Replies

1. 
   john_c2 | Nov 24, 2021 03:44am | #1

   I like a round mallet for carving. One of the nicest I've used is by Blue Spruce. But if you have access to a lathe, consider getting a really dense piece of wood and turning your own.

1. 
   jdstreet | Nov 24, 2021 08:11am | #4

   I agree with choice of round. I turned mine but if buying, Blue Spruce makes some excellent tools

2. 
   thebardowl | Nov 24, 2021 04:28am | #2

   I think most folks who do much carving prefer round-head mallets. It’s what I was given when I started (mine’s the green urethane thing, brand I can’t recall right now, that’s available widely). But I see folks using flat-faced/block-head mallets, too. Main things are mass and comfortable grip. Too little mass is frustrating and makes some maneuvers harder to control, with no real upside, in my opinion. Density of course relates to mass, but also durability, especially of a wooden mallet.

   My second mallet, more of an all-arounder, is a trapezoidal head of mulberry fashioned from a downed mulberry in a neighbor’s yard affixed to an ash handle. FWIW, it does a great job at whatever I ask it to do. Total cost: dang near zero. (The ash was scrap from a project, turned to make the handle.)

3. 
   _mj_ | Nov 24, 2021 07:42am | #3

   I use metal mallets, one in brass and one steel. I had a round lignum that is all surface splinters that I need to freshen up on the lathe. I don't like the urethane or rubbery coatings, they absorb enegry instead of transferring it to the work. A deadblow is a must-have item in any shop.

1. 
   john_c2 | Nov 24, 2021 09:50am | #5

   I'm not a fan of urethane covered mallets either. As you said, the point is to transfer the energy to the tool, and the urethane gets in the way of that.

   I have a few dead blow mallets, up to four pounds. Couldn't do without them.

4. 
   flyfisher111 | Nov 24, 2021 03:34pm | #6

   I have both the mallet type and round. Used the mallet once.

   Currently I use a round one made from dogwood, from a tree that died in our yard. Dogwood is about 2200 on the Janka scale, hard maple 1100-1400. The one in the photo has been in use for about 10 years and hardly shows a dent. Dogwoods are dying throughout the southeast from an imported fungus, so finding a dead tree is easier today than in the past.

   If you happen to run across a dead rhododendron of sufficient diameter, grab it. Its about 24% harder than dogwood.

   I have an extra if you're interested.

   
1. 
   Go_Bills | Nov 24, 2021 08:19pm | #10

   FlyFisher
   I am definitely interested. That mallet is very unique.
   How much would you like for the mallet?
   Do you know how to have a private conversation on this web site?

   Thanks

1. 
   _mj_ | Nov 24, 2021 08:26pm | #11

   If you guys use the contact form on the website in my profile I'll put you together. I've done it a number of times before for other members. Put "FW forum mallet" in the message to call it out for my web team.

1. 
   Go_Bills | Nov 25, 2021 11:34am | #13

   FlyFisher & MJ
   I did provide my email through the Contact Link at TailSpin Tools

2. 
   flyfisher111 | Nov 27, 2021 08:16pm | #18

   Done

1. 
   _mj_ | Nov 28, 2021 08:53am | #19

   I have 769's contact, nothing for flyfisher yet. When it pops I'll email both of you.

1. 
   _mj_ | Nov 29, 2021 08:35am | #20

   You guys are all set. You should get an email today. Good luck!!

5. 
   jfsksa | Nov 24, 2021 04:08pm | #7

   I turned a round one out of Acacia. I glued two pieces together and you can see the glue line. I know purists will say you should not glue up wood for a mallet but I'm not driving T-posts with it, just doing light carving. If it fails I'll turn another one.

6. 
   Rob_Sp | Nov 24, 2021 04:11pm | #8

   Back about 1980 I was working in a naval shipyard. They kept a good bit of Lignum Vitae there, it was used to make bearings for propeller shafts, I believe.
   I was given a chunk and access to their lathe by the pattern shop and this is what I ended up with. 40 years later I could not improve upon it, it is a joy to use.
   You definitely want something as dense as possible. As far a domestic woods go, someone mentioned Dogwood, which I think would work well.

   
7. 
   EdWeber | Nov 24, 2021 05:20pm | #9

   I turned a round one as an exercise, proof of concept type of thing. I saw someone once, and can't remember where, turna mallet and sleeve a piece of black poly pipe over the head, so I thought I'd give it a try.
   Handle is maple, head is Hormigo (Macacauba) which is quite hard, 2700 Janka.
   The good thing is that when it gets beat up too much, to replace the sleeve, I can just add a little heat enough to slide off the old and slide on a new one.
   Not my best turning but it gets the job done.

   
8. 
   jharveyb | Nov 25, 2021 11:28am | #12

   Well, I have chosen a different solution. My first home-made mallet was an oak round with a walnut handle. Not durable. So I used what was left of the mallet to make a monster one with a elm burl head and hickory handle. Too big for anything but timber framing, so I made a smaller one of the same type. Then got a hornbeam (aka ironwood) root ball with some trunk on it, and turned a carving mallet of the typical shape, which worked really well. But what I really use, time after time, is a commercial raw-hide mallet. The oval handle helps me keep the face oriented to the chisel, and it is quiet, less shock to my hand/arm, and easy on the handle end. I end up using it for all my chisel work, both carving and joinery. If I were doing large sculpture with big gouges or a single piece dough bowl, I would grab one of my bigger mallets, but my carving is generally more detailed. I tried a rubber mallet I use to knock pieces together when gluing up, and it was terrible. All bounce. The leather mallet puts most of the energy into the tool, and not much into my body.

   
1. 
   EdWeber | Nov 25, 2021 02:56pm | #16

   I also prefer a handle that keeps the head indexed, the only place for a round handle is a round mallet IMO.
   Very nice carvings

9. 
   jharveyb | Nov 25, 2021 11:38am | #14

   Added a couple pictures of my carving.

1. 
   Go_Bills | Nov 25, 2021 11:43am | #15

   JHarveyB
   Your wood carvings are obviously very impressive

10. 
    joshfreeman | Nov 26, 2021 07:30am | #17

    I'd go with the round selection. I turned mine, however Blue Spruce offers some great tools if you're looking to buy.

11. 
    fivebirdscustom | Nov 30, 2021 02:47pm | #21

    I have a round one I bought at Woodcraft 25 or 30 years ago... It's made of Lignum and is mighty tough. It is showing wear (I don't carve as much these days as I did when I bought it. But, I also like the round one for carving.

    I also made a regular shaped mallet for general use out of some kind of salvaged wood... It might be acacia, but, I think it's Desert Willow. Either way, it was fun making my own, and I find I use it constantly for general smacking of things quite often. But, I doubt I would use it for carving.

12. 
    qtrsawnhb | Nov 30, 2021 03:14pm | #22

    I'm a complete beginner to carving so these might not be premium performance or durability, without experience with others to compare to. I found these very interesting background story and reasonable price, available from Lee Valley, so bought the set of 3 to start out and I'm very happy so far.

    https://www.finewoodworking.com/2019/08/01/the-rugged-journey-of-600-mallets

    https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/mallets/110532-greenwood-carvers-mallets