Feel of Different Hammers

Hi, I'm doing a project, and I was wondering if you could help me with this question. If you had two different hammers, one with a long handle and light head and one with a short handle and heavy head would there ever be a point where by having the right combination (handle length to head weight) that they would feel exactly the same?Thanks!
- Tim (age 42)
Long Beach, CA USA

By adjusting both the length and the weight, you could have the different hammers match moments of inertia about the handle grip. That would make them feel similar in use. The shorter one, however, would have to be heavier, so they wouldn't feel exactly the same. Also the shorter one would have a bigger gravitational torque on it around the grip, so you'd notice that. You could instead match the gravitational torques, but then you'd have different moments of inertia, which you'd notice as you swung the hammer. To match weight, torque, and moment of inertia you'd need a little more complicated design using some extra weights.

Mike W.

(published on 04/30/2015)