Hammers, Mallets And Mauls

[RunningRoan]

I have some fatigue in my right hand/wrist from using my little rawhide mallet too much. I have to strike most of my tools 2+ times with it to get the job done. I think it's time I invest in something heavier. I have a Snap-On deadblow hammer that I use for striking my plastic maker's stamp. The head of the deadblow hammer isn't metal, so I've tried it on my metal tools and I don't really like it for that task. I seem to get too much bounce with it on metal. I use my little rawhide mallet for striking punches (hole punches and end punches), striking spot setters...those things require the most/hardest swings. I also use it for striking my stamping tools, and have to strike hard several times if I'm trying to get a deep impression (such as with my barbwire stamps). Hard to keep the depth consistent along the whole design when I have to stike the tool that many times for each impression.

So tell me your favorite heavier hammers, mallets and mauls and what weights they are.

[dirtclod]

i use a 22 ounce maul for my stamping, rivet setting and hole hole punching i generally give the stamps two licks one to set it and another to finish it up. I have a 2 pound maul but i don't care for it. I want to get a 14 ounce maul for tooling.

Edited August 30, 2010 by dirtclod

[mischief]

I use a 1& 1/16 dia copper rod.

Edited August 30, 2010 by mischief

[King's X]

I use a 14oz custom maul by Bearman for my all around stamping. I use my 2lb maul for Basket or geometric stamping and my 3lb for my large maker stamp placement.

[Tina]

I'm also using Mauls from "BearMan" for the tooling, one 16oz for the overall tooling and one 9oz for all the intricate details (plus it's a joy to work with functional and beautiful tools *S*).

I also have a huge wood-root maul I found online from some old cobblers place. The wood maul is somewheere between 3-4 pounds in weight and great for hole punches, 3D stamps and Makers Mark stamp.

I'm just adding a picture of the "BearMan" mauls :-)

Edited August 30, 2010 by Tina

[BarryS]

I use a 16 oz Barry King maul for all of my general tooling and I use a 20 oz. for all of my heavier tooling, such as basket stamping and setting my makers stamp. These seem to work really well for me. I am in the process of getting a Bearman maul in his brown head material, been hearing a bunch of good things about it. I think that if you went to a maul your arm would get much less fatigued though. Hope this helped and have a great day

[azrider]

I have a 14 oz maul I use very rarely, and a 20 oz maul I use most of the time. Both were made by bearman. I also have rawhide and poly mallets, and a deadblow hammer. I have some bounce from my tooling surface, so I like the dead blow for my maker's mark. The mallets come out some times, but mostly its the 20oz maul.

[hidepounder]

I use a 16 oz maul for 90% of my tooling. I sometimes use a 20 oz maul. I have a series of mauls up to 56 oz however they don't get used a lot. In my opinion there is not much that can't be done with a 20 oz maul. Hope this helps...

Bobby

[RunningRoan]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I've been wanting to try a maul as opposed to another hammer or mallet. Sounds like a 20oz would be a good one to start with and go from there.

[gtwister09]

I have compiled some information from many different users on weight of maul/mallet that they use (238 respondents) on regular tooling and basketweave/geometric stamping (225 respondents - not as many as the regular tooling).

As you can see the 16 oz is the most common one for regular tooling and 24 oz is the most common one for basketweave/geometric stamping. Of course there are others listed as well.

See Below

Regards,

Ben