Found out a 10-pound sledge only weighs 8 pounds new - who's fudging the numbers?

I was at a supply shop in Tulsa last week and weighed a brand new 10-pound sledge on their scale. It came in at 8 pounds 3 ounces. That's nearly 20% lighter than advertised. I asked the counter guy and he said it depends on the steel density and the handle weight cutting into it. But isn't false advertising a problem here? Has anyone else checked their hammer weights against a scale?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah_black1mo ago

Guess the 10 pounds refers to how much it'll make you curse when you pick it up and realize you got ripped off. At least your arms got a lighter workout for the same money.

tessawebb1mo ago

Funny you mention that @noah_black, I've seen the same thing with a few different brands over the years. I think it's just one of those things in the tool world where nobody's being super sneaky. Actually, I don't think it's false advertising, more like nobody's ever held em to that standard. Those cheap store scales can be off, I've set two next to each other and got different numbers. Plus handle weight does eat up some of that total, but yeah, nearly 20% is a lot. Still, a sledge that's 8 pounds will swing just fine for most jobs, it's not like you're building a house with it.