Why a round mallet for chiseling ???

[Bill Huber]

I don't do a lot of chiseling and in the past I have just used a scrap 8/4 board , it has worked for the small amount of chiseling I have done.
But this weekend I was doing a lot more cleaning out some mortises and looked on line for a mallet and saw the round ones an was just wonder why a round mallet.

I finial just took some 3" long 8/4 hard maple block and added a 1" dowel handle and it worked fine. But I am still wondering why a round mallet?

[David Weaver]

you never have to point it, you just hit the chisel with it.

The wood is good 20 ounce mallet is a great mallet to have, even if you were the type who turned their own, it's nearly indestructible and can hit anything and come out with no damage. I guess it's urethane or something.

[phil harold]

To focus on where the cutting edge is
In the field I will use the side of my hammer when chiseling , that way I wont miss
I also like my 3 lb dead blow mallet for chiseling

[Bill Huber]

Ok, thanks guys I think I have it.... I did have a miss or 2 when chiseling this weekend so maybe I need to go by Woodcraft and look at a good mallet.

[Charles McKinley]

Bill don't you have a friend with one of those spinny things? Don't get one yourself you will get sucked into the vortex and never be seen in the flat world again. :D

[Mike Henderson]

Yep, turner's mallets are very easy to turn. I'm made a bunch of them from scraps for use in the classes I teach.

Mike

[Cary Falk]

No sharp edge to cut yourself with when you miss the chisel and hit your hand/arm.

[Mike Wilkins]

The recent issue of FineWoodworking magazine has an article on making your own round mallet. All you need is a lathe and some tools. I have made 2 over the years; one in maple and one in walnut. I will not make another one from walnut; it is not hard enough. Maple, beech, hickory, kryptonite would be a better choice.

[Rod Sheridan]

Bill, I have both rectangular and round mallets.

I use the rectangular mallet for mortising, and the round mallet for finer chisel work.............Regards, Rod.

[David Weaver]

I've made a couple, the hardest being verawood (it's almost too harsh and too heavy). My comment above about the urethane mallet is because, shame to admit it, it's better than any of the wooden mallets I've turned. There are cheaper places to get it than woodcraft, though, and I wouldn't say that if the price difference was a dollar or two. I think I paid $28 for the mallet that woodcraft wants $43 for.

As I look around, the best things still has it for $29, and WC wants $43. It just seems anymore that they're out to nail you every time they get a chance.

Grizzly also pushes a version with a shop fox label that's a shade over 20 bucks shipped on amazon.

I know the following comment is a little out of place here - but the combination of the urethane being a good gripper and a good feel on a chisel and the fact that you can hit the holdfast with it and mallet it in place without hurting it and use one thing for the chisels and the holdfast is a really nice thing. Verawood on a hold fast will make you deaf, and anything softer would just get beat up.

[David Hawkins]

Close I think but round mallets have no edges to splinter off and flat surfaces distribute the force over a larger area which means you have to use more force on a flat mallet to achieve the same effect.

[Bill Huber]

I've made a couple, the hardest being verawood (it's almost too harsh and too heavy). My comment above about the urethane mallet is because, shame to admit it, it's better than any of the wooden mallets I've turned. There are cheaper places to get it than woodcraft, though, and I wouldn't say that if the price difference was a dollar or two. I think I paid $28 for the mallet that woodcraft wants $43 for.

As I look around, the best things still has it for $29, and WC wants $43. It just seems anymore that they're out to nail you every time they get a chance.

Grizzly also pushes a version with a shop fox label that's a shade over 20 bucks shipped on amazon.

I know the following comment is a little out of place here - but the combination of the urethane being a good gripper and a good feel on a chisel and the fact that you can hit the holdfast with it and mallet it in place without hurting it and use one thing for the chisels and the holdfast is a really nice thing. Verawood on a hold fast will make you deaf, and anything softer would just get beat up.

Ok, I just ordered one from Grizzly, I just got the 18 oz. one I think that will do me for now and later if I need a larger one I can order it.

Thanks all.....

[Dave Lehnert]

Ok, I just ordered one from Grizzly, I just got the 18 oz. one I think that will do me for now and later if I need a larger one I can order it.

Thanks all.....

Bill,
That is the same one I have. It works very well.

[Jim Neeley]

Hmm... you guys like a urethane mallet, eh? When I tried one it felt "mushy" and didn't give me the tactile feedback I was expecting. For tapping a chisel I prefer an infused wooden one, ala BSTW, over the others. I didn't try the urethane on a mortise chisel, perhaps I'd like it there.

I guess that's the reason there's so many different styles and types out there: wood, infusted wood, brass, urethane, etc., and so many different sizes / weights.

It CERTAINLY reinforces Jim's recommendation to find someone nearby who has what you're considering and to try before you buy.

Jim

[Chris Padilla]

I use a granite mallet. ;)

[curtis rosche]

a miss with a square mallet shears your fingers and knuckles, a round mallet just glances them since the true hitting surface is the radius away from the side of the chisel if you miss

[Loren Woirhaye]

Making it round is an old fashioned way to get more mass in it with no metal parts. Also, it allows the user to ignore aligning the face of the mallet with the end of the tool. I use a steel hammer mostly, but it's not ideal and I don't have a heavy wood mallet.

[John Coloccia]

Why round? So you don't have to twist the mallet as you adjust the angle of the chisel. Flat for straight down, like mortising, and round for finesse. Also, imagine having to hold a heavy, cabinet mallet at an angle. Very fatiguing. Round just makes you support the weight. A traditional cabinet mallet makes you grip hard and precisely control that angle. Ok when you're straight down. Tiring when you're at any sort of an angle. It cocks your whole arm and wrist into funny, injury causing positions.

[Richard Shaefer]

I prefer a flat faced mallet. I findt he round ones tend to glance off the chisel and the flat ones need less aiming ;)

[Ron Tancrede]

I use a purchased rectangular head mallet to chop dovetails, I like the way the head flat is at an angle. You can hit the chisel head straight down and still have your elbow lowered. I never miss the chisel nor do I have to look at where I'm hitting.

[Dan Hintz]

flat surfaces distribute the force over a larger area which means you have to use more force on a flat mallet to achieve the same effect.

This doesn't follow. The work is done at the chisel's tip... whether the chisel handle was a 1" square piece of wood or a foot square, all of the force of the mallet is transferred through to the tip.

Or am I missing how you guys use a chisel?

[Prashun Patel]

I'm with Dan. It's hard to argue with the experts, but I can't help but think some mallets are round because they're just easy to make.

[Larry Edgerton]

I don't like round, myself I see no advantage. I switched to two small sizes of SnapOn dead blows years ago by accident. Bought them for working on my old cars and one day tried one with a chisel. Never picked up a wood mallet of any kind again. The handles are not round, so there is no problem telling the head direction, they really only fit your hand one way. Never missed and hit my hand, so can't comment on that.

Larry

[David Hawkins]

This doesn't follow. The work is done at the chisel's tip... whether the chisel handle was a 1" square piece of wood or a foot square, all of the force of the mallet is transferred through to the tip.

Or am I missing how you guys use a chisel?

On the level of pure logic it's hard to say you are wrong, but on the level of many years (over 40) of swinging mallets against chisels I'd say you are missing something, maybe it's habit, but there is at least a sense of having to use less force to get the desired result. I don't know how else to put it. Sorry!

[Mike Henderson]

I'm with Dan. It's hard to argue with the experts, but I can't help but think some mallets are round because they're just easy to make.
I've made both round and hammer style mallets and both are pretty easy to make. If you're an experienced turner you might find round mallets easier but if you're mostly a flat work person, the hammer style is easier.

I don't think ease of construction is a major factor. I'm just guessing but personal preference probably plays a much bigger role.

Mike

[Dan Hintz]

On the level of pure logic it's hard to say you are wrong, but on the level of many years (over 40) of swinging mallets against chisels I'd say you are missing something, maybe it's habit, but there is at least a sense of having to use less force to get the desired result. I don't know how else to put it. Sorry!

Basic physics, not just logic. If I balance a bowling ball on the chisel handle, the tip may go in 1/16"... if I do the same with a car, that chisel will go through the board. All force on the handle is transferred through to the tip, no matter how big/small the driver is.

[phil harold]

Basic physics, not just logic. If I balance a bowling ball on the chisel handle, the tip may go in 1/16"... if I do the same with a car, that chisel will go through the board. All force on the handle is transferred through to the tip, no matter how big/small the driver is.
maters how thick the board is what kid of wood and how thick the chisel is
how far does the chisel penetrate the car?

a concentrated mass directly inline with the tip will give you control and better transfer of energy to make accurate cuts
swinging with flat mallet or car is harder to control a square blow to the chisel

[Alan Lightstone]

You're using a car for a mallet? Man, I'm not worthy!!!

[Tobias Lochner]

Does anyone use a journeyman's mallet! I made one each for a friend and myself a couple of years ago. I simply never pick up my other mallets anymore. Its small, comfortable, easy to store. takes up almost no space on the bench, and had big power when needed
Regards
Tobias

[Dan Hintz]

You're using a car for a mallet? Man, I'm not worthy!!!

Well, you have to use the correct car, Alan... obviously. An 80hp Datsun doesn't have the same driving power as a 300hp Nissan. And pinstriping... it's all about having the proper pinstriping.

[Tobias Lochner]

Does anyone use a journeyman's mallet! I made one each for a friend and myself a couple of years ago. I simply never pick up my other mallets anymore. Its small, comfortable, easy to store. takes up almost no space on the bench, and had big power when needed
Regards
Tobias

[Jim Matthews]

I'm using a deadblow hammer from an autobody supplier.

It works fine, cost little and has a face considerably larger than the "whackit" end of a chisel.
I've seen carvers use a spare piece of timber that they whittle to shape.

It's a hammer, not a surgical robot.

I think the more important aspect of a mallet is the balance between heft and heaviness.
You need some mass, to get impact without too much effort.

You don't want it so heavy that you'll tire in the middle of a task.

I like to have the striking position when my elbow is naturally at my side - not raised.
That means the length matters, too.

I might be among the minority that doesn't like round mallets, but that wouldn't be a first.

[John Coloccia]

I think cabinet and furniture makers tend to like flat mallets for joinery. People who use chisels and gouges for shaping wood tend to like round mallets. That's my experience and for the reasons outlined above. Personally, I think the Japanese have it best with metal hammers. You can have a heavy mallet with a flat head, but because it's metal it can be very compact and retain it's weight...and that makes it less fatiguing to use for carving because you're not trying to twist and control this large mass. The metal has a nice feel to it, too.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I use (and really like) my urethane mallet. If I had the ability to turn, I would try making my own round wood mallet, but I don't own the equipment and I don't know how to do it :(