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The infamous "glass rod"

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*Just a little fun food for thought. I know a figure of speech when I see one:D*

I was bouncing around this a.m. online looking at reviews of Bill SPringfield's trigger work (mainly looking for light strike issues) and, as with most triggers, I kept coming across the tried and true description of "it's like a glass rod breaking"; "a good trigger feels like a glass rod breaking"; so on and so forth.

So, then I got the bright idea that I should procure one of these glass rods somehow and really find out "what it's all about". Set it up in a vise, put on some gloves and "pull the trigger".

But wait! What kind of glass rod were we talking about here? How long? How thick? Tempered glass or regular window glass? I don't know!!! Has anyone ever actually tried this? Maybe it's time for another Mythbusters episode on guns?

On an actual, kind of sad, side note, I went outside and got a thin icicle about 2 or 3 inches long(closest thing i have to a glass rod at the moment), held it between 2 fingers, and tried it out. I can definitely see the comparison.

Again, just an early morning rambling for general amusement purposes only.
 
try a glass coffee stirer. They will feel even more crisp than that icicle, but needing a bit more force. They hurt when they hit the palm of your hand if you break them wrong..........
 
"Like a glass rod" is somewhat hyperbolic. Unless it is a very thin glass rod, it would surely take more than 3-5 lbs. of pressure to snap it, even with one end in a vise. I think this refers more to the characteristics of the trigger release than the actual pressure - no initial takeup and crisp and clean release with no grittiness or overtravel.
 
"Like a glass rod" is somewhat hyperbolic. Unless it is a very thin glass rod, it would surely take more than 3-5 lbs. of pressure to snap it, even with one end in a vise. I think this refers more to the characteristics of the trigger release than the actual pressure - no initial takeup and crisp and clean release with no grittiness or overtravel.
Click to expand...

I agree. I don't think the term really describes any amount of pressure. It just describes that it broke suddenly, with no creep.

It is a metaphor. Not to be taken literally (like all metaphors).
 
I've always thought this was a strange metaphor as well as I have never actually broken a glass rod for reference nor know where to procure a glass rod for experimentation. Break like a glass window or break like a malfunctioning printer I can relate to but a glass rod, no.
 
Pull a fire alarm pull station at your nearest hospital etc. They have a glass rod in them. Do be forewarned, they (we) are going to be pissed.
 
Never broke a glass rod. Broke plenty of glass tubing doing chemistry experiments. Does that count?
 
I've broken both before....it's all about how sudden and sharp it is. When a glass rod breaks there's really no forewarning, it just happens while you sit there thinking "wow, I didn't see that one coming!"

The trigger break on a K22 is the same way....you'll pull on it, smooth as silk up until the breakpoint, and you'd instantly feel both the trigger detension as well as hit it's travel limits and the gun firing at the same moment. It's actually pretty sweet to experience a trigger pull like that.
 
Years ago I was told that the glass rod referred to in the gun ad was 3/16" in diameter(.1875"). A typical Pyrex stirring rod is .20" and 9" long. Only $1.25 each if you want to try it.

It's not about how little, or much, force it takes to break a glass rod, it's about how suddenly it breaks when it finally let's go - SNAP.

I wish I could put my hands on a copy of that ad.

John
 
Now that Doggy Daddy has upped the bar, I'll mention this:

The infamous "glass rod"
Click to expand...

I think what you wanted to say was "proverbial" as there's nothing infamous or negative in connotation about the glass-rod analogy.

We'll chalk it up to early a.m. ramblings like the op said. ;)
 
Exactly what I started this thread for.. Good, meaningless, albeit educational, conversation.

I'm in the boat with those that perceive the saying as describing the feel of the let off rather than the pull weight. Gonna have to get me a couple coffee stirrers; of the proper dimensions of course.
 
At one time the term was used to mean that the trigger was fairly heavy but broke suddenly when pressure was applied. The Colt Match Target Woodsman is a perfect example - no creep, just a sudden snap. The triggers of guns like the High Standards and the S&W Model 41 are "soft" triggers; no creep but some discernable feeling of movement.

I doubt that any of the thousands of people (yours truly included) who used the term had ever broken a glass rod.

Jim
 
Dimension or resistance won't matter very much. If you have something thick, just score it. Hell, score it anyways. The glass breaking will always be just as much of a surprise.

This is, obviously, because there is no 'give' to foreshadow the breaking.

The above is what I believe many desire in a perfect trigger.
 
Try a microscope slide held balanced over a small steel rod like a plank over a teeter-totter. Hold one edge of the slide against the table and push against the other edge of the long glass teeter totter. Yes, you can score the center if you want a consistent trigger break.

Been there. Broke glass that way, and the trigger on my high standard target pistol feels that crisp!
 
How thick do you think the glass rod to simulate a nagant revolver would be? :what:

I guess you could always wrap the glass rod in a thin layer of foam to simulate a nice 2-stage trigger maybe?

BTW, my idea for holding the glass rod was to pad both ends of the jaws of a C-clamp,then put the rod in parallel to the backside of the clamp. Then, supporting the clamp with your weak hand, you could almost hold it like a pistol and get better hand placement for shooting.

I think I might be putting a little too much thought into this. Here's another one to chew over when you've got some spare time: Imagine the world as you know it..without any friction. The firearms related problems alone are astounding.

And no, I'm not crazy; my job is such that I spend large amounts of time in silence, by myself, doing mindless tasks. The brain tends to wander and entertain itself in those situations.

Again, sorry for the ramblings, but it looks like everyone's had a good bit of fun with this. Funny, I've shot a gun or 2 that "broke like butter"!
 
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