A tool (1) for loosening or removing a set (2) of barbs (3) from barbed wire (4) is disclosed. The barbed wire has at least one strand (7) of wire and a plurality of spaced apart sets of barbs wound around the wire. The barbs extend in substantially opposite directions from a wire helix (6) wound around the wire. The tool has first and second portions (11) each engageable with the wire and having an opposed levering element (8) that is radially offset from the wire for applying leverage to the helix. Rotation of the portions in a first direction abuts each of the levering elements against a corresponding one of the pair of barbs to unwind or unfurl the helix.