All Replies on Mallets of your dreams

Some one here mentioned a cheap brass mallet (Mauricio maybe) that is sold at the big box stores. I have looked at the local Lowe’s, HD, and even HF but no joy.

-- It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe. - Muhammad Ali

Wow…this thing took off!

Here is my whacker that I forgot that I had! It was made by Dad out of Osage Orange back in like 93 or something like that. It was made for tooling leather:

Note the bailing wire used to keep the end from splitting…southern engineering at its best…

-- Jason K

P.S. Don’t tell your wife you are going to the basement to take a picture of your whacker…they look at you funny…

-- Jason K

Rick, Good mallet thread is hard to get and even harder to make.

Is southern engineering as good as yankee ingenuity?

-- In the end, when your life flashes before your eyes, will you like what you see?

wow, there sure is a diverse range of mallets out there.
those blue spruce ones are sure beautiful. much too pretty to use. but then all of there stuff has some of the most beautiful woods.
lysdexic, that mallet of yours looks perfect for pounding 6×6 posts into the ground. but i see you added the leather for tha fine carving work too…lol
thanks nwbusa, i wanted to do something different with the handle like some of the hammers i like to use. where the handles get fatter at the end of the handle. so i thought some maple accents would be nice. and i got to learn how to use a spokeshave in shaping the handle. as for the wedges, that idea came from steve marin and his woodworking for mere mortals website.
bagtown, that mallet looks like it came straight off a 1700’s clipper ship
marucio, nice shillelagh you have there. bit o’ the irish in your family there..lol

-- I'm not clumsy.. It's just the floor hates me, the tables and chairs are bullies and the wall gets in the way.. - Mike -

Scott, do you mean this little guy I use for adjusting plane blades?
http://www.harborfreight.com/double-sided-mallet-with-wooden-handle-98285.html

Whome, I always wondered what a shillelagh was! Matter of fact I do have a little irish in me, on my mothers side way way back, grandmas las name was Blaire.

-- Mauricio - Woodstock, GA - "Confusion is the Womb of Learning, with utter conviction being it's Tomb" Prof. T.O. Nitsch

“P.S. Don’t tell your wife you are going to the basement to take a picture of your whacker…they look at you funny…”

Carguy, you are not well. I just nearly choked on some cola when reading your reply. BWAHAHAHA!
Too funny!!!!!
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

“P.S. Don’t tell your wife you are going to the basement to take a picture of your whacker…they look at you funny…”

Yep. I said that to my wife. She thought I was running for congress.

Triplets.

Bubinga with hickory handles.

3 1/4 across/14oz
4 7/8 across/1lb, 7oz
6 across/1lb, 12oz

They just got finished so I haven’t tried them yet. I have used my other Bubinga mallet.

Cdarney,

What angle of inclination do you use for your striking face?

-- It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe. - Muhammad Ali

mauricio, well, i thoght that was a shillelagh but i just looked it up on wikipedia and i was wrong. the wiki picture shows them as being more like a club made out of a tree branch. oh, and sorry for spelling your name wrong.
i have some irish in my moms side of the family so i guess i should really know what one looks like.
i guess i could call yours a nice oak beatin’ stick..lol

cdarney, those are really nice. you can pick a size based on how much frustration you have at the time :-)

-- I'm not clumsy.. It's just the floor hates me, the tables and chairs are bullies and the wall gets in the way.. - Mike -

This is my favorite thread on the internet.
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Jason, you have some splaining to do. You’re a leatherworker too? I want to get into it desperately. Where do you recommend I get a starter set of tools? Have you ever considered making gun holsters? That may be the coolest mallet I’ve ever seen.
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JGM, absolutely insane.
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Lysdexic, if you want to go in on some brass bar stock, let’s do it. I’ve resisted buying a big bar but my bandsaw blade is about dead and I’m ready to finish it off on some brass. If there’s interest, I’ll order a big brass bar and start segmenting it.
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I’m really fond of these below ($27). Glen Drake makes some leftie carving hammers that are gorgeous too.
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http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-BJACH.XX/Search/hammer/Barrel_Shaped_Chisel_Hammers

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

Cdarney, are you considering making some for sale? They are mouthwatering.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

shillelagh: Walking stick/ Cudgel

-- Mauricio - Woodstock, GA - "Confusion is the Womb of Learning, with utter conviction being it's Tomb" Prof. T.O. Nitsch

Hmm, maybe a mallet made with a blackthorn branch for the handle. Now that would be cool.

cdarney, those mallets are things of beauty. I’ll bet the bubinga will hold up really well, too, given its hardness. Nice work!

-- John, BC, Canada

Al – yes, I once was a leatherworker…in fact, when I bought my current house 3 years ago I was pumped to build me a bench so I could do leatherwork again in the basement…while looking online for plans for benches I got sidetracked by all the woodworking benches, which led to woodworking tools, which led to…well…where I am now!

I’ve made belts, wallets, keychains…not a holster yet, but my dad has made a few. I’ve never bought a leatherworking tool, they are all dads that he bought back in the late 50’s, but the same company still makes and sells them. Tandy Leather Factory is the place to get all that crap…They even sell books that will get you started. I learned from those books, but the 1950 version of them. Its an awesome craft to get into, and quite addicting…

-- Jason K

cdarney – those are sweet mallets! Good night, Irene, I really need to make one…Instead, I spent my shop time today making this:

No, the spray can caps are not permanent…though a “monster duck” would be sweet, with fat mudders…Anyway, instead of building my bench or a mallet, I’m building a duck train for my kid who is brewing in my wife. Maybe he/she will need a baby sized mallet, too…

-- Jason K

Cdarney, that’s a sweet set…love the bubinga!

Spent some great time in the shop today playing with rasps and cherry…now I have a mallet-shaped device in my shop! Will finish sanding tomorrow…

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-- tr ...see one, do one, teach one...

Wow, Terry…one solid hunk of wood? That, my friend, is sweet!

-- Jason K

Terry that is friggin strong work sir. Strong.

-- It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe. - Muhammad Ali

Thanks, guys, see…I really suck at joinery! But carving with rasps seems to come natural to me so far…
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-- tr ...see one, do one, teach one...

Terry, OMG. I think solid might trump it.
Jason, thank you much!
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I took a bunch of pictures of my mallets but my phone corrupted them. I salvaged one:
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Lysdexic, I use that little Lowe’s hammer to adjust planes.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

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-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

Nice family shot, Al…more info please!
I like the first with curly handle!
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-- tr ...see one, do one, teach one...

Thanks, TR:) Made them in my early days when I had more patience and style. Far left is purpleheart on maple; proud split wedge of same. Middle is bloodwood on cocobolo, olivewood wedge. Right is ash on birdseye with a walnut wedge.
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No lathe, just drawknife and spokeshave. Renaissance wax on 50% Bullseye amber shellac, period; They’ve held up for many, many years.
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The one you like is extra long with a superheavy head. You can really get a lot of force with a tap. The ash one I just beat unmercifully. I made it probably 8 years ago and expected for it to last a year. My hand looks for that square grip now; nothing else really feels right.
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You can see how much I love it by its place in my till;)
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I turned a massive walnut mallet but it was too pretty to use;)

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

You know, these are the things that we’ve made that’ll end up in an antique store one day. That’s pretty friggin cool.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

That is correct. These will end up in antique stores and people will call them, “Tools made by craftsmen”. That furniture will end up in a junk store…..

^Amen, Grandpa.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

To all those that say the Blue Spruce is too pretty to use, I can tell you I have bashed and bashed away with that mallet, chopping till my hearts content for two years now, and it still looks exactly like the day I bought it, nary a mark on it.

That infused maple is some seriously tough stuff!

Tirebob, I think your post just tipped the scales for me. Fetching credit card brb. :)
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http://www.bluesprucetoolworks.com/cgi/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=MLTRND1
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$85, c’mon, man. A good steak and a bottle of wine.
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-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

Last year I used a short piece of 2×4. It started splitting so I retired it back to the scrap box. I am now using this from the scrap box. A few months back the end started chipping off. So I cut some bicycle tube and put on the striking end. I like this one. It is comfortable and has the right heft for me.

Purely gorgeous, Robert. Gave me a warm rush when I saw it. God, I love mallets.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

Bertha – You will not regret it I promise!

Nowadays my Son tells me my Little Pecker (small mallet) looks worn out.
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My fiance’ tells me the same thing;)
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Those are fantastic mallets, Kat. Anyone with a giant mallet with “Big Daddy” written on it is a man to be reckoned with:)

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

Made this one last January —ended up in the ER after lopping off part of my thumb with a chisel while making it. That spot you see on the handle is dried blood that I left on as a reminder to be safe in the shop.

Woods are purpleheart, padauk, and maple. Handle is secured with wedges into the tenon. If I had to remake it (and someday I will…) I’d probably decrease the overall size of the head and do a better job on shaping the handle.

A lot of nice chisel tappers posted. I think I like the trio of Bubinga’s myself.

I too would love to build a mystery mallet. I drew it up in SU, then I heard about the writeup in the magazine. I designed mine to be built with the tablesaw & other power tools(yes, and hand tools too). I want to take Roy’s hand cut dovetail class too. One day…

-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--

JGM I like the brass or bronze mallet it is nice who makes it ?

\I loved the triplets I think I will copy the hear of those I prefer a more contoured handle for prolonged use it feels better in the hand to me.

AL DID YOU NAME THE mallet Bertha Is that your last name or is it a pets name

I got to use one of those Urethane Mallets at the ln show in Oakland I was surprised that is had no bounce to it

-- when I am not on Lumberjocks I am on @ http://thisoldworkshop.com where we allow free speech

That vintage Pepsi can is a nice touch. Loving those old crosscut saws too. I need to get some ambiance in my shop, to offset the wife’s gardening equipment and kids’... stuff.

-- John, BC, Canada

Kat, is that superbig daddy;) ?

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

Kat – does that Pepsi can also reflect the last time that mallet was used? :-)

-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive

Did somebody say Brass ?

On the left, Princess Auto club hammer, someday it’ll get a replacement for the gold metalflake fiberglass handle (wood) next a LV from the ‘80’s 3 or so ouncer, followed by the LV cabnet makers wacker and a dollar store multi tool.
The next isn’t brass, but Berilium (sp?)

Guys working on gas lines used them to avoid sparks but it’s listed as a toxic material
so no powered cleanup..should AutoSol it at least..

-- Glen, Vernon B.C. Canada

That princess is gorgeous.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

...ooooh….Love the brass, Glen…and the un-obtanium ranks very high on the cool scale!

Lots of nicely made whackers on here…can’t wait to try a laminated version myself…

Katdaddy, I think they built THAT one for destroying smaller mallets when worn out :)

Al, way to go on grabbing a Blue Spruce! Heck, $85 to me is a tank of fuel…no, I’m not so rich I can just burn money.

Somebody let me know how that Blue Spruce is made…I mean, segmented wood and brass turned on the lathe, or pretty paint? Gotta know since I’m buying a new lathe today (Jet1220VS)...
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-- tr ...see one, do one, teach one...

$85 won’t even get close to my tank. I’ve got the 40 and at $4/gallon, adds up. At least we don’t have big boats. So I’ll fill it half-way and buy a mallet. Makes sense to me;) ...maybe just not the better 1/2.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

Al… speaking of boats, at the cabin, we’re right at the marina, and it’s not uncommon to see fuel bills over $1,000 because of the houseboats that are in there… it’s crazy. We once pulled up to the fuel dock (2008, I believe) and the bill was $1,800! It was nuts. Gas is usually about $1.50 more at the fuel dock than the gas station. When gas was that high, we’d pull our boat out and pull it to the gas station and put it back in…

-- Mos - Twin Cities, MN -- Stanley #45 Evangelist - www.youtube.com/MosquitoMods

When I was a caddie, we had a marina. Even back then (1987 maybe), gas and beer were twice the price. We all know what they say about boats.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

Cool thread! I need to make me a good mallet since my dead blow hammer just doesn’t do it for me.

Jason: I’ve lived in DFW all my life…home of Tandy Corp. When I was 6, my parents got me a big Tandy leather working kit for Christmas. It was huge with tons of projects and tools. I can even envision the box it came in some 38 years later.

In one of my most disgraceful moments as a kid, on my 7th birthday, my mother got me a leather belt blank. It came with a few new tools but NO instructions. I was so used to my kit that taught me to “paint by numbers,” as it were. Frustrated, I yelled at Mom and told her, “How dare you give me something like this that I can’t do. There’s no pattern!” I remember it vividly and I recall that moment all the time.

I dont know what ever happened to my Tandy leather set, but I sure wish I had it back.

-- jay, www.allaboutastro.com

terryR – African Blackwood handle and curly maple head infused with acrylic…

Jay, that’s an awesome story. I got kicked out of junior high my last year for fighting and being a general a$$hole. I went to some “juvi” alternative school for the year, but I was enrolled in “shop”. They let me work out in the hall with my limited borrowed tools. I made a fireplace blower thing (I’m brain farting). It’s still in my Mom’s home. Memories, bro.

-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog

You know what they say Al, if you make something for mom, you better do a good job…because it will be on display the rest of your life…and its true.