Materials and construction
– Crowbars are typically made of medium-carbon steel, possibly hardened on their ends.
– They are commonly forged from long steel stock, either hexagonal or 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 word ‘crowbar’ is believed to be derived from the bird-name ‘crow,’ possibly due to the tool’s resemblance to the feet or beak of a crow.
– The term ‘crowbar’ was first used around 1400.
– It was also called simply a ‘crow’ or ‘iron crow.’
– William Shakespeare used the term ‘iron crow’ in Romeo and Juliet.
– In Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe, the protagonist uses a crowbar as a substitute for a pickaxe.
Function and design
– A crowbar is a lever consisting of a metal bar with a single curved end and flattened points.
– It is used to force two objects apart or gain mechanical advantage in lifting.
– The curved end is usually used as a first-class lever, while the flat end serves as a second-class lever.
– The curved end often has a notch for removing nails.
– Crowbars can be used as any of the three lever classes.
Variations and names
– Crowbars are also known as wrecking bars, pry bars, prybars, pinch-bars, prise bars, goosenecks, pig bars, jemmys, or jimmy bars.
– In Britain and Australia, they are commonly referred to as jemmies or jimmys.
– Some variations of crowbars are designed with a curved chisel end to provide a fulcrum for leverage and a goose neck to pull nails.
– Utility bars, made from thick flat steel bar, are another common variation.
– Crowbars can come in different lengths and sizes depending on their intended use.
Historical and cultural references
– Crowbars have been used since ancient times and have been found in archaeological sites.
– They have been depicted in various artworks and literary works throughout history.
– Crowbars have been used in construction, demolition, salvage operations, and other manual labor tasks.
– They have also been used as improvised weapons in self-defense or criminal activities.
– Crowbars have become iconic symbols of strength, resilience, and resourcefulness in popular culture. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowbar_(tool)
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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 Britain and Australia a jemmy or jimmy (also called jemmy bar), 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.