I would think that it would also take more energy to continue fighting with a hammer due to its weight. That seems a liability. But I've never fought with anything that wasn't my fists, so I could be smoking crack.

I think one can actually throw a knife with a great deal of accuracy giving the more balanced weight. Hammer seems to depend on a perfect set of circumstances. A still opponent, a shorter opponent.

I'm still going with the knuckles.

But the hand blender blades have that plastic shield around them. Really, if I can get to the hammer, I can get to the electric drill, so....

Sean, I haven't been arguing theoreticals.

Okay, if we're not arguing theoreticals, we've both been awful short on specifics of circumstance, which, as Allyson's experiment shows, can vary a lot, and lots of other factors, such as experience, training, confidence, bravery, and adrenaline rush of the knife and/or hammer wielder affect the situation.

The point I've been trying to make is that most of those factors have a lot more influence on the outcome of the battle than the center of gravity/dangerous surface area differences between the two weapons.

Ah. Keep an empty beer bottle by the sink. Grab it by the neck. Crack it on the counter so you have a sharp, broken bottle and look crazy. He'll back away, and will likely sweep up the mess if you tell him to.

I would think that it would also take more energy to continue fighting with a hammer due to its weight. That seems a liability.

I would tend to agree with this, although I'd think in either situation the shorter the fight the better.

Ah. Keep an empty beer bottle by the sink. Grab it by the neck. Crack it on the counter so you have a sharp, broken bottle and look crazy.

See Allyson's the really dangerous one. She's got the creative-in-battle thing down.

Am I the last one to know that Jennifer Garner is currently filming an Electra movie?

Saw Harold and Kumar. Laughed a lot.

Have no opinion on weapons, except to state that, predictably, I want a freaking batarang.

(Silly Raquel and Plei, talking about *movies*)

But are you going to assume the battle is shorter with the hammer? Because you have to assume that you've been accurate in the blow, and that you've landed a blow, at all. Both a knife and a hammer assumes that you're relatively close to the attacker. Why not attack with a brick and use your arm as the lever on the down swing, then?

Both a knife and a hammer assumes that you're relatively close to the attacker. Why not attack with a brick and use your arm as the lever on the down swing, then?

I'm not married to the hammer. I could just as easily go for the brick idea.