How to Punch a Hole in Glass With a Hammer

Amazing but true. It is possible to punch a roughly circular hole in a piece of glass or mirror with a hammer.

Steps

Start out with a clean piece of 1/4" thick plate glass or mirror approximately 18" square. Any defects in the glass (such as nicks or scratches) will reduce your chances of success.
Using a glass cutter with its tip lubricated with light oil, make several short scores (approximately 3/8" long) several inches (say 4 or 5) away from the approximate center of the glass. These "scores" should be nearly on top of each other.
With the glass supported on a soft surface such as a towel, begin lightly tapping the center of the glass with an ordinary metal hammer. Rhythm and pressure are the key to success. Establish a regular beat (say, once a second or a little faster) and gradually build up the force of the blows. What's happening is that you're creating a shock wave that is radiating from the center to the edge of the glass in concentric circles. When the wave reaches a level that exceeds the strength of the glass, it will break it at its weakest point. The scores you made some distance from the center are the weak point and when it breaks, the break line follows the circle of the shock wave that triggered the break.
Voila! With a little luck, you have punched a hole in a piece of glass.

Some glass has manufacturing defects that can spoil this experiment.
Even using the best materials and techniques, this trick will be successful about half the time.

This is obviously dangerous. After all, we're talking about beating glass with a hammer. Gloves, safety glasses and appropriate clothing are recommended as is a safe work area.
The circle of glass that results from a successful attempt has the sharpest, pointiest edge you'll ever see. Be very careful or you'll spill blood.

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Ratings: 2 | Views: 1298 | Added: Mar 18, 2008

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Original at: Punch a Hole in Glass With a Hammer

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