If the saying originated in boxing, then one factor is missing...Sweat. In the first test the sock almost came off with the shoe. A boxer would be sweating and could cause a slick foot, and if the socks had polyester the could be easier to remove. I know that wet cotton socks would be harder..but synthetic fibers.. worth a look.

That is a good idea, but sweat my cause the opposite effect also. If you look at Buster, his 'skin' looks like it would be pretty slick with a sock.

I hope they revisit this segment in the future:

Rather than use hard plastic legs and feet, they need to use a full body made from ballistics gel.

I think they will find that the ripple effect from the force of impact should travel through the body to the point wear it will cause the skin to expand and contract enough so that the socks will be loose enough that they will remain in place as the body starts to move away with speed.

Picture a toothpaste cap popping off if you step on the other end of the tube. (I know that's internal pressure vs. a surface ripple, but still...)

Granted, my knowledge of physics is derived from previous MythBusters episodes!!

thats weird vegetablegod,i was thinking that buster's skin might be keeping the socks on. dolphinpod is definitely wrong, my socks are so hard to get off when my feet are sweaty. I think the shoes are a big deal, cause they would pull the sock off. I think another variable might how old the socks are... because socks stretch when you wear them.

I was just wondering if it has more to do with the shock rather than the force? When you did the fist gun you had some success (less force and faster) than the Ram (more force and slower). Could it be just like the shock a Martial Artist uses to break cement blocks and boards with their hands, But if you tried to break them with force you would mangle a hand.

"Knock your socks off" is a old saying, probably from the 19th or early 20th century. The materials used then didn't have any elastic or similar binding attributes. That's why most men and women needed garters to hold their socks and sockings up. Even the homemade socks that were donated for the myth have some elastic properties to them.

I'd like to see you re-visit this one using period sock materials including the shoe styles of the day.

Good luck!

Grammo

Wouldn't it be possible that you could "knock" someone's "socks off" if they where wearing oversized socks? But also what if they are stretched out at the elastic from years of use? There are so many variables that can come into play from this one simple phrase.

Our names are Cale(age 9), Wyatt(6), and Levi(5). Our Dad is a farmer, and he says that you could "knock their socks off" if your test subject was standing in thick, heavy mud at the time of the explosion. Please try it that way if you re-visit this myth. Thanks!

You are forgetting that 100 years or so ago, socks did not have heels. They were a tube. No elastic and made of much heaver thread.

I think that buster should be wearing ankle socks or even try dress socks. dress socks are thinner and may slide off eaiser. Also it looks like the sock you used were brand new try using socks that are used. older socks loose their elasticity. Maybe try tightening the shoes a little tighter. I am not sure how tight they were it was kind of hard to tell. The last thing that I want to say is that i think you had much better luck with the upward momentum then ther lateral pendgulum. I think that when you revist this myth you should take these into consideration. By the looks of it so do others.

Hey not to get into the details as they are not
very pretty but many years ago I saw a man get
hit by a van and his shoes and socks did come off.
I just wanted to mention that he was hit from
behind. All of the impacts that I saw on the show were from the front. I believe that when hit
from the front, just the shape of the foot would
hold the socks and shoes on. From behind would cause the feet to come out.

I personally dont fully agree how they tested the knock your socks off myth.

considering anytime you leave the house you usually hav your socks AND shoes on. I believe if they would have edded different types of shoes and how tight they tie them on the results would be different.

My friends uncle was an old war verteran. he died about a week ago. He was telling us about when his plane got shot by rusians i believe. they where in the middle of no where pitch black jumping out of a plane on fire.

when he pulled the cord for his parachute he said because his boots weren't tied down too well that the impact of the parachute basically knocked his shoes AND thus dragged the socks off.

He was in the middle of a war running around with no shoes and no socks. he was a prisoner of war for two years.


EDIT: he was perfectly fine no death or injury so it is possible to technically get the socks knocked off.

Also it would be interesting to test it with different types of shoes. How tight they are tied and how heavy the foot wear is. I instant impact would greatly increase the chance of loosing your shoes with lets say army boots or steel toe.

You might as why his boots weren't tied? maybe to make himself a bit more comfortable or maybe he took his boots off at one point.

I didn't do research about it, but what about body fluids? The busters used in "knock your socks of" seemed to be made of wood and plastic. But the human body is elastic and full of blood. Like Varth Dader there can be the rippling effect of the tissus.

And I think that if the body is hit hard enough, it goes up, the blood want to stay down and goes in the legs (similar to G effect on jet pilots). Maybe with this sudden flow of blood, the feet will expand and loosen the shoes and socks just enough for them to be knocked off?

Two points of error in the episode and an addition to think about:
1) Absolutely agree with the "lack of elastic" argument. Back in the day when you had to "darn your socks", socks were less fitting & heavier. Try inelastic lose fitting wool socks. More inertia, less friction.
2) The blasts in the desert were completely off since they don't take into account HOW the socks will be blown off. The socks will be left behind as the body is thrown back. The pressure wave will push the torso of the body backward due it's wide surface area. The feet will stay in place due to it's lower surface area and friction (they are touching the ground with body weight on top of them). So your socks really won't be knocked off...your body will be knocked out of your socks.
Posting the "bodies" as fixed poles and trying to strip the socks off with the pressure wave is not accurate to a body in a blast. Instead, I would hang Buster from an "L" shaped frictionless hook so that his feet are touching the ground...then blast him. Dress him in era specific clothing (loose fitting to increase drag). The frictionless hook should let his torso and head receive the full brunt of the blast and the natural weight on his feet should provide realistic friction and inertia.
3) Try putting some era specific boots/shoes on him as well. These shoes may be heavy enough to provide additional inertia to the lower extremeties which will help strip off the socks.

Im not exactly sure about this, but in the "see-saw saga" episode, in the final test, does the girl end up having her socks knocked off?

Its hard for me to see, but there are multiple things flying off of her in the shots. The doll stays at ground zero, and there is a large white object that flies off a short distance.

Just thought it should have a mention.