A spudger is a wiring tool

Tool

A tool is a device that can be used to produce an item or achieve a task, but that is not consumed in the process. Informally the word is also used to describe a procedure or process with a specific purpose. Tools that are used in particular fields or activities may have different designations such...

 used for poking or adjusting small wires or components, generally in the electronics

Electronics

Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...

 and telecommunications industries.

The most common spudger is a black or yellow nylon

Nylon

Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...

 stick with a metal hook at one end. Various versions have blunt, sharpened, or insulated hooks. The hook can be used for pulling bridge clips from 66 block

66 block

A 66 block is a type of punchdown block used to connect sets of wires in a telephone system. 66 blocks are designed to terminate 22 through 26 AWG solid copper wire....

s, manipulating wires in a crowded wire wrap

Wire wrap

Wire wrap is a technology used to assemble electronics. It is a method to construct circuit boards without having to make a printed circuit board. Wires can be wrapped by hand or by machine, and can be hand-modified afterwards. It was popular for large-scale manufacturing in the 60s and early 70s,...

 block, or setting DIP switch

DIP switch

DIP switches are manual electric switches that are packaged in a group in a standard dual in-line package...

es. The body of a plastic spudger is usually contoured to offer a better grip. Some spudgers are made of orangewood, used in electronics assembly and soldering

Soldering

Soldering is a process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint, the filler metal having a lower melting point than the workpiece...

 because of its heat tolerance and dense grain. The same orangewood sticks are commonly used in filmmaking, manicure

Manicure

A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands performed at home or in a nail salon. A manicure treatment is not only a treatment for the natural nails but also for the hands. A manicure consists of filing, shaping of the free edge, treatments, massage of the hand and the...

 and pedicure

Pedicure

A pedicure is a way to improve the appearance of the feet and the nails. It provides a similar service to a manicure. The word pedicure refers to superficial cosmetic treatment of the feet and toenails...

, but these industries do not use the term spudger.

The spudger is called a non-marring nylon black stick tool or simply black stick in many electronics repair manuals, where it is the recommended tool for prying open certain laptops, audio file players, and other tight fitting electronic enclosures. It is often used for keyboard removal and LCD disassembly in laptops.