Help me decide which mallet to make, please.

[RonB1957]

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Lignum Vitae, in earlier times, was used as the bearings in small hydro-electric power plants..The mallet I made was part of one of those bearing blocks..rescued from the fire they were in as the Inglis, Florida plant was de-comissioned years ago. They burned most all of them..I still have the other half of the bearing in my attic. If I had know they were going to be destroyed I would have gotten them all !!!!!!!
Just a thought. If I had a 15" long piece, I would cut int

Just a thought. If I had a piece 15" long I would cut it in half or thirds depending on the weight. Then you could turn a carving mallet head and combine it with a wood of choice for the handle or make a joinery mallet. I would put leather on the joinery mallet as the hardness of the lignum Vitae could ding the item you are tapping in place. I have even seen people carve out just enough of the wood to be able to grab using all four faces to strike with. I would be interested to know what a piece like that weighs.
Have fun.

[bandit571]

Once upon a time....I wanted a mallet that actually fit my hand...so..

   
Found a nice block of spalted maple. And set to turn something on my now long gone lathe..

   
The one laying down on the job, was inherited, way too light, and the handle too skinny....The one standing up...While I was turning it, I made sure it fit my hand. 


Seemed to be the right weight, fit the hand perfectly...and worked.....

[Vince]

I've made a few mallets out of lignum vitae, a simple round head mallet and a couple of turned carving mallets. After getting a chance to handle a couple of Blue Spruce mallets at the last Handworks show, I decided to make a lignum vitae mallet using a similar design. That one is now my favorite.

Vince

https://youtu.be/uZplDG7OFIU

[Timberwolf]

I've made a few mallets out of lignum vitae, a simple round head mallet and a couple of turned carving mallets. After getting a chance to handle a couple of Blue Spruce mallets at the last Handworks show, I decided to make a lignum vitae mallet using a similar design. That one is now my favorite.

Vince

https://youtu.be/uZplDG7OFIU

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Excellent video, Vince....Thanks for posting it.,.....I would just add that Lignum is a joy to turn and one of my all-time favorite woods and it's pretty obvious you love it as well........

[Derek Cohen]

I’ve made and used many types of mallets over the years, and have come to prefer a joiner’s mallet (rectangular) over a carver’s mallet (round). The reason is simply that a flat face focuses the force better, and a round head is more at risk for glancing.

The heads on all my mallets are covered with a layer of UHMW, which is nearly indestructible yet does not mar surfaces.

My favourite mallet is a modification of the Veritas Cabinetmaker’s mallet. 19oz ..



This is an extra heavy morticing mallet (with infilled brass) ..



Regards from Perth

Derek