# Lignum Vitae Mallet



## chrisbaker42 (15 Apr 2011)

Like many before me, I have just finished making a carvers mallet from a lignum vitae bowl. The trouble is I cannot bring myself to use such a nice piece of wood for it's usual purpose - thank goodness I am not a carver.

How do the rest of you manage?


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## bugbear (15 Apr 2011)

chrisbaker42":1y8wni1f said:


> Like many before me, I have just finished making a carvers mallet from a lignum vitae bowl. The trouble is I cannot bring myself to use such a nice piece of wood for it's usual purpose - thank goodness I am not a carver.
> 
> How do the rest of you manage?



It should work fine - lignum is a good choice for round carver's mallet, due to hardness and density.

It's a poor choice for a carpenter's mallet (rectilinear head) since LV is brittle, and the arris's of such a mallet tend to chip.

Bugbear


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## chrisbaker42 (15 Apr 2011)

Yes it's great wood for the job but I have always tried to ensure any furniture I have made or turnings have remained scratch free and the idea of belting a chisel with such a nice piece really goes against the grain.


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## Paul Chapman (15 Apr 2011)

I would go ahead and use it. I made this one 







and have found that it stands up to wear very well. It would be a shame to make a nice tool and then not use it.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## gnu (15 Apr 2011)

We all suffer for our art and people used to say that my garden dibbers were far too nice to stick in the soil. My dad made a craving mallet about 50 years ago from an old crown green bowl that we may still have somewhere.


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## chrisbaker42 (15 Apr 2011)

Mine's very similar to yours Paul, I was just about to take a pic but the battery is flat, I'll post it later.


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## Lons (15 Apr 2011)

chrisbaker42":2qk6omn6 said:


> the idea of belting a chisel with such a nice piece really goes against the grain.



If you need to "belt" your carving chisels then they ain't sharp (hammer) :lol: :lol: 
Used properly, the weight of the mallet allows you to just tap the chisel - but you knew that didn't you #-o :wink: 
You'll find many carvers hardle use the mallet handle either, prefering to grip the head of the mallet to gain complete control.

cheers

Bob


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## chrisbaker42 (15 Apr 2011)

As you will see from my first post and by my use of the term "belt" that I am certainly no carver and don't even own any carving chisels. It's just something I always fancied making but I can't just keep it for an ornament.


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## Lons (16 Apr 2011)

chrisbaker42":26ufhp2b said:


> As you will see from my first post and by my use of the term "belt" that I am certainly no carver and don't even own any carving chisels. It's just something I always fancied making but I can't just keep it for an ornament.



Was tongue in cheek Chris :lol: 

Get yourself a couple of cheap or s/h chisels and have a go - you might enjoy it.

:-k It's actually surprising how often I reach for a carving gouge for general woodworking.

cheers

Bob


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## chrisbaker42 (17 Apr 2011)

Thanks Bob I'll give it a go.


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## Doug B (17 Apr 2011)

Just use it Chris, there`s a certain pleasure gained from using tools you`ve made yourself.

I`ve made a few mallets, this is the latest for a fellow forum member.






Happy malleting (hammer) 


Doug.


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## Lons (17 Apr 2011)

The 2 in this photo, I made years ago and they've had a lot of use.
Both have lignum heads and I like the feel of the smaller one. I also have a much smaller mallet which is one piece beech where I bored out a "dovetail" hole in the end and poared in melted lead. It's an absolute joy to use and is the first I look for.

Cheers 
Bob


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## bugbear (18 Apr 2011)

Lons":ap0l8k5c said:


> chrisbaker42":ap0l8k5c said:
> 
> 
> > the idea of belting a chisel with such a nice piece really goes against the grain.
> ...



Depends on the scale of carving being done. If you watch a carver working on a 6 foot piece, and in the early stages of roughing out with a inch and a half gouge, *belting* is most definitely involved!

BugBEar


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## chrisbaker42 (18 Apr 2011)

Would this set be a reasonable place to start?

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-se ... rod783394/


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## Lons (18 Apr 2011)

bugbear":2q5d7l96 said:


> Lons":2q5d7l96 said:
> 
> 
> > chrisbaker42":2q5d7l96 said:
> ...



Yep BugbEar - wouldn't disagree with that as I've seen it as well - and it's made me cringe!

The mallets we are looking at aren't really meaty enough to "belt" the type of large roughing out gouges used in those instances and I still maintain that it isn't necessary to use brute force to carve effectively.
It usually means that:- the chisels are blunt, the carver is impatient or in a hurry and trying to take far too big a cut. There are better methods of removing large quantities of waste quickly using both hand or power options.

A very sharp tool, frequently stropped will cut almost anywood if used within it's limitations and without excess force. I have a couple of heavy duty 1 1/2 and 2" gouges and if I can do it then so can much better carvers than me.

As a comparison, I've watched an old craftman effortlessly chop out mortices in oak doors using minimal blows but other so called "joiners" butcher a softwood door using a mallet as if wielding an axe #-o 



> Would this set be a reasonable place to start?
> 
> http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-se ... rod783394/



If you're happy to spend £30 on something you might not like. If it were me, I'd buy 1 or maybe 2 at most initially and preferably s/h quality if poss as they are still useful for normal jobs. 
Sets of chisels are rarely the best buys (says he who has 2 sets  ), as most of them go unused. For normal carving I use probably no more than 4 or 5 tools but the rest are great to own. Slippery slope as always!

PM me if you want advice but I suggest you read up before bying and decide whether your interest would be relief or in the round (or even chip carving). Loads of books available through the libraries and articles on the net, so don't even need to spend your hard earned.

cheers

Bob


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## chrisbaker42 (18 Apr 2011)

Thanks for the advice Bob I do tend to rather jump in on the equipment side but I will heed your advice and do a bit of reading, my only reason for looking at the set is that having done no reading I haven't got a clue what I am going to need.


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## Lons (18 Apr 2011)

chrisbaker42":3derx4uy said:


> Thanks for the advice Bob I do tend to rather jump in on the equipment side but I will heed your advice and do a bit of reading, my only reason for looking at the set is that having done no reading I haven't got a clue what I am going to need.



Hi Chris

You will soon realise that there are hundreds of shapes available but the majority of carvers use only a few tools for maybe 80% of the work. You'll find you would buy a gouge for a specific reason though it could still be used for others. there is a cross over in what they can do.
My favourite chisels are a couple of shallow fishtails from the Pfeil range and I can get right into sharp corners but the downside is they don't last as long as the same pattern with std blade as sharpening reduces the edge available.

I have all sorts (e.g. have 5 V chisels #-o ) and quite a number were bought second hand, some frome the old makers like addis with octagonal boxwood handles.....so, I spend more time admiring than carving  

You can produce remarkably good results with few tools but remember you need to have a method of holding the work and try decent wood such as lime for your project as a difficult wood might well discourage.

cheers

bob


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## chrisbaker42 (19 Apr 2011)

Any other recommended woods to start with as I have no lime, plenty of oak, ash and mahogany maybe a few others hiding somewhere. If I were to get just a couple of decent make second hand tools what would you recommend?


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## Lons (19 Apr 2011)

chrisbaker42":3j5nees4 said:


> Any other recommended woods to start with as I have no lime, plenty of oak, ash and mahogany maybe a few others hiding somewhere. If I were to get just a couple of decent make second hand tools what would you recommend?



hi Chris

Oak carves very well but it can be pretty hard. personally, I wouldn't recomment mahogany for your first attempt as it can be very "stringy" and doesn't always take a clean edge. it was the first I tried as it happens so didn't put me off.
If you're happy to have a go and don't let failing put you off, just try anything you have arount though. Once you've tried lime, you'll see what I mean as it's a joy to carve. Can also use most of the fruitwoods, boxwood and good quality close grained pine.

Tools:

My personal choice would be any of the old makers like Addis, herring Bros etc, mostly from around Sheffield but can be hard to come by as are collectable, also Pfeil (my favourite), Ashley Isles, Sorby, Henry Taylor (Acorn brand), flexcut.


Are there any nightclasses near you? or any of the toolshops which hold demos - worth a look. Also next time in Smiths have a browse through the Wood Carving mag.

Bob


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## chrisbaker42 (19 Apr 2011)

Many thanks Bob I'll start my research tomorrow.


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