What hammer for chisels?

[Jacob]

Ah, I have often wondered about that. I use a flat faced wooden mallet when I need to and imagined that it might be less easy to make a precise strike with a round mallet. I do agree that a round mallet has a certain aesthetic appeal.

Round mallets good too and just as good for "precise strikes' - but the whole point of the mallet is that you don't have to make such precise strikes as you do with hammer.
Round less use for knocking frames apart and other woodwork bashing operations.
Never buy tools with aesthetic appeal, unless you are just trying to impress the girl next-door or something!

 

[Adam W.]

I always use a mallet for carpentry, joinery and carving. Hammers are for driving nails, unless you are Japanese.

 

[Adam W.]

Snip/
Ever see a house framer using a wooden mallet ?/snip

Yes.

 

[TRITON]

I always use a mallet for carpentry, joinery and carving. Hammers are for driving nails, unless you are Japanese.

A mallet is a hammer Adam.

The mallets primary function is the knocking together or apart framework. or driving in wooden pegs or dowels.
Of course they are also used for chisels, primarily when light controllable work is required.

But saying mallets are only for chisels and hammers cant be used is completely wrong.

No matter your nationality

 

[Jacob]

A mallet is a hammer Adam.

The mallets primary function is the knocking together or apart framework. or driving in wooden pegs or dowels.
Of course they are also used for chisels, primarily when light controllable work is required.

But saying mallets are only for chisels and hammers cant be used is completely wrong.

No matter your nationality

Hammers can be used but they require a more precise aim or you might hit your hand. Not a prob with nails as they are usually started with a tap and once in situ can be hit hard as you can, with your other hand out of the way.

 

[TRITON]

Hammers can be used but they require a more precise aim or you might hit your hand.

Maybe thats Adam's problem no finesse.

 

[Adam W.]

Maybe thats Adam's problem no finesse.

Oh blimey!

 

[TRITON]

Oh blimey!

 

[Graham Brazier]

Bought both of theses oak mallets recently , the ladies father makes them from reclaimed oak

Nice size and weight , bought via FB but also on Etsy

For years I used my Stanley hammer ( 10oz Warrington pattern ) on my Stanley chisels ( 5002) but thought I would buy a mallet or two I never really liked the squarish wooden mallets but these feel really nice to use

 

[Jacob]

A mallet is a hammer Adam.

The mallets primary function is the knocking together or apart framework. or driving in wooden pegs or dowels.

Pegs and dowels better done with a hammer

Of course they are also used for chisels, primarily when light controllable work is required.

Only when a mallet is not to hand

But saying mallets are only for chisels and hammers cant be used is completely wrong.

Nobody said that. But mallets are better for chisels and hammers for nails.

 

[Ollie78]

I use a 20oz Estwing, for everything including chisels, I do have metal rings on all my chisels though.
I am extremely used to this hammer and so am accurate with it, its just part of my arm at this point.
If I start using a different hammer just for chisels I would be more likely to miss.

I tried a wooden mallet a few times but it was too light and required effort in use, a nice heavy ish hammer requires no effort by comparison.

Ollie

 

[Jameshow]

Maybe thats Adam's problem no finesse.

Up there with Derek and kittywake I think!

 

[Richard_C]

before amateur woodwork gurus started "over-thinking" the problem and promoting a confusing fashion range of expensive alternatives.

Hmm, I suspect round mallets have been in use for a very long time, and not just by amateurs. I went to the Hepworth studios in St Ives last month, she is mostly remembered for bronze sculptures but direct carved in elm all of her adult life. Photo attached of one which was unfinished when she died, together with some gouges and a hefty round mallet.

Round less use for knocking frames apart and other woodwork bashing operations.

No doubt. I have acquired a range of hitty-things over the last 50 years, lump, sledge, ball pein, pin, claw, Thor the thunderhammer (hide/copper variety), round and rectangular mallets. The rectangular is the right thing for many jobs including donking the bar that gets centre drives out of the lathe and yes, frames. But the round one is by far the nicest for woodcarving.

Never buy tools with aesthetic appeal, unless you are just trying to impress the girl next-door or something!

Today is my 46th wedding anniversary. I wonder if she stuck with me because of the shape and heft of my mallet? I dare not ask.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I now understand why my amateur efforts at mortise and tenon etc is so laboured.

I have typically used one of the cheap basic rectangular beech mallets to hit the chisel. Going into oak with a 10mm mortise is fairly hard work.

Will try using something (or probably making) with a bit more heft so I can concentrate more on aim and chisel, not just hitting it harder. Let the tool do the work - so to speak!

 

[Jameshow]

I now understand why my amateur efforts at mortise and tenon etc is so laboured.

I have typically used one of the cheap basic rectangular beech mallets to hit the chisel. Going into oak with a 10mm mortise is fairly hard work.

Will try using something (or probably making) with a bit more heft so I can concentrate more on aim and chisel, not just hitting it harder. Let the tool do the work - so to speak!

How about an oak head?

Ill chuck a bit out the window when passing!

 

[Adam W.]

I now understand why my amateur efforts at mortise and tenon etc is so laboured.

I have typically used one of the cheap basic rectangular beech mallets to hit the chisel. Going into oak with a 10mm mortise is fairly hard work.

Will try using something (or probably making) with a bit more heft so I can concentrate more on aim and chisel, not just hitting it harder. Let the tool do the work - so to speak!

The "Wood is good" mallets are very nice and don't make a load of noise, although they are a bit pricey and the handles are like clubs, but that can be changed easy enough.

Even though I lack finesse and give it a goodly hit instead of a prissy tap, I prefer to concentrate on what the pointy end is doing, rather than worrying about twatting my knuckles and looking at the handle all the time.

 

[Jacob]

.......

....I prefer to concentrate on what the pointy end is doing, rather than worrying about twatting my knuckles and looking at the handle all the time.

That's exactly the point. Whereas with nails you are looking at and aiming for the head.

 

[Jacob]

I now understand why my amateur efforts at mortise and tenon etc is so laboured.

I have typically used one of the cheap basic rectangular beech mallets to hit the chisel. Going into oak with a 10mm mortise is fairly hard work.

Beyond a certain size the force of the hit can simply make it harder to pull out the chisel for the next hit. So an average size mallet is best - to suit your strength.
Different for a nail - you are not pulling it out between hits

 

[Adam W.]

@Jacob Yes, I'd end up with hamburger hands.

I wonder if the light commercial beech mallets have done an injustice to heavier traditional mallets and put people off using them.

 

[Jacob]

Hmm, I suspect round mallets have been in use for a very long time, and not just by amateurs. I went to the Hepworth studios in St Ives last month, she is mostly remembered for bronze sculptures but direct carved in elm all of her adult life. Photo attached of one which was unfinished when she died, together with some gouges and a hefty round mallet.





No doubt. I have acquired a range of hitty-things over the last 50 years, lump, sledge, ball pein, pin, claw, Thor the thunderhammer (hide/copper variety), round and rectangular mallets. The rectangular is the right thing for many jobs including donking the bar that gets centre drives out of the lathe and yes, frames. But the round one is by far the nicest for woodcarving.



Today is my 46th wedding anniversary. I wonder if she stuck with me because of the shape and heft of my mallet? I dare not ask.

I was impressed by Hepworth workshop too. No fancy tools at all!
But a carvers round mallet is less useful than a square one, to a typical joiner doing ordinary work.