Board Breaking with Egg in Hand

[whitematt]

Blocks, such as you get at home depot, etc. are not bricks, and I think that is where the confusion is. Concrete in any form has a lot of air trapped in it, and is inherently more brittle due to that, plus there are very few blocks that are as short as a building brick, which also makes a difference in how easy it is to break. The longer a block, the easier it is to break.

Aodhan

You are correct in that blocks are not bricks. But if you take a look at what people are commonly breaking these days, it's a patio block more often than not. And everyone I know that breaks blocks buys them off the shelf. Just my experience.

Matt

[patusai]

The board break trick with the egg...was it was a pine or cedar 12 x 12 board one inch thick?

If you brace such a board on blocks or some other supports you can lean (or push) on the board and have it break. The reply suggesting the inability to squeeze an egg and break it...that's true too. Now if this is a thicker board or a brick that would indeed be something special.

As for blocks,,,many they are dried in a kiln. Taking the water out of a brick/block make them more brital. When the block or brick is broken (especially a block) and you see a lot of dust flying it has been dried..

[Sensei Rick]

I can't believe that i read this whole post. I want my three minutes of my life back.

[patusai]

Poof! They're back!!

[HongKongFooey]

Balsa wood? Pre-scored for a effortless break? Chi or Ki nonsense?

Most likely a parlor trick. If you want to be impressed ask this guy to break an oak board with a tight grain, NOT a 12" square pine board with a .750" grain line.

[patusai]

Oak! A man's board!! Ya can't say you can break a board until you break an oak board. If you really want to impress, break an oak board 12" long and 10" or less in width. The more narrow (with the grain) the more difficult. I hear that there are harder woods too. Balsa, pine...pretty much same thing. One single pine and cedar boards are for non BB to practice on. Of course do three or more (no pencil spacers between the boards of course and no highly warped boards that create space between the boards) and that's pretty good too. If someone has that much power as suggested then they could, in reality be able to go topple a live 2 inch pine tree in the ground. Now I'd like to see that one!!

Mmmmm, Kiai! Ouch!! I broke my hand!!

[HongKongFooey]

Don't forget about putting the pine boards in a kiln to remove any extra moisture before breaking them. Oh, and don't forget to salt the ice.

[HongKongFooey]

Mmmmm, Kiai! Ouch!! I broke my hand!!

This statement reminds me of a guy that works where I do. He was going for his black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and was up to the breaking portion of the test. He had to break a few boards with a handsword in order to proceed to the next part of the test. Well he attempts to break the boards, and ends up breaking his hand. His teacher tells him to try again. And he does, with the same broken hand!. Now his teacher tells him to try and break with the other side. So he obeys his teacher and attempts to break the boards. This time he breaks his other hand! I guess sometimes the boards do hit back.

HKF

[patusai]

Ouch! Double ouch!!

[Sam]

its also possible if the fingers are angled down sloping away from the knuckles, such that all the force acts through the knuckles and through the wrist, rather than turning hte fingers into the palm...