Abstract: A hammermill includes a pair of rotors to each of which are attached a plurality of relatively long and relatively short hammers. In one embodiment each long hammer on one rotor is arrayed opposite a short hammer on the other rotor such that, as the rotors rotate, a circular path described by an end of each long hammer is in close proximity to a circular path described by an end of a corresponding short hammer on the other rotor. The long hammers are interleaved and a plurality of impact plates are shaped and positioned in close proximity to the hammer circular tip paths so that materials being reduced by the hammermill impact the impact plates until the materials are reduced to a desired size. The inventive hammermill is particularly effective in reducing tough and pliable materials such as automobile tires as well as light materials such as paper and aluminum cans.