[meteorite-list] What makes a hammer a hammer?

From: Michael L Blood <mlblood_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:39:07 -0800
Message-ID: <C585C3BB.1DA7A%mlblood_at_cox.net>

Steve, Robert, Dave, Walter, Mike, John et al,
        Several comments:
(I would have responded earlier, but I was watching
The Chargers KICK ASS!)

1) Any information listed on my hammer page
http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/Hammers.html
Regarding Sylacauga is more accurately expressed by
(THE REAL) Steve Arnold. I stand corrected by him on
All accounts regarding this specific hammer.

2) Walter Branch's original page can be seen at:
http://imca.repetti.net/metinfo/metstruck.html
His reference to "HAMs" he states, is a reference to
"humans, animals & man made objects" and is unrelated
To my coining the term, "Hammer" in reference to any
Fall that resulted in a stone striking one of the above.

3) Dave Geesling was essentially correct in stating that
The "word," "HAMMER" first appeared in a book by
Niven and Pournelle, entitled, LUCIFER'S HAMMER,
Fawcett Crest, 1977.
(Ironically, in the book, this term is a misnomer, as the
Astronomer who first views the object and predicts a
Huge earth impact was named Hamner, and it was a
"religious" figure that stated that "Lucifer's Hammer"
Was going to punish the people of the earth (much like
The gobledgook vomited by the "religious" that state that
AIDS is a punishment by God for the "sin" of homosexuality.
I read this book 10 or more years before I got into meteorites
But my use of the term "hammer" was, in fact, inspired
To a degree from this book. However, I thought long and hard
About the term I wanted to use before deciding to use "hammer."
Since I was collecting them and determined to offer the largest
Selection available of them, I felt a name was definitely called
For and "hammer" it was.

4) When one coins a term, that person sets the parameters
Of definition. Inevitably these parameters will change or
Be refined over time. My use of the term "Hammer" was
In reference to a meteorite that "nailed" something - specifically
Human, animal or human made, just as was made reference to
In Walter's work. Personally, I EXCLUDE roads and cultivars
(varieties of hybridized fruit trees), though there are others who
collect hammers that include them.

5) The entire fall is a "Hammer" fall and a specific individual that hit
A specific object, animal or person is a "Hammer stone" (very, very
Few irons)(the use of "hammer stone" was introduced by Adam Hupe.
Though I originally debated his usage, conversations with him brought
Me over to his side on this issue).
        Of course, one would always prefer THE hammer stone
Of a fall or one of several.... For instance, I have 9 different Park
Forest "Hammers" that include several houses, a car, a tow truck,
A fire station, a baseball grandstand, fence, etc. However, in many cases
The one or few hammer stones is not available (the guy in the boat
Threw all that landed in his boat into the river, as they were clearly
"evil"- Chiang-Khan) or the tiny Mbale stone that struck a boy.... I
Have a photo of him holding it but no amount of research has resulted
In finding ANYONE who can even say they have any idea of what
Happened to that particular stone.
        As for Allende, Pultusk, Holbrook, etc, there is written
documentation describing houses and patios, a train station being
struck - I am working on a book that will cite a good deal of written
records attesting to such events - the topic is far too extensive to include
here.

6) I am amazed at the egocentric attitude of people who look down on others
Who are "into" something that holds no interest for them. It would be like
Me stating all NWA material is insignificant, regardless of rarity of type
Because it is nearly all undocumented as to both date of impact and in
The vast majority of cases, not reliably recorded as to specific location of
find. While these statements may (or may not) have credibility, my personal
Value system being applied is, relatively speaking, irrelevant.

7) Mike Gilmer asked why some falls were hardly ever referred to as
"hammers" though they fit the description: Holbrook, Allende, etc. Yes,
Mike, in those cases the fall, itself was so extensive and significant in
Other ways that, though they included in any reasonable hammer collection,
That is not their only claim to fame.

8) What percentage of meteorite collectors specifically collect hammers?
This would be an excellent polling question for the list. If people want to
Email me off list, I will count up the responses and report to the list. I
believe the list currently has about 900 members (it is impossible to know
Because a significant number of people use more than one email address
To receive posts). Regardless, we could get some idea. From conversations
I have had with collectors, my GUESS would be about 10 percent of all
Collectors go out of their way to collect hammers (usually as ONE of their
Interests in meteorites). However, a pole would be far more revealing, as
Hammer collectors tend to contact me at a much higher rate than other
Dealers, I am sure. When I opened my "Hammer Page"
http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/Hammers.html
I started with about 28 offerings of different falls. I now have over 40, I
Belive. Both figures far surpass any other source I have been able to find
Many times over.
        So, if people email me, I will report to the list. Here is how: Put
ONLY "Hammer Collector" in the subject box (you don't even have to say
Anything in the body of the text if you don't want to). Please DO NOT
Include "Meteorite List" in the subject line - some days I get over 300
Emails in one day - guess which ones don't always get checked out?
        (anyone who would get a specimen SPECIFICALLY
Because of its status as a hammer) - Neither the size of your hammer
collection nor the size of the specimens matter - just, do you collect them.

9) I will report back to the list the number of people who said they
Collect hammers.

10) HAMMERS RULE!

        Best wishes, Michael


on 1/3/09 11:59 PM, MeteorHntr at aol.com at MeteorHntr at aol.com wrote:

> Hello Robert,
>
> To answer your direct question, no I have not seen the "Hodges's stone."
>
> However, in Dr. King's Meteorite Collection Catalog he listed the source of
> his Sylacaga specimen as, and I quote:
>
> "Source: Alabama Mus. Nat. Hist., Douglas Jones"
>
> Now, if anyone on the list has access to the Hodges's stone to examine, my
> hunch is that the core would have been removed from the bottom portion, as it
> is displayed, and the hole was probably plugged with something and colored so
> as to hide the fact that a core was removed. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but
> as I recall there were some correspondence letters between Dr. King and the
> Alabama Museum of Natural History at the time leading up to the acquisition.
> And there was a concern that any examination would not hurt the aesthetic
> appearance of the stone.
>
> However, it might be easier to ask the Smithsonian if their records indicate
> that any of their Sylacaga was traded to Dr. King. But with the conflict
> NASA (including Dr. King) had with the Smithsonian in the 1960's I seriously
> doubt any trades were done with the Smithsonian.
>
> As many of you know, we auctioned off the King Collection, and it would make
> some of you sick if you knew how cheaply that specimen sold for. I was
> surprised at the time, but then again, there were many great specimens in the
> collection being sold, and most people had to budget where they spent their
> money, so some things went a little lower than expected at that time. Since
> then, the value has appreciated to more reasonable levels.
>
> I hope this answers your question Robert?
>
> Steve Arnold #1
>
>
>
> In a message dated 1/3/2009 10:11:11 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> meteoritefinder at yahoo.com writes:
> Steve and List,
>
> Steve, are you absolutely sure the core came from THE Hodges's stone (
> the one that struck her) and NOT the McKinney stone??? I have not actually
> seen
> the Hodge's stone in person, and maybe you have, so you MAY be right. But
> ... if I may quote a few words from "one of our illustrious members'" ( who I
> hope doesn't mind me using them, and that he will join in the discussion, too
> ) website that state:
>
> "....There were two stones - the one that hit the human and one other. The
> one that hit the human is the centerpiece in a local museum. No one has ever
> had access to it. However,the second stone is in the Smithsonion and though
> the remainder has never been available to the public, it did have one core
> drilled in it. This core ended up in the collection of Dr.
> King. After his death his widow allowed it to be cut into about 10 whafer
> slices all of which all ended up as primary specimens in private
> collections."
>
> So have you seen THE Hodges' stone in person and saw that there actually IS
> a hole drilled into THAT very one????
>
> Thanks,
> Robert Woolard
>
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Received on Sun 04 Jan 2009 04:39:07 AM PST