Derek Cohen
11-10-2013, 8:56 AM
Over the years I have used a number of different mallets to pound a mortice chisel. The search may have ended.
Until about a year ago I was using one of Dave Jeske's (Blue Spruce Tools) ...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Mallets2.jpg
This is beautiful to look at, beautifully made (as is everything he makes), is a pleasure to use with bench chisels, however at 16 oz it is too light for a mortice chisel into hard woods.
For morticing I preferred either a Thor (about 20 oz) or the Veritas (19 oz). While not significantly heavier, they focus the downforce and this is more efficient.
Here are the Thor and Veritas alongside a long-discarded Marples (only 14 oz).
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/2_zpsbce06b7a.jpg
The Thor is a great mallet. I purchased it for convincing furniture parts to get closer together with each other, however it makes a great mallet for chisel work when wanting to work quietly or reducing vibration. The downside it that it looks like something that a motor mechanic would use .. which is where the Veritas comes in. The Veritas is a good design. My only gripe (easily fixed) is that the handle is a little too slim for my hand. I want this to be longer as well, but that probably reflects the mass/downforce limitation. It would be great to see a 2 lb version of this hammer produced for morticing. Rob, are you listening ...?
What I want in a mallet for morticing is something that has about 32 - 38 oz, is relatively compact for this weight, and will not damage the unhooped wooden handles of a Western mortice chisel. This would not be an issue if I used Japanese mortice chisels as I have a few gennou, including one that is 450 gm (16 oz). Interestingly, this lighter hammer seems to have more downforce, possibly because it is focused on a small area? The problem, however, with steel-headed hammers is that they destroy wooden handles. I'd rather replace the mallet than the chisel handles.
What brought matters to a head this weekend was the recent release by Blue Spruce of a 24 oz Joiner's Mallet in infused acrylic (which should make it indestructible).
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/MLTJNR1_big_zpsd2316c06.jpg
It has been given two thumbs up by Chris Schwarz ..
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/woodworking-hand-tools/highly-recommended-blue-spruce-joiners-mallet
So why didn't I just order one? Well I am still waiting for The Chair to arrive so I may complete my measurements and start building one (hopefully tomorrow!), and I had time on my hands and a plan in my head ...
Put me in front of a bench with spokeshaves, rasps and a few scrapers, and I am as Happy as Larry (translation: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/as-happy-as-larry.html).
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/1_zps18407922.jpg
A bit of Karri for the head (heavier and more interlocked than Jarrah) and Curly Marri for the handle (softer, "chewy", I think will absord vibration well), and bit of brass ... This is what I came up with ...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/3_zps97cd6e8f.jpg
The faces have leather for cushioning the chisel handes. The mallet handle is oval in cross section, approximately 1 1/2" x 1" and 10" long. The head is approximately 5" long x 3 " high and 2 3/8" wide.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/4_zpse2b9f873.jpg
The overall weight of this mallet came in at a little over 38 oz. How did it manage this in a relatively small head? It is down to the 1/4" thick brass plate that was added (peened) to each side ..
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/5_zpsc4ab58f1.jpg
In use this mallet is in a different class to the others for morticing. It certainly helps in punching the chisel through hardwoods ...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/6_zps5c244802.jpg
Regards from Perth
Derek
Until about a year ago I was using one of Dave Jeske's (Blue Spruce Tools) ...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Mallets2.jpg
This is beautiful to look at, beautifully made (as is everything he makes), is a pleasure to use with bench chisels, however at 16 oz it is too light for a mortice chisel into hard woods.
For morticing I preferred either a Thor (about 20 oz) or the Veritas (19 oz). While not significantly heavier, they focus the downforce and this is more efficient.
Here are the Thor and Veritas alongside a long-discarded Marples (only 14 oz).
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/2_zpsbce06b7a.jpg
The Thor is a great mallet. I purchased it for convincing furniture parts to get closer together with each other, however it makes a great mallet for chisel work when wanting to work quietly or reducing vibration. The downside it that it looks like something that a motor mechanic would use .. which is where the Veritas comes in. The Veritas is a good design. My only gripe (easily fixed) is that the handle is a little too slim for my hand. I want this to be longer as well, but that probably reflects the mass/downforce limitation. It would be great to see a 2 lb version of this hammer produced for morticing. Rob, are you listening ...?
What I want in a mallet for morticing is something that has about 32 - 38 oz, is relatively compact for this weight, and will not damage the unhooped wooden handles of a Western mortice chisel. This would not be an issue if I used Japanese mortice chisels as I have a few gennou, including one that is 450 gm (16 oz). Interestingly, this lighter hammer seems to have more downforce, possibly because it is focused on a small area? The problem, however, with steel-headed hammers is that they destroy wooden handles. I'd rather replace the mallet than the chisel handles.
What brought matters to a head this weekend was the recent release by Blue Spruce of a 24 oz Joiner's Mallet in infused acrylic (which should make it indestructible).
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/MLTJNR1_big_zpsd2316c06.jpg
It has been given two thumbs up by Chris Schwarz ..
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/woodworking-hand-tools/highly-recommended-blue-spruce-joiners-mallet
So why didn't I just order one? Well I am still waiting for The Chair to arrive so I may complete my measurements and start building one (hopefully tomorrow!), and I had time on my hands and a plan in my head ...
Put me in front of a bench with spokeshaves, rasps and a few scrapers, and I am as Happy as Larry (translation: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/as-happy-as-larry.html).
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/1_zps18407922.jpg
A bit of Karri for the head (heavier and more interlocked than Jarrah) and Curly Marri for the handle (softer, "chewy", I think will absord vibration well), and bit of brass ... This is what I came up with ...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/3_zps97cd6e8f.jpg
The faces have leather for cushioning the chisel handes. The mallet handle is oval in cross section, approximately 1 1/2" x 1" and 10" long. The head is approximately 5" long x 3 " high and 2 3/8" wide.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/4_zpse2b9f873.jpg
The overall weight of this mallet came in at a little over 38 oz. How did it manage this in a relatively small head? It is down to the 1/4" thick brass plate that was added (peened) to each side ..
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/5_zpsc4ab58f1.jpg
In use this mallet is in a different class to the others for morticing. It certainly helps in punching the chisel through hardwoods ...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/6_zps5c244802.jpg
Regards from Perth
Derek