The focus of equal trade has a lot of potential that is not realized:
* In creative mode it shouldn't require / use up blocks.
* A totally brand new focus of equal trade is bound to "air"/nothing, and will (or at least, would at one time) exchange blocks with nothing. But there is no way to clear the wands setting to get that behaviour ever again.
Heres a tip. If you dont have botania installed, equal trade torches to quickly dismantle a building. Most of them will fall to the ground. If you DO have botania installed, use flowers instead. Some of them will float in the air but you can use the horn of the wild to knock them all down.