The chopper end of the crowbar is one of its working ends, which is shaped into a flat, often slightly sharpened wedge. Its main function is to penetrate narrow gaps and joints where the other, usually more robust, end of the crowbar would not reach. This end is used to wedge between two joined materials, for example to separate wooden boards, to prise battens away from a wall or to lift floor coverings such as tiles or linoleum. Thanks to its flat and sharp shape, it can also be used to chop or scrape off excess material such as dried mortar, glue or to cut through roots in the ground. This end works on the wedge principle - by striking the opposite end of the crowbar or simply pushing it in, it "bites" into the material and creates the initial space for the actual prying.