mallets & mauls

[GampasShop]

Ok, since the beginning I have always used the mallet that came with the "Deluxe" Tandy set from the early 70's. I have been thinking of a maul. Most that you see in the catalogs are 1, 2, or 3#. I am thinking why would you need a heavy maul for your tooling needs? Main reason I ask is I am going to turn one down on my wood lathe this weekend out of Locust or Osage Orange (maybe both). Am thinking I will turn down to a size I feel comfortable with and if not heavy enough I can drill a hole in the end and add some lead shot to give it more weight.

[bruce johnson]

I use my heavy maul for setting rivets, driving punches, and that sort of thing. I use my 2# maul for the bigger block stamps. Most of my stamping is with a 1# maul, and the bigger baskets and medium blocks with a 1-1/2# maul. I could probably justify a 12 oz maul at some point.

[CitizenKate]

I have a set of mauls of different weights for different functions.

The small ones I use for beveling and stamping tools with very small footprints. (I believe my beveling has improved because I can just let the tool fall on the stamp to get the right depth, and don't have to work as hard to control the drop.) The medium one I use for beveling with a wider bevel stamp and stamps with medium-sized footprints. The large one (which is about 20 oz) I use with larger stamps, like borders and basketweaves, or anything I want to make a deep impression. And I have a MONDO maul (that is 6lbs) for very large stamps, like my maker stamps.

Mauls work much better for me than mallets. I was starting to have repetitive motion issues in my striking arm, and switching to mauls reduced the stress in my arm significantly.

Kate

Edited September 1, 2007 by CitizenKate

[GampasShop]

Ok, thanks for the replies, I couldn't figure out why a person would need a heavy maul for general tooling. Will turn them down this weekend and see how it works. If I can figure out the pic posting will have pics early next week.

[ClayB]

I have a set of mauls of different weights for different functions.

And I have a MONDO maul (that is 6lbs) for very large stamps, like my maker stamps.

Hey Dave,

If anyone starts picking on that poor little guy with Sweet Tater on his bike seat, tell him to call up Kate. She can take care of all the bullies with that 6 lb maul of hers!

Clay

[CitizenKate]

Roight!

... that is, if I can lift it that high.

Kate

Edited September 2, 2007 by CitizenKate

[Romey]

I got some forging hammers in the smithy i could warp with rawhide and send you if you need :biggrin:

[GampasShop]

I had turned these down shortly after the post above and forgot all about taking pics of them. Maul Pics

Also have a larger 12 oz. Osage Orange (Hedge) but it didn't want to load into my album. I used these on my clutch purse project and for small tools like the #104 backgrounder the 8 oz worked great.

[steveb]

i like mauls much better than mallets for the work that i do - and own 2 jueschke mauls - a light one and a heavy one. use the light one for bevelling and small stamps - use the big one for rivets and larger stamps that need a little more juice.

steveb

[SmilinJim]

Okay, let's show my ignorance. A mallet or hammer has a flat striking surface. A maul is rounded. It would seem you would have more control striking a tool with the flat surface. Can someone explain a little more. I've never used a maul of any type. In my dad's shop, way back in prehistoric times, there were several mauls but most were very large (two handed).

Jim

[Billsotx]

Nice piece of bodark! Don't leave that unattended if I'm around ... lol!

[Mike Phelps]

Hey Jim,

The eye and hand coordination system is a marvelous thing. The whole thing of centering the tool and maul is all taken care of deep between our ears somehow. All hominids can do it, no conscious thinking required. In fact the less thinking the better. The broad flat surface of mallets and hammers only serve to give you a false sense of confidence. Strike a bit off center and the tool goes flying regardless of the size or shape of the head.

The first time I banged a thumb and a nail went flying deep in the last century, my GrandPa pointed to the top of the nail and said, keep your eye here, it works. Everytime it's happened since it was because I was looking at the tip of nail, chisel, punch, tool and not the top.

The main advantage of mauls over mallets is a lower center of gravity. Take a maul and mallet of the same weight and imagine a line running through the handle and out the head. The maul's working surface is much closer to this center line than the mallet's.

[SmilinJim]

Thanks Mike

Knew if I thought too hard I'd confuse the issue. Sorta figured it was one of those things that just ran on autopilot.

One more question. Is the weight ratio? about the same. Lighter maul for heavier mallet, or is weight a more personal taste?

Jim

[sheathmaker]

The natural hand eye cordination is a fact! It just happens. The use of a maul is subject to a very short learning curve, but once you become comfortable then going back to a mallet style is probably not going to happen. I use a 12OZ. for the lighter tooling and a 26OZ for the heavier impressions and a 48OZ for concho cutting, maker's stamp and other broad faced stmaps, and also setting copper rivets. Barry King has a good selection of high quality mauls in various weights, although the only one of his I own is the 48OZ. I am very partial to the poly mauls. I've had a few in rawhide, but they show wear and tear much more rapidly.

Paul

Edited October 28, 2007 by sheathmaker

[Mike Phelps]

It's probably a matter of personal taste. The tools I had when I started were the lightweight wooden and rawhide mallets but they aren't very efficient when your trying to tool heavy strap grade leather and punch holes and slits through it. After wasting a bunch of time and money on different tools finally settled with 2 & 3 pound mauls filling most every need at the bench.

[GampasShop]

I will confess, I have been doing leather and wood work for many years. I had never used a maul before. I was kind of thinking like SmilinJim. On the woodworking forum they kept saying how easy a maul was to use.

I took a chance and turned these down and gave them a try. All the doubt soon leaves you once you try one. I am going to make another one the same size as the smaller one in the pics, but am going to drill it out and add some lead in head. I know these arent going to last long as in just a little bit of using them on the "Clutch Purse", the small diameter of the leather tools sure bangs up the maul.

[Rawhide]

I can't explain it, but a maul will feel natural almost immediately. I have several types of mallets's mauls. I have two rawhide mallets 9 and 11 oz., a 1 lb poly mallet Al Stohlman mallet, a 1 lb Barry King poly maul, and a 2 lb Al Stohlman rawhide maul.

I use the Barry King maul 90 percent of the time. I use the 2 lb maul for cutting strap ends, setting rivets, etc...

Every now and then I use the others, but I prefer the Barry King maul, hands down.

Hope this helps.

Marlon

[Billsotx]

That polymer has to be available somewhere if you're really in to making your own. I have a lead filled maul like you mentioned and I like it a lot. I'm going to try wrapping it with a thin piece of rawhide and see if that stops the tools from pecking away at it. Just thinking and reaping the benefit of all y'all's ideas. Glad Jo invited up to her place and thanks to everyone else for jumpin' in.

[ghstrydr164]

I started with a mallet but picked up this Berry King 16oz. maul 15 years ago and it makes things easier and faster for me. No matter what you use it helps to keep the heads of stamps square. I make all of my heads square for a larger striking surface. If your stamp heads are domed I would recommend squaring them off and you will notice a vast difference.

Cyrus

Edited October 29, 2007 by ghstrydr164