A demolition shear and a piercing tip insert and nose configuration for a demolition shear which resists nose wear and resists retract forces exerted on the piercing tip insert in jamming situations and in the event of snagging of the piercing tip insert. The piercing tip insert includes first and second piercing tip halves, each half having an outer planar sidewall, a curved front wall extending laterally inward, and a bottom leg extending laterally inward defining a shearing edge and a piercing edge.