lignum carver's mallets.

[Phil Pascoe]

Follow up to -
post1370663.html#p1370663

My two are done.
Ash and hornbeam handles. The larger one for many purposes is too heavy.

 

[MikeG.]

I'm curious about hornbeam. It's sometimes called ironwood, isn't it? What's it like to work with?

 

[gregmcateer]

Nice mallets (hammer)

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'm curious about hornbeam. It's sometimes called ironwood, isn't it? What's it like to work with?

Bleddy hard. Probably a lot nicer to turn than to work by hand. There seem to be little patches that are harder than the rest - a nice fine pull cut will suddenly snatch slightly as if you've hit a little knot or a bit of cross grain and when you look there's absolutely nothing there, just a very slight tear. There is very light quilting in this piece, which might be be the cause - tomorrow I'll get the boy to take some better pictures than I can on my horrible little camera.

 

[Aquachiefofficer]

This post reminds me of a time 50 years ago when I was a cadet with BP Tankers.
On one ship the chief engineer was a Geordy with the magnificent name of Kenneth Muckles Mackie. He was one of only 3 people who could still make Northumbrian bagpipes. He drove the chief officer incandescent with rage because he would steal the lignum vitae fids for splicing mooring lines from the deck store and spirit them down to the engine room workshop and turn them into pipes on the lathe.
Happy days.

 

[Lons]

This post reminds me of a time 50 years ago when I was a cadet with BP Tankers.
On one ship the chief engineer was a Geordy with the magnificent name of Kenneth Muckles Mackie. He was one of only 3 people who could still make Northumbrian bagpipes. He drove the chief officer incandescent with rage because he would steal the lignum vitae fids for splicing mooring lines from the deck store and spirit them down to the engine room workshop and turn them into pipes on the lathe.
Happy days.

I can't say for sure but it might be possible he was exaggerating just a little to justify him pinching the lig vi :wink:

I don't know a lot about the Northumbrian pipes but a friend who died a few years ago, sadly just before his 100th birthday was heavily involved with the society and had a sizeable collection in his own house so the subject was regularly discussed between us. The pipes museum is local to me and Northumbrian Pipes is still an active society. I'm not a fan btw as I think all they produce is a horrible noise even if more tolerable than traditional bagpipes. :lol:
There were a number of people and small groups making pipes and a resurgence in the 60s where classes were taking place to keep the skills alive and if Muckle had been only one of three makers left my friend would most certainly have known him and mentioned his name. It is declining again though and I think there are only maybe a dozen people actively making pipes now.

The society is still very active for anyone interested and with a more sophisticated (allegedly) ear than mine. https://www.northumbrianpipers.org.uk/

PS
Sorry to hijack your thread Phil, great looking mallets and the hornbeam I've used in the past did indeed turn and finish nicely, got a great finish straight from a skew.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Better photos