiki [1] or gooseneck is a tool consisting of a metal bar with a single curved end and flattened points, often with a small fissure on one or both ends for removing nails. In Britain, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, due to the influence of American TV "crowbar" may occasionally be used loosely for this tool, but it is still mainly used to mean a larger straighter tool, its original English meaning (see digging bar). The term jemmy or jimmy most often refers to the tool when used for burglary.
It is used as a lever either to force apart two objects or to remove nails. Crowbars are commonly used to open nailed wooden crates, remove nails, or pry apart boards. Crowbars can be used as any of the three lever classes but the curved end is usually used as a first-class lever, and the flat end as a second class lever. In mining, crowbars are used to break blasted rocks and to remove loose rock on roof sides and the working face, but not as much in modern mining.