wrote in message
...
What is a SLEDGE? (as in sledge hammer).
All other hammers describe their shape or use, but what the heck does
sledge mean?

John

Typically has a head weighing about 8# and a hand of 30-36 inches. As a
young surveyor, I often used one for driving stakes with a powerful overhead
swing. Now I can hardly lift one.

SJF

wrote:
What is a SLEDGE? (as in sledge hammer).
All other hammers describe their shape or use, but what the heck does
sledge mean?

Sledge is just a word for hammer in several Germanic languages (English,
Scandinavian). Sledge is the English word used to translate the word for
the Viking hammer weapon.

My sledge weighs 16 lbs. 8 pounders are for women!

"Randd01" wrote in message
...
My sledge weighs 16 lbs. 8 pounders are for women!

you could have a steam train
if you'd just lay down your tracks
you could have an aeroplane flying
if you bring your blue sky back

all you do is call me
I'll be anything you need

you could have a big dipper
going up and down, all around the bends
you could have a bumper car, bumping
this amusement never ends

I want to be your sledgehammer
why don't you call my name
oh let me be your sledgehammer
this will be my testimony
show me round your fruitcage
'cos I will be your honey bee
open up your fruitcage
where the fruit is as sweet as can be

I want to be your sledgehammer
why don't you call my name
you'd better call the sledgehammer
put your mind at rest
I'm going to be-the sledgehammer
this can be my testimony
I'm your sledgehammer
let there be no doubt about it

sledge sledge sledgehammer

I've kicked the habit
shed my skin
this is the new stuff
I go dancing in, we go dancing in
oh won't you show for me
and I will show for you
show for me, I will show for you
yea, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do mean you
only you
you've been coming through
going to build that powerr
build, build up that power, hey
I've been feeding the rhythm
I've been feeding the rhythm
going to feel that power, build in you
come on, come on, help me do
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you
I've been feeding the rhythm
I've been feeding the rhythm
it's what we're doing, doing
all day and night

"Randd01" wrote in message
...
My sledge weighs 16 lbs. 8 pounders are for women!


My WOMEN use 16's.
Real men use 20's.


your turn

My WOMEN use 16's.
Real men use 20's.


your turn

Around here we keep the 20s for trim work.

I'd never thought of that connection. Without looking up the German noun
for "hammer," I do recall the verb "schlagen" (="to strike, hit").

So when you really want to *hit* something and not just give it a gentle
tap, you use a *sledge* hammer.

MB


On 08/14/04 06:16 am Dan Hartung put fingers to keyboard and launched
the following message into cyberspace:

What is a SLEDGE? (as in sledge hammer).
All other hammers describe their shape or use, but what the heck does
sledge mean?

Sledge is just a word for hammer in several Germanic languages (English,
Scandinavian). Sledge is the English word used to translate the word for
the Viking hammer weapon.

"Minnie Bannister" wrote in message
...
I'd never thought of that connection. Without looking up the German noun
for "hammer," I do recall the verb "schlagen" (="to strike, hit").

So when you really want to *hit* something and not just give it a gentle
tap, you use a *sledge* hammer.

MB

Like your hand. Sorry, just had to throw that in from experience.

Steve

"Minnie Bannister" wrote in message
...


So when you really want to *hit* something and not just give it a gentle
tap, you use a *sledge* hammer.


Easier to hit softly with a big hammer than to hit hard with a small one.

--

SVL

"FireBrick" wrote in message
...

"Randd01" wrote in message
...
My sledge weighs 16 lbs. 8 pounders are for women!


My WOMEN use 16's.
Real men use 20's.


your turn

real men dont swing a sledge. they get some kid to do it for 5 bucks an
hour.

randy

PrecisionMachinisT wrote:

"Minnie Bannister" wrote in message
...


So when you really want to *hit* something and not just give it a gentle
tap, you use a *sledge* hammer.



Easier to hit softly with a big hammer than to hit hard with a small one.


But either way, your left hand has a black and blue finger

"xrongor" wrote

real men dont swing a sledge. they get some kid to do it for 5 bucks an
hour.

randy

Heh, good one!

"chuck yerkes" wrote in message
news:JEuTc.8458$mD.4422@attbi_s02...
PrecisionMachinisT wrote:

"Minnie Bannister" wrote in message
...


So when you really want to *hit* something and not just give it a gentle
tap, you use a *sledge* hammer.



Easier to hit softly with a big hammer than to hit hard with a small
one.


But either way, your left hand has a black and blue finger

With a REAL hammer your more likely to injure yer foot........

--

SVL

On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 18:17:13 GMT, wrote:

On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 01:07:21 -0500, wrote:

What is a SLEDGE? (as in sledge hammer).
All other hammers describe their shape or use, but what the heck does
sledge mean?

Try Merriam-Webster on line -

Etymology: Middle English slegge, from Old English slecg; akin to Old
Norse sleggja sledgehammer, Old English slEan to strike -- more at
SLAY
: SLEDGEHAMMER

I think that's the point. A sledge is for striking. It isn't a
claw hammer & it has no peening head, nor a chipping head. Both sides
are built just to strike. I've seen some definitions that say a
sledgehammer has a long handle, but I've always called my
short-handled 3 pounder a sledge.

Now. . . where do I draw the line between sledges & mallets? I
probably would call anything with a metal head a sledge & a soft
[plastic, rubber, leather, wood] head a mallet.

Jim

"SteveB" wrote in message news:JeqTc.31731$Lj.27521@fed1read03...
"Minnie Bannister" wrote in message
...
I'd never thought of that connection. Without looking up the German noun
for "hammer," I do recall the verb "schlagen" (="to strike, hit").

So when you really want to *hit* something and not just give it a gentle
tap, you use a *sledge* hammer.

MB

Like your hand. Sorry, just had to throw that in from experience.

Steve

Naw, naw. When you're using a sledge you don't worry about hitting
your hand. Your -helper- might worry but who cares.

Harry K

"Harry K" wrote


Naw, naw. When you're using a sledge you don't worry about hitting
your hand. Your -helper- might worry but who cares.

Harry K

Here in Nevada, when they have town celebrations in the old mining areas,
they have a single jacking contest. This was when a two man team would take
a star bit and a sledge, and drill a hole for dynamite. The method was used
before the invention of pneumatic drillers, and by poorboy operators who
couldn't afford the big drills.

Needless to say, it took practice for two men to do this all day long. In
the competitions, one holds the drill, the other strikes it. Then the drill
holder turns the bit a slight bit, and the other strikes it again. All
seamless and nonstop. They do this for a predetermined length of time, and
then the depth of the holes are measured. The winning team usually gets a
small trophy and more beer.

Then they have mucking contests where they see how much blasted rock and
debris a man can load in a minecar in 60 seconds. Makes one appreciate the
strides in technology and machinery.

Steve

According to my good mining friend out of Kalispell, Montana, a
single jack is one man swinging a hammer with one hand. A double
jack required 2 hands on the hammer and another man to hold the
drill.

I would like to know the etymology of jack in this one.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"SteveB" wrote in message
news:XHLTc.35748$Lj.29979@fed1read03...

"Harry K" wrote


Naw, naw. When you're using a sledge you don't worry about
hitting
your hand. Your -helper- might worry but who cares.

Harry K

Here in Nevada, when they have town celebrations in the old
mining areas,
they have a single jacking contest. This was when a two man
team would take
a star bit and a sledge, and drill a hole for dynamite. The
method was used
before the invention of pneumatic drillers, and by poorboy
operators who
couldn't afford the big drills.

Needless to say, it took practice for two men to do this all day
long. In
the competitions, one holds the drill, the other strikes it.
Then the drill
holder turns the bit a slight bit, and the other strikes it
again. All
seamless and nonstop. They do this for a predetermined length
of time, and
then the depth of the holes are measured. The winning team
usually gets a
small trophy and more beer.

Then they have mucking contests where they see how much blasted
rock and
debris a man can load in a minecar in 60 seconds. Makes one
appreciate the
strides in technology and machinery.

Steve

My Dad always said "Don't force it get a bigger hammer" !
Funny How some threads take off for a good laff!

"DanG" wrote in message news:oxMTc.5863$vj.2393@okepread03...
According to my good mining friend out of Kalispell, Montana, a
single jack is one man swinging a hammer with one hand. A double
jack required 2 hands on the hammer and another man to hold the
drill.

I would like to know the etymology of jack in this one.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"SteveB" wrote in message
news:XHLTc.35748$Lj.29979@fed1read03...

"Harry K" wrote


Naw, naw. When you're using a sledge you don't worry about
hitting
your hand. Your -helper- might worry but who cares.

Harry K

Here in Nevada, when they have town celebrations in the old
mining areas,
they have a single jacking contest. This was when a two man
team would take
a star bit and a sledge, and drill a hole for dynamite. The
method was used
before the invention of pneumatic drillers, and by poorboy
operators who
couldn't afford the big drills.

Needless to say, it took practice for two men to do this all day
long. In
the competitions, one holds the drill, the other strikes it.
Then the drill
holder turns the bit a slight bit, and the other strikes it
again. All
seamless and nonstop. They do this for a predetermined length
of time, and
then the depth of the holes are measured. The winning team
usually gets a
small trophy and more beer.

Then they have mucking contests where they see how much blasted
rock and
debris a man can load in a minecar in 60 seconds. Makes one
appreciate the
strides in technology and machinery.

Steve



Yep, single jack = one man
double jack = 2 men

Double used a much heavier sledge than did single.

Having used single jack to break rocks in concrete (when my carbide
bits won't go through) using single jack, I for sure wouldn't want to
try earning my living that way.

Harry K

"DanG" wrote in message
newsxMTc.5863$vj.2393@okepread03...
According to my good mining friend out of Kalispell, Montana, a
single jack is one man swinging a hammer with one hand. A double
jack required 2 hands on the hammer and another man to hold the
drill.

I would like to know the etymology of jack in this one.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)



I stand corrected. But I was right that it WAS a drilling contest.

Steve

Happy to hear that you are not one of those "
Girley Men".
Des

"Randd01" wrote in message
...
My sledge weighs 16 lbs. 8 pounders are for women!

"SteveB" wrote in message news:Q2VTc.39012$Lj.27825@fed1read03...
"DanG" wrote in message
newsxMTc.5863$vj.2393@okepread03...
According to my good mining friend out of Kalispell, Montana, a
single jack is one man swinging a hammer with one hand. A double
jack required 2 hands on the hammer and another man to hold the
drill.

I would like to know the etymology of jack in this one.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)



I stand corrected. But I was right that it WAS a drilling contest.

Steve

But I see your question of what is a 'jack' has not been answered. I
too would like to know how it came about.

Harry K