What’s you chisel mallet?

[Curt Putnam]

Current favorites:

Blue Spruce 16 oz for tap-tap work
Ron Bontz 24 oz (?) or Lee Valley Carpenter's Mallet for serious whacking

I have (too many) others that roll into use from time to time.

[Derek Cohen]

For most chisel work I use a modified Veritas Cabinetmaker’s mallet. This weighs around 18oz. The wooden infill is faced with UHMW. This provides a great balance between hardness and cushioning. There is no lack of feedback, an insignificant reduction of energy, and no jarring. The handle has the ergonomics I like ...



This mallet is good for both bench- and mortice chisels. I try not to wack chisels too hard - which is difficult in my local woods - and the trick is to take fine slices to preserve the edge.

If a mallet is needed for more delicate wood, I use my 7oz plane hammer. One end is Delrin (another name for UHMW?) ...



At the other end if the scale, occasionally used is this 36oz persuader I built ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Phil Mueller]

Very similar to Derek; the Veritas cabinetmakers mallet for most work, and a large “persuader” for mortises. I do find I’m pulling out the round wooden carvers mallet more, particular where a light touch is needed.

[Michael J Evans]

You may laugh, but I often use a one pound rubber mallet. It's not as effective as a wooden mallet at transferring energy to the chisel, but it damps way down on vibrations, which I really appreciate, as I'm prone to elbow problems.

My most used hammer even though I made a mallet was a old chewed up rubber hammer I "borrowed" from my dad about 10 years ago and it broke yesterday.

[Tom M King]

You may laugh, but I often use a one pound rubber mallet. It's not as effective as a wooden mallet at transferring energy to the chisel, but it damps way down on vibrations, which I really appreciate, as I'm prone to elbow problems.

I expect the Wood is Good mallet would work good for you too. It gives a chisel more of a "push", rather than a jump, like hitting it will something harder. They are also easy on the arm using it, since they are so good at absorbing shock. Quiet too.

[Rob Luter]

This homebrew I made from a shower door handle and a scrap of maple. 24 ounces of nice compact heft.

48235805522_144e63c646_k.jpg

I have others as well. Use the tool that's right for the job.

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[Warren Mickley]

I have used a 30 ounce dogwood mallet with an 8 inch handle since 1979. Roubo shows a mallet with a somewhat bigger head, but also with an 8 inch handle. Roubo mentions mallet materials that are less dense than dogwood, but his head is large enough that the mallet might be up in the 32-34 ounce range. We don't swing a heavy mallet like a hammer, so a longer handle is not productive.

I also use a persimmon mallet, carver style that is 14 ounces.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

For most chisel work I use a modified Veritas Cabinetmaker’s mallet. This weighs around 18oz. The wooden infill is faced with UHMW. This provides a great balance between hardness and cushioning. There is no lack of feedback, an insignificant reduction of energy, and no jarring. The handle has the ergonomics I like ...



This mallet is good for both bench- and mortice chisels. I try not to wack chisels too hard - which is difficult in my local woods - and the trick is to take fine slices to preserve the edge.

If a mallet is needed for more delicate wood, I use my 7oz plane hammer. One end is Delrin (another name for UHMW?) ...

This homebrew I made from a shower door handle and a scrap of maple. 24 ounces of nice compact heft.

48235805522_144e63c646_k.jpg

And not a round mallet in site. Rob, your mallet looks like you can tell orientation by feel. Derek, same for at least one of your mallets. Do you have trouble maintaining orientation or is "feel" sufficient, at least for the handles that are not round. Obviously you do not have trouble or these would not be your favorites, but I almost always use a round mallet at least for use with chisels. Of course now that I am thinking about it, I probably am seeing the entire picture, I just never thought about it; or I would probably have trouble even hitting the handle where I want to.

[Rob Luter]

And not a round mallet in site. Rob, your mallet looks like you can tell orientation by feel. Derek, same for at least one of your mallets. Do you have trouble maintaining orientation or is "feel" sufficient, at least for the handles that are not round. Obviously you do not have trouble or these would not be your favorites, but I almost always use a round mallet at least for use with chisels. Of course now that I am thinking about it, I probably am seeing the entire picture, I just never thought about it; or I would probably have trouble even hitting the handle where I want to.

The crowned faces and the short squared handle makes striking accuracy easy, almost zen like. The heft helps too. I can choke up and still deliver a fair bit of force with just a firm tap.

[Thomas Wilson]

I have a lignum vitae mallet bought from Garrett Wade at least 40 years ago. The head is round and 3 inches or so in diameter and shaped like an apple. The handle is oak or ash and four or five inches long. I don’t know the weight but it is pretty heavy.

I also have a well used rubber mallet.

[Derek Cohen]

And not a round mallet in site. Rob, your mallet looks like you can tell orientation by feel. Derek, same for at least one of your mallets. Do you have trouble maintaining orientation or is "feel" sufficient, at least for the handles that are not round. Obviously you do not have trouble or these would not be your favorites, but I almost always use a round mallet at least for use with chisels. Of course now that I am thinking about it, I probably am seeing the entire picture, I just never thought about it; or I would probably have trouble even hitting the handle where I want to.

Andrew, I used to turn round mallets many years ago ... like everyone does, I suspect because they are easy to do. I even have the Blue Spruce carver’s mallet. However, it has been a long time since these were used for joinery. They lack the secure striking and directed energy of a flat face. Round faces always run the risk of a glancing blow. All my mallets and hammers have as much, perhaps more, attention given to the handle ... partly for ergonomics and partly for orientation.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Phil Mueller]

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again...love that mallet Rob. Great job from a door knob!