Wrecking Bar or Spud Bar

Up until this week I only knew the "Wrecking Bar" as the name of the architectural salvage building before the Hard Rock Cafe moved into its space. But I learned how to use an actual wrecking bar this weekend. Two days of working in the yard, digging, and coming across chunks of concrete from days gone by that were buried by soil. What fun, you will need eye protection for flying debris and gloves with a good grip to lift and drop the bar.

Wrecking bars are often referred to as pry bars. I have used pry bars so naturally when looking up wrecking bars I got lots of pictures of crow bars that did not look like the bar I used. Wikipedia has a better definition and photos that describe my wrecking bar. The British call  the five to six foot bar with pointed end a spud bar. "In North America a spud bar is often sold as a digging bar, slate bar, shale bar or pinch point." I did use it for digging to break up some of this awful black gumbo clay that has to pass for soil in my area. The weight of the bar does most of the work if you let it. Hold the point above the object to break and guide it to drop. It breaks up chunks of concrete great, but it does take a while for the thicker, heavier pieces. The pointy end is for breaking and the flat turned-up end is for prying. Below is a picture of the one I use.

Oh! and you can rent them.