Soft faced hammers vs dead blow hammers

[morpheus83uk]

Hello,

I have been having a look around for a hammer which wont mark my work when making joints such as mortise and tenon however I keep coming finding soft face hammers and dead blow hammers being referred to as the same thing? Are they the same or are they different? I think the dead blow is heavier and more like a mallet and the soft faced hammers are for tapping joints together?

Am I correct or are they both for the same thing or just completely wrong?

Thanks

James

 

[AndyT]

They are different, but can sometimes be used for the same jobs.
A dead blow hammer has lead shot loose inside it. This stops the hammer from rebounding when it hits something.

A soft faced hammer is solid but will deform a bit on impact.

 

[MikeG.]

Rubber mallet for me. Just a pound or two (money, not weight).

 

[ColeyS1]

I saw something quite nifty the other day. It was a normal claw hammer with a rubber foot/grommet like you'd find on the bottom of a walking stick.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[John15]

I changed to a soft faced hammer a few years ago. https://www.axminster.co.uk/thor-soft-h ... -ax900209s . I find it easier to use compared to the dead blow type and gives the option of a soft and hard face.

John

 

[That would work]

The BEST way to knock joinery together is a 20oz hammer and a block of wood. The time honoured way.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You are Jacob and I claim my £5.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I tend to agree though - I have a Thor copper/rawhide mallet and a rubber one. They have their uses but both will leave marks on wood (masking tape on the rubber mallet would probably help - will try it next time).

I find I get better control though with a claw hammer and a hardwood block.

 

[Just4Fun]

Rubber mallet for me. Just a pound or two (money, not weight).

Same here, but they are not all the same. I lost (temporarily misplaced) mine recently so I bought another. Basically the same thing but the head is white instead of black rubber. It turns out the new one is noticeably softer then the older model. I dislike the new one as it feels too soft to me. Perhaps that I am just used to the firmer one. Anyway I am glad that my previous mallet turned up and I doubt I will ever use the newer model again.

 

[Blackswanwood]

+1 for Thor from Axminster. Richard Maguire extolled their virtues and I had just broken my wooden mallet so bought one. Nylon face for chisels and rubber for assembly.

 

[MikeG.]

Rubber mallet for me. Just a pound or two (money, not weight).

Same here, but they are not all the same. I lost (temporarily misplaced) mine recently so I bought another. Basically the same thing but the head is white instead of black rubber. It turns out the new one is noticeably softer then the older model. I dislike the new one as it feels too soft to me. Perhaps that I am just used to the firmer one. Anyway I am glad that my previous mallet turned up and I doubt I will ever use the newer model again.

I use the white version, because that's what I have. Save yours for paving/ path laying.

 

[MikeG.]

The BEST way to knock joinery together is a 20oz hammer and a block of wood. The time honoured way.

Agreed, but sometimes you need a third hand when doing this, so sometimes it is just more convenient to be able to hit the work directly. Hence the rubber mallet.

 

[dannyr]

fairly large wood or rawhide hammer/mallet (3 in dia) spreads the load - for me

 

[Racers]

I have a small rawhide mallet that I use for adjusting planes.
A couple of black rubber mallets a Thor lots of wooden ones a few milk bottle ones, so what ever comes to hand gets used.

Pete

Pete

 

[bridger]

All of my deadblow hammers are soft face, but not all of my soft face hammers are deadblow.

 

[MikeG.]

All of my deadblow hammers are soft face, but not all of my soft face hammers are deadblow.

How many hammers does a man need?

 

[AndyT]

How many hammers does a man need?

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wood ... er-museum/

 

[woodbloke66]

I use a white faced rubber mallet which works quite well, but the ultimate 'knocker-inner' is my 2kg lump hammer, one of the favourite tools of the late Alan Peters - Rob

 

[Blackswanwood]

I use a white faced rubber mallet which works quite well, but the ultimate 'knocker-inner' is my 2kg lump hammer, one of the favourite tools of the late Alan Peters - Rob

Reminded me of this ...

https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/mallet-rant-video/

 

[ScaredyCat]

How many hammers does a man need?

The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind.

.