A staple extractor having a handle, a shank attached to the handle and having a conical pry tip, and a sliding member having a clamp head engageable with the pry tip and slidably attached to the shank so as to permit relative longitudinal movement between the shank and sliding member, wherein the clamp head has opposed wings that straddle the pry tip so as to releasably secure a staple bridge. The sliding member has a thumb knob located proximate the handle for moving the sliding member between a retracted position and a clamping position.