Import Mallet/mauls

[Ole South]

I love tools... especially old tools. But... I don't think branding/ego polish should outweigh function and at my core I don't think clubs (hammers) should be expensive unless they include warranties and guarantied outcomes or power cords. Don't get me wrong... I PAY for quality name brand when it's warranted but so many of our "Name Brand" previously quality tools and implements have been farmed out to the lowest bidder (no, I'm not looking at any particular country, I've found good to great quality from many nations... even those that get a bad rap generally).

SO... when the inexpensive mallets began showing up on Xbay (no Art... this is not for the adults only section) I was curious. I bought one with free shipping for $12.00usd. No... doesn't come with an engraved headpiece, no stacked leather handle... just a polished aluminum (I think) handle and a poly head. It's okay... works like a maul... you hit something with it and energy is transferred. I don't have big mitts so the somewhat shorter overall length isn't a problem. And since it's primarily for tooling I ain't swinging it very hard.

Then... I saw (gasp) similar mallets with WOODEN HANDLES appear. Much prettier and traditional looking to boot! So when the price dropped I ordered one of those... just for comparison ofc.

The 24oz is a Shop Fox I picked up on sale from I think WoodCraft for $9.99 plus shipping.

They do their jobs... not badly balanced, I wish the white poly heads were a bit larger diameter but hey... for the price I'm not gripping. The wooden handle poly is ~49mm dia while the silver (comes in anodized black too) is ~50.8mm dia.

For a beginner to intermediate worker they work and don't break the bank. I've used the Stohlman mauls and *shrug* best I can say is they may fit bigger hands better and they have a larger diameter head but I'll wait for a significant price reduction/sale before investing in one. Not that they don't work well.....

[LumpenDoodle2]

I have one of those little wooden handles mallets, and for all it cost, it does the job, abd I really like it. I have small hands, so it is perfect for me.

Interested in that 24oz one, though.

[Ole South]

Still on sale... note that it is Urethane and a little softer than the white poly. It still does well cutting strap ends and heavy punching. There is a 30oz version too.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/24-oz-Non-marring-Mallet/D2807

[LumpenDoodle2]

Sadly, I have googled to find one of those this side of the pond, at that sort of price without luck.

Nearest and similar, is in Italy, for £39 including postage, and although it looks lovely, and no doubt a joy to use, I don't think I could slip that past the hubby.

[zuludog]

You could check out an auto parts store and look at soft faced hammers

The best are made by Thor. The heads can be all one material or have interchangeable faces - copper, aluminium, hide, nylon, plastc and so on

They are similar prices to, or slightly cheaper than Tandy polyhead mallet, and much better quality; they are certainly cheaper than Al Stohlman mauls.

I can testify, and so can many mechanics & engineers, that a Thor hammer will last a lifetime - certainly for leatherwork

http://www.thorhammer.com

US distributors are http://www.angloamericantools.com

Hmmm..... Prices in USA are a bit more than I expected. Still, it doesn't cost anything to look

Edited January 30, 2016 by zuludog

[LumpenDoodle2]

I have treated myself to one of those 1lb dead blow hammers (under £7 on fleabay). I figure if it's no good for my purposes, then the hubby can go hit things in his mancave/garden hut with it.

[CrazedLemming]

I grabbed the silver and the wood ones on amazon a while back. They each have problems, but for the price they definitely beat the old yellow poly mallets.

The wood one is a little lighter than I would like but works. The finish on the wood was really cruddy.

I liked the feel of the silver one but it started breaking down after a few months. The plastic head spins and rattles too much for tooling now so it's been relegated to whacking punches really hard when I don't feel like reaching for my deadblow mallet.

[billybopp]

I began leatherworking with the rawhide mallets that I was given along with my initial tools. It worked alright, but I kept wondering what the fuss was about mauls, and decided to try one when I found the same type of metal maul from China on ebay for cheap. I tried it, and I like it. But, like CrazedLemming, I found that after awhile the poly loosened up and started to rattle. It served its purpose, which was to try out a maul and learn about using it. When I get a substitute for the Chinese maul, I may try putting some epoxy in the gaps to tighten it up so that I can keep it around.

I've been eyeing up a Barry King maul for awhile now, and thinking that a tapered head might suit the way I hold my arm when tooling. I was also eyeing up a big whacker maul from Barry King too, but I'm now thinking that a 30oz Shop Fox might be just the thing for less $$. Hmmmm. Much to ponder!

Bill

[LumpenDoodle2]

Lordy! I just googles Shop Fox mallet, and the cheapest I could find it was £50.

I may have to lie down now.........

[rickmc]

I can attest to the Barry King tapered maul lifetime warranty and great tool worth every penny

[Boriqua]

I just picked up a nice looking and functional Maul from Wrising Industries. I think they are made in china but have now done basket weave on 3 holsters and like it very much. Not as sweet looking as the Barry king or Leather Burnishers but about 20 bucks cheaper shipped.

http://www.wrising.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=7&zenid=1f8a020cf7263721dea838c01cb7afe6

[TonyRV2]

I know this is an older thread, but I just found this company online as well.  You can buy from their website or they also sell on Ebay.  I think I'm going to purchase a 2 and a 3 pound maul from them.  Poly heads with leather handles.  They look nice in the pictures I thought.  I'll post on this thread again once I get them.

...Tony

[brmax]

I need a step up from a 28oz for some bigger hole punches and the like, I think maybe a 48 will do it.

Thanks for the tip with the backstory always cool hearing the experience, as it matters in my world!

Floyd

[Art]

On 8/26/2016 at 7:56 PM, brmax said:

I need a step up from a 28oz for some bigger hole punches and the like, I think maybe a 48 will do it.

Thanks for the tip with the backstory always cool hearing the experience, as it matters in my world!

Floyd

Call Barry King, get one of the 96oz mallets.  I love mine, it don't bounce, but don't use it on a flimsy table.  When I got it from BK years ago it looked big and heavy but now it just does great whacking things.

Art

[MADMAX22]

54 minutes ago, Art said:

Call Barry King, get one of the 96oz mallets.  I love mine, it don't bounce, but don't use it on a flimsy table.  When I got it from BK years ago it looked big and heavy but now it just does great whacking things.

Art

I got one of those Thor hammers a while back off the forum here. At first wasn't sure what to use it for until I start punching slots in thick belts, now I use it all the time for task like that.

[zuludog]

Years ago a friend joined The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, commonly referred to as REME, which is the British army's engineering division. He remembers the sergeant instructor giving him some advice - 'Don't force it lad, get a bigger 'ammer!'

[TonyRV2]

Ok...so the two mauls that I'd ordered from wrising.com arrived yesterday.  A two pounder and a 3 pounder.  They both have stacked leather handles and nylon heads.  The 2lb maul cost $50 and they had a sale on the 3lb maul for $30.  So about $80 all told and shipping was included.  Looking at them, they are indistinguishable from my 24oz Barry King maul which is made of the same materials.  Of course, time will tell how well they hold up.  But hey....they're mallets...I can't imagine anything that could go wrong that couldn't easily be fixed.