The physicists all tossed the whole physics portion out and agreed that maximum carnage is done with a knife. A hammer? You have one chance to get it right. Easier to disarm, as there's no sharp edges to have to contend with when an assailant comes at you. They can just grab the head and take it away. Also, in a demonstration, it took considerably more effort for me to brain Nathan in which he could see and block the upswing of me trying to reach his forehead, than it was for me to use the weight of my body to drive a sharp object into his gut. He can't block that without getting cut.

Nathan can smush my brains easier, as the hammer is coming down, and gravity is helping out with the whole deal.

Which doesn't really answer the question, and also, he was just microwaving an aluminum pan to heat up some pasta, so, there's that.

I'll go ask about the center of weight thingy.

Nathan can smush my brains easier, as the hammer is coming down

Step inside his swing -- he can't adjust for distance so well without losing most of his effectiveness.

Okay, I asked a physicist who wasn't microwaving metal.

If you hold the hammer further down the handle, you have greater momentum and force, but lose a great deal of accuracy.

And then vice versa. Hold it closer to the head and you have a great deal of accuracy, but lose the benefits of the momentum.

Ergo, brass knuckles with blades sticking out of them are the answer.

Also, in a demonstration, it took considerably more effort for me to brain Nathan in which he could see and block the upswing of me trying to reach his forehead, than it was for me to use the weight of my body to drive a sharp object into his gut. He can't block that without getting cut.

That this caused an impromptu experiment like this makes it all worth it.

ETA: And Allyson finds the most pragmatic solution --

Ergo, brass knuckles with blades sticking out of them are the answer.

That this caused an impromptu experiment like this makes it all worth it.

Do the results bear consideration?

Do the results bear consideration?

To the extent that I'll concede arguing threoreticals about hand to hand combat is irrelevant when it comes to practical application, as the experiment came down fifty/fifty on the success rate of the hammer attack, but only tested the knife under one of two matching criteria performed on the hammer.

Sean, I haven't been arguing theoreticals. I've been arguing knife fighting principles, and the principles of striking with something with a weighted end. And defense against same. While neither of us (I think) have gone up against either weapon in the wild, I trust my teachers, and I trust the experiments I've done on the matter.

Hang on, we're now discussing torque.

Damn, I wish I could stay for this.

But I have to go to krav.

I love that there are now physicists on the case.

But also, it occured to me that if I'm close enough to the bad guy to hold the hammer head in my hand, then I really wish I had a knife.