weight of stamping maul

[Hildebrand]

I was just wondering what weight of poly maul everyone is using to stamp with?  I have the Tandy rawhide mallet but I think especially for basketstamping I would like something heavier.  I usually have to hit the stamp more than once even with the leather cased well.

Thank you,

Todd

[tsunkasapa]

I've never been a fan of the mauls. I have poly mallets in two weights, as well as three sizes of rawhide. If I need something with more UMPH I have a 1lb dead blow hammer from Harbor Freight.

[Hildebrand]

@tsunkasapa what weight are the poly mallets you are using.

[bruce johnson]

          Currently I've got a series of articles going in ShopTalk magazine about upgrading from the entry leather tools and make-do tools most of us started with.  Since the striking tool section is already published I am comfortable with sharing my experience and insight. I think everybody needs a 1# maul as the first upgrade for striking tools. Most stamping can be done with that one pound weight. You can choke up or hold the head for light work. A few people will find they want something lighter for small face stamps like bar grounders, seeders and figure carving and for them the next one is a 12 ounce. Most people find they want a larger one for larger geometrics and flower centers though. That's where a 1-1/2 or 2 pounder would be that next purchase.  When I was doing a lot of stamping, I looked for one hit wonders. You hit a stamp four ways with too light a maul or mallet, you just took four times longer to finish. Too heavy and you waste more energy holding it back. One controlled hit with the right size maul and go on. i used 1, 1-1/2, 2, and 2-1/2 mostly. If 12 ouncers were readily available, I'd have foregone lunch for a few weeks and that 12 ounce would have been in my lineup even in my black hole period of life. My 3# was for concho punches and that was about it. 

      Not all mauls are the same and there are several good makers. There are at least three or four different head materials used. Different makers have different balance points. Handle shapes and materials are all over the map. Straight vs tapered is another consideration.

   For me in my progression - head material that transfers the force without being slippery and wears well. A little head-heavy for more of a deadfall effect and less swinging and extra arm force behind it. leather handles have more grip for me.  A tapering butt on the handle gives me more rebound action when I am rocking wrist stamping  like a teeter-totter. Tapered head so I can rest my elbow on the bench or keep it lower at my side if I'm not resting it. These are the reasons I used mauls from  a particular maker when they became available and sell them now.

[tsunkasapa]

16 hours ago, Hildebrand said:

@tsunkasapa what weight are the poly mallets you are using.

Never weighed them, just a smallish one and a bigger one. The only time I ever worried about weight was with my framing hammers.

[FrenchMich]

I use several Mauls (I find easier than mallet, you don't need to direct the strike, it's always well oriented and the movement of the forearm is more ergonomic) I have one barry king lightweight, one from skindhuset (505 gr ; 1,11 lbs I like it, the typing is nice ), a big one (2 lbs) for big jobs and the king of mauls (for me) the Wayne Jueschke taper 1 lb.
It's the ideal balance and ideal weight for froral carving.
So, all that to say you, after more of twenty years of leather work my opinion is the good weight is around of 0.8 and 1 lbs.

Mich'

[Gezzer]

Ya'll got me to wondering , well I now know my  maul  weighs 11.5 oz according to my scale .  @tsunkasapa I am with you on the framing hammers  

[fredk]

I found my poly mallet was too light so recently I invested in a 24oz dead-blow mallet. I've not used it much but it has made a difference

[FrenchMich]

24 Oz, it's already heavy for floral carving. For me, 20 Oz it should be better. However, it's Ok for geometric stamp like medium Basket stamp.

 

[Doc Reaper]

I have 8oz for tooling, I have a Tandy rawhide weighted (16oz) hammer that I’ve hade for 15 years. It was difficult to hit flat items square, the impact would be deflected if impact wasn’t spot on. 
then I invested in the tapered cylinder type hammer/maul and it was far easier to use than the conventional hammer type. 
Of the cylinder types I have weights from 5oz up to 18oz, I mostly use the one pound for stamping letters and such. As said in previous notes I choke up in different places on the handle for the desired impact. And what a hammer can’t do the one ton arbor press catches. And if the arbor press isn’t enough I use the 20 ton pneumatic hydraulic press. So I have all bases covered when it comes to stamping 

[Frodo]

I use 2 deadfalls

one is a 20 oz ball peen with a 6” handle

the other is used  straight up and down it is a Dpin off of a bulldozer or hid bucket 

7” long the face is 1 3/4”. 

[DieselTech]

I have & use 3 poly round mauls, 12oz for beveling, 16oz for most basketweave & border stamps, then I got a 24oz for my makers stamp & large geometric stamps. 

Wish I could find a 12oz leather stacked handle poly maul. Preferably a taper head. 

28 minutes ago, Frodo said:

I use 2 deadfalls

one is a 20 oz ball peen with a 6” handle

the other is used  straight up and down it is a Dpin off of a bulldozer or hid bucket 

7” long the face is 1 3/4”. 

Frodo is that handle in your ball peen, made out of deer antler?

Thanks.

[Frodo]

Elk.  Chuck sent it to me

[Frodo]

Just now, Frodo said:

Elk.  Chuck sent it to me

my awl and burnish tool

[jrdunn]

1 hour ago, DieselTech said:

I have & use 3 poly round mauls, 12oz for beveling, 16oz for most basketweave & border stamps, then I got a 24oz for my makers stamp & large geometric stamps. 

Wish I could find a 12oz leather stacked handle poly maul. Preferably a taper head. 

Frodo is that handle in your ball peen, made out of deer antler?

Thanks.

Like this one?  Thanks to @bruce johnson

https://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/new-wayne-jueschke-mauls-string-cutters-and-riveters/

[DieselTech]

4 minutes ago, jrdunn said:

Like this one?  Thanks to @bruce johnson

https://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/new-wayne-jueschke-mauls-string-cutters-and-riveters/

Thanks I appreciate the link. Exactly what I'm looking for. 

21 minutes ago, Frodo said:

 

Them look great Frodo. Nice work on the tools. Love em. 

Thanks. 

[Frodo]

@DieselTech

Chuck made those for me

i made the blades in this picture

a cutter

a skiver

a mini round knife

[DieselTech]

2 minutes ago, Frodo said:

@DieselTech

Chuck made those for me

i made the blades in this picture

a cutter

a skiver

a mini round knife

Ok thanks Frodo. Nice collection of fine looking tools there. Thanks for sharing them.

[MarshalWill]

I like mallet heads for stamping. Never got used to a round maul. The weights I like are mostly an 4 oz one I made from UHMW and a 10 oz one I bought for larger stamps. For very large stamps like a maker's stamp, I use my drill press to make an impression or, on occasion, a 28 oz Barry King mallet. For BW, like you were asking, I use the 10 oz one.

In the photo: the 28 oz BK mallet, the 10 oz mallet and the 4 oz one.

 

Edited January 20, 2024 by MarshalWill
error

[gtwister09]

Here is a link to an old thread from 2010 concerning weights.

 

Regards,
Ben

[bruce johnson]

Good Info Ben thanks!

[MarshalWill]

LOL, I fall in the "Other" categories for everything.