Everyday Systems

Is this really going to be an adequate safety measure? I still think I'd end up breaking stuff simply due to the weight...

I've done some sledgehammering in the back yard where I hit an old tire, very confused about the rag thing though. I guess that's good since I'd avoid ripping rubber out of the tire with the metal and keep the metal from getting rubber-scuffed or something though.

I like to shug out of doors to be out in the fresh air (well, air anyway - here under the Heathrow Airport flight path I'm not sure how fresh it is),
so I usually use my hammer 'naked', as it were. When I do have to pad it to use indoors, as in the past week or so when the UK has been under an unaccustomed layer of snow, I find the padding makes the hammer head appear bigger, which makes me a lot more careful about where I swing it. My light fittings are still intact.

My sledge is a little rusty. I keep it wrapped in a shirt so don't get rust on my hands or on the floor.

Did you read anything about Shovelglove? Think of it as a much more fun alternative to dumbbells. It's not "sledgehammering". You don't hit anything with it anymore than you would hit something with a dumbbell. The padding is only to protect yourself, your floor tiles, etc. from accidental bumps/knocks, not deliberate blows. http://shovelglove.com/

My wife made a crochet cover for my sledgehammer. it is both more attractive and easier to use than tying sweater, but disadvantage is you cannot use it as regular hammer with crochet cover on.