If you’ve ever spent time around communication or electrical linemen, you know they don’t just bring tools to the job, they bring a whole vocabulary with them. Over the years, crews across the country have developed a slang dictionary that’s equal parts practical, colorful, and downright funny.

Take “alligator,” for example, a tie stick used on the job. Or “bull line,” which sounds intimidating but is simply a heavy line used for pulling in wires. Then there's a “bucket truck,” also affectionately called a “cherry picker,” used to lift workers high into the air.

But linemen don’t stop at straightforward names. They’ve got a knack for turning everyday tools into something memorable. A shovel might be called a “banjo,” while a hammer becomes a “persuader.” A cable? That’s “baloney.” And the person working with it? A “baloney bender.”

Some terms lean into humor or visual resemblance. A “chicken wing” is a steel insulator standoff, while a “christmas tree” is an auxiliary arm used for lifting conductors. A “pig-tail” refers to a cable lead, and “lobster claw” is an adjustable insulator tool. It’s easy to see how these names stick, once you hear them, you don’t forget them.

Below are some more commonly used slang terms you might hear in the field:

• Bear grease – Electrical contact aid compound.
• Bell – Suspension or deadend insulator.
• Bible – The electrician’s code book.
• Bicycle – A chain drill used for boring holes.
• Booger wire – Neutral wire.
• Boomer – A lineman who travels from job to job.
• Bulldog – A wire grip used to hold conductor under tension.
• Can – Overhead transformer.
• Candy grabbers – Channel lock pliers.
• Come-a-long – Wire grip used to hold tension on conductors.
• Dead man – A buried anchor or support pole.
• Digging bar (Idiot stick) – Steel bar used for digging or prying.
• Elbow – Underground cable terminator.
• Egg sucker – Hot line tool (Grip-All stick).
• Floater – A loose or untied conductor.
• Gin (Pole buddy) – Temporary lifting device.
• Gopher / Grunt / Ground hog – A helper or apprentice.
• Hot – An energized line.
• Cold – A de-energized line.
• Hookstick – Insulated disconnect stick.
• Kettle – Transformer.
• Knuckle buster – Adjustable wrench.
• Mac – Mechanical load pickup jumper.
• Meat hook – Hand line hook.
• Nose bag – Canvas tool pouch.
• Pig – Protective cover-up equipment.
• Pogo stick – Telescoping hot line tool.
• Pot – Transformer (pole-top).
• Rake – Tie stick.
• Snake / Eels – Insulating line hose.
• Spoon – Shovel (cup-shaped).
• Stinger – Wire from cutout to transformer.
• Tag line – Rope used to control loads.
• Thumper – Underground fault locator.
• Tub – Pole-type transformer.
• Two pound – Lineman’s hammer.
• Widow – Cable grip.

No Matter What You Call It, We’ve Got It

At Georgia Underground Superstore, we understand that every crew has its own way of saying things. Whether you call it a bulldog, come-a-long, or something else entirely, we carry the tools and equipment you need to get the job done right.

From underground materials to overhead gear, we stock reliable products that match the way you work, no matter what you call them.

Browse our inventory here: Aerial Installation Hand Tools and Hardware at GUS