George, scuptor I ain't!! I just don't seem to strike the chisel squarely with a flat head mallet. As you indicate, it is really a personal preference.
I am pretty new at this handtool thing, but have used chisels for decades. The problem was, in past years, my tools were inferior, and I hit them with whatever I had - which was usually a small kid's hammer
As you can see, nearly anything was an improvement.