CMaddox

I like the debate this has opened up, but the last sentence of the article seems backwards to me.
"Green building is about durability and performance more than about recycled content."
Green building refers to building sustainably with the local ecosystem. That would include repurposing items. Many of these repurposed materials would be less than ideal for the application. They may be more sustainable though. There are many conventional methods that may perform better and just need some tweaking to make them more environmentally-friendly. I agree it may be wiser in many cases to choose a less sustainable material because of added durability and performance. However, green building is not about durability and performance over recycled content. By definition it's not. While we should be skeptical of "green washing", it is not cheaper to use post-consumer recycled content at this time. The material has to be reclaimed and processed again. Coke and Pepsi buy new aluminum for their cans; it's cheaper. They encourage you to recycle though. Ironic, to really be re-cycling, we must also buy recycled, otherwise it doesn't cycle back. I'm weighing out materials to choose for my own home. This article with the debate is very helpful. I live in an area with a lot of moisture. Performance is going to be a major consideration of mine, possibly outweighing a supposedly greener material. We just can't throw around terms and change definitions because it sounds nice at the end of an article. If it works better but is less "green", then just say that. I still like to hear your perspective and concerns with the materials as well as everyone else's.

I worked with a bunch of guys who swore by their Stilettos, but I couldn't afford it. I did a bunch of research, read a ton of reviews, and found the hammer I wanted to buy was also one of the cheapest. I use a Stanley Antivibe. I really like it. Smack something dense with it and you can tell the difference from the standard Estwing. I don't know how it would compare to a Stiletto everyday, but I'm probably more abusive to a cheap steel hammer than I could let myself be with a pricier one. I find the fact that titanium transfers more energy very interesting. I would consider giving Stiletto a second look now. It would be wise to be proactive about the wear and tear of construction work on the body. Thanks for the tips!