"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
It doesn't have to be hard in the sense of holding an edge (no cutting
involved). But it doesn't seem to me (by intuition ONLY) that mild steel
would be "strong" enough. It seems like it would bend too easily.

But not-bending is a matter of tensile strength, yes? And mild steel and
hard steel have the same tensile strength, right? Or, is it a matter of
yield verses ultimate strength?

Bottom line - what should I use use to make a pry bar? (It will have very
specific geometry, so store-bought is not an option.)

Thanks,
Bob

I've seen one made from a truck leaf spring. Also, farm cultivator blades. I
think it's called that, it has knife like projections on the bottom. They
may be medium carbon steel shanks with hardened tips. The tips are sometimes
given a powder coat of tungsten or similar hard face.