Finishing a mallet?

[thauburger]

Hi all,

I'm working on my first joiner's mallet based on a design Roy Underhill presented in a Woodwright episode.

I've gotten the mortise cut, and the handle rough-shaped and fit. What finish do people recommend?

Thanks,

Tom

[JR1]

Id do the whole thing in black shellac. This is waxy so test for adhesion with GF Enduro Conversion Varnish its spray only and you need to really mix the catalyst well.. as a topcoat for the head only. This will likely crack with time so a pure tung oil finish my be better.

[Sawdustd]

couple of coats of BLO should do just fine. Good looking mallet.

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

BLO, Danish oil.....something close to the wood and non slick.

[SteveS]

one coat of WB or oil poly and you're good to go.

[Admiral]

I use Tru-Oil, a gunstock finish, on my mallets except for the faces, which I leave along. One coat does it for me, as it can get shiny with multiple coats.

[MichaelMouse]

Wonder why he didn't spread the handle for a "palm fit" no slip capability?

Ennyhoo, something of a surface finish on it should be fine. Just a spray coat or two so that glue won't stick as well and other liquids penetrate if you carelessly lay it in harm's way.

[wmickley]

Very nice to see a mallet head of one piece. Good job. I won a laminated head mallet at Hand Tool Olympics once. It wasn't as nicely balanced as my own mallets so I never used it. Also it had been soaked in linseed oil for a month and after a while it stank up the whole shop. After a year in a box I hung it up on the wall. A few years later I noticed the handle hanging on the wall with no head. The thing had delaminated and the pieces just fell to the floor. That won't happen with your mallet. I would oil your mallet and rub it well to remove excess.

Warren

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

I would douse with 1/4BLO:3/4 turps, wipe and let dry. A month or so later I would follow with paste wax.

[Mike Brady]

MM, the handle has to fit through the mortise in the head, so it can't have a bulge in the handle.