Can anything break a steel-reinforced sledge?
Posted 01.02.2012 at 12:00 pm
9 Comments
Strong Hold
B.A.S.H. is the only sledge to thread the handle through the head. Typical sledges rely on friction to hold the two together.
Claire Benoist
Sledgehammers are the monsters of demolition. They can deliver enough force to pound boulders into dust, but strangely, it doesn’t take much to break them in two. When workers miss their target and whack the hammer’s handle on debris, called overstriking, the hammerhead can snap off, becoming a dangerous projectile. Wilton guarantees its Bad Ass Sledge Hammers (B.A.S.H.) against breaks, and will cut a $1,000 check to anyone who can destroy one. Depending on the model, up to six steel rods run the length of the handle and affix to a plate inside the head, holding the two parts together. When the hammerhead strikes, the rubber handle disperses the force evenly among the rods, a design that also absorbs vibration.
THE TEST
Knowing that the B.A.S.H. was likely to withstand regular abuse—hours of pounding on concrete and snapping steel joints—I focused on striking its most vulnerable spot: the upper handle. I repeatedly overstruck the hammer on a one-inch-thick steel rod suspended between two-by-fours. After that, I overstruck on a four-inch-square fencepost that I was driving into the ground.
THE RESULTS
After maybe 1,000 whacks, the B.A.S.H. held strong. In fact, the test was a bit demoralizing—my back felt more worn than the hammer looked. It barely seemed used. The handle flexed gently on impact but never showed any sign of fracture. And the B.A.S.H. is one of the most comfortable sledges I’ve ever swung; the handle absorbs so much vibration that overstriking felt more like hammering a nail than clobbering steel.
Swinging Weight: 2.5-20 pounds
Handle Length: 12-36 inches
Price: $38-$160
The Two-Faced Crowbar
FUBAR: Stanley
With its new FuBar, Stanley multiplies the demolition capability of a normal crowbar, replacing what would be a blunt handle with a heavy-duty slicer. On top, the chiseled end of the 14-inch steel-and-carbon bar is thick enough to break holes in drywall. On the bottom, it’s ground down to a fine edge that can slice through material with a couple of hammer taps to the bar. Stanley FuBar Demolition Bar $20
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Tools are cool. Breaking things is fun. Quality durable breaking tools absolute cool and fun! The only problem of owning tools like this is finding something of good breakable material to BASH!
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See life in all its beautiful colors, and
from different perspectives too!
That FuBar looks positively evil ha.
...if Gordon Freeman had a FuBar...
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why learn from your own mistakes, when you could learn from the mistakes of others?
“The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible” -Albert Ein
The fubar looks sweet. As for the sledge....I have a $10 axe with a high impact plastic handle that has taken a few nasty blows to the handle and its never broken. $160 seems a bit steep for the sledge hammer.
Science always asks "can we," but doesn't seem to ask "should we."
@isitcoldinhere
While I agree that 160 is quite expensive for a sledgehammer I would imagine that it would be worth it for people who work in construction and use it on a daily basis. It absorbs some shock and doesn't break so over the long run it could save money. Then again I don't work in construction so I wouldn't know for sure.
@Ivy Miller
dont know if you are a bot or not but you are sure hot. must be a cyborg.......
"religion is like a prison for the seekers of wisdom"
-Killah Priest
science never asks "should we?" the sheer thought of "should we" is why we had a dark age. instead of asking "should we?" we should instead trust that we have the common sense to know halfway through destroying the world to ask ourselves "alright when i'm supreme ruler, do i want green drapes or red drapes?"
to mars or bust!
wow, that fubar looks just like the daggers i have on an assassin on an mmorpg i play.just need to add sharp edges and make a handle.....