Sledgehammer

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This article is about the tool; for other meanings of the word, see Sledgehammer (disambiguation).

A sledgehammer.

A sledgehammer is a tool that consists of a large, flat head attached to a lever (or handle). The head is typically made of metal. The sledgehammer can apply more impulse than other hammers due to its large size. Along with the mallet, it shares the ability to distribute force over a wide area. This is in contrast to other types of hammer, which concentrate force in a relatively small area.

The handle is over half a meter long and, typically, is a full meter long; the head masses at least one kilogram and, typically is three kilograms. Sledgehammers usually require two hands and a swinging motion involving the entire torso; in contrast, smaller hammers used for driving in nails are held by a single hand and only one arm is swung. The combination of a long swinging range and heavy head increases the momentum preceding the resulting impact.

Sledgehammers are used in construction work especially for breaking through drywall or masonry walls. Sledgehammers are also used when one needs to apply a lot of force to dislodge a stuck object (often on farms or in oilfield work). They are also used for driving fencing posts into the ground.

[edit] Other meanings

The word sledgehammer is often used in hyperbole to suggest that the artless use of sufficient force is just to get a job done. Compare to battering ram.

Sledgehammer is also the nickname of famous journalist Steven Vincent.