# Mallet Envy



## Gary0855 (Aug 3, 2010)

Well, I missed the Mallet mailing mayhem, so I made one for myself.
I thank Me for thinking of myself and I will think of me whenever I use this.

One serious question, is the face angle of the head a standard degree or just do we make that up as we go along?


----------



## Hutt (Nov 25, 2011)

I think it personal preference that's a great looking mallet is the handle textured


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Nice job Gary. Looks standard to me. Looks like a great carvers mallet. Oh and nice job on the knurled handle. How did you do it? I know how it's done, but how did you do it?


----------



## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Gary0855 said:


> Well, I missed the Mallet mailing mayhem, so I made one for myself.
> I thank Me for thinking of myself and I will think of me whenever I use this.
> 
> One serious question, is the face angle of the head a standard degree or just do we make that up as we go along?


You sound like Stephen Colbert. :laughing:

I did not participate in the first round, but after seeing the mallets folks made, I started the second round.

Nice looking mallet. :thumbsup:

I am not aware of any specific angle, but we may be enlightened by a future reply. 

I think the angle is intended to make it easier for the mallet to strike the target horizontally.


----------



## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

Oh man what a mess your just going to give yourself carpal tunnel with that face angle. You better just send that mallet to me right away:yes:.


----------



## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

BTW... Great mallet!! What did you use to get the texture on the grip?


----------



## tim holt (Dec 7, 2012)

Great looking mallet! Love the handle :thumbsup:
Tim


----------



## Gary0855 (Aug 3, 2010)

I do the knurling with this little tool I picked up at a flea market. I'm not really sure what it was for. It could be sharper for harder woods but works well enough.


----------



## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

Gary0855 said:


> I do the knurling with this little tool I picked up at a flea market. I'm not really sure what it was for. It could be sharper for harder woods but works well enough.


It makes a great pattern. To use the tool do you hold it in one place then move it over one blade width until you texture the whole area?


----------



## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Gary0855 said:


> I do the knurling with this little tool I picked up at a flea market. I'm not really sure what it was for. It could be sharper for harder woods but works well enough.


Perhaps even leather.

Nice find, and the effect looks very good on the handle. :thumbsup:


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Very cool and very intuitive Gary. I've seen those at sales before. 
Thanks.


----------



## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

Dominick said:


> Very cool and very intuitive Gary. I've seen those at sales before.
> Thanks.


Where have you seen them before? I'm searching on eBay but since I don't know what the tool is call makes it kinda tough. I'm searching Leather texture, texture tool, lathe texture??


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

fboyles said:


> Where have you seen them before? I'm searching on eBay but since I don't know what the tool is call makes it kinda tough. I'm searching Leather texture, texture tool, lathe texture??


I've seen them at barn sales and estate sales. 
Not sure what it is though. 
They actually have a tool that does Knurling for a lathe. Ill see if I can search one. 
Stay tuned.
Edit: I found this on eBay. http://shop.mobileweb.ebay.com/searchresults?cmd=SREF&kw=lathe+knurling+tool


----------



## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

I have two mallets that I use for wood carving. Each has a polyurethane jacket, they don't mark the wood of the gouge handles and they don't slip off. That means I can watch the carving and not the strike face.

12oz Shop Fox: 2 13/16" tapers over 4" to 2 7/16"
This one is fine for smaller gouges, like a 8/7, 1/12 or a 5F/14

30oz Wood-Is-Good: 3 3/8" tapers over 4" to 3"
This one has a solid lead core. To get anything done with larger gouges, I need more bash-power. 9/15, 2/30,5/35 and so on.

I had another WIG 16oz(?) that I bought in a tool consignment but the polyU didn't polymerize properly, it sweated and was gooey so I tossed it.

They all seem to have much the same slope angle (what ever that is). I don't believe there's any particular "magic" shape.


----------



## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Is that mallet made of black walnut?
Tom


----------



## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

fboyles said:


> Where have you seen them before? I'm searching on eBay but since I don't know what the tool is call makes it kinda tough. I'm searching Leather texture, texture tool, lathe texture??


If you want a texture tool, both Henry Taylor and Robert Sorby make them.

The Henry Taylor Elf.
http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Mer...ore_Code=packard&Category_Code=tools-tayl-elf

The Robert Sorby texturing tool
http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Mer...ode=packard&Category_Code=tools-srby-spec-sts

I have been tempted to go for the Elf.


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Dave Paine said:


> If you want a texture tool, both Henry Taylor and Robert Sorby make them.
> 
> The Henry Taylor Elf.
> http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=packard&Category_Code=tools-tayl-elf
> ...


The elf is cool!!! But looks like it would take some practice.
Sorry Gary for the hijack.


----------



## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Here's a few more choices in texturing.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/t/7/2/33/139/Texturing-tools


----------



## ghost5 (Aug 19, 2012)

That is a very nice mallet. I love me some black walnut. 

As to the texturing tool, why not get a checkering tool used for gun stocks and with some practice be able to do really nice checkering on whatever you like?


----------



## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

thats a nice mallet and i love the knurling


----------



## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Where's the nail polish? What does that mallet weigh?
Sorry, but the value of the mallet, to me, is in the results.
I don't like the idea of a hyper-polished wood mallet = looks far to slippery to me. I'm quite paranoid about getting hit. If I needed to sink a throw of dovetails - so be it.

Look. I swing that 30oz lead core for maybe 90 minutes. I have to swing HARD. It is a joy to watch the curls pop off. Some wood carvings take a lot of that which I can't fake with fret cuts and a hammer.
Yeah, if I had another $10,000, I could buy some rough-out gear.
No, I carve by hand.


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Robson Valley said:


> Where's the nail polish? What does that mallet weigh?
> Sorry, but the value of the mallet, to me, is in the results.
> I don't like the idea of a hyper-polished wood mallet = looks far to slippery to me. I'm quite paranoid about getting hit. If I needed to sink a throw of dovetails - so be it.
> 
> ...


What!!!! The heck are you trying to say?
Laughing!!!!!


----------



## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Dominick: exactly what I said. Is there a comprehension issue here?
Shiney, slippery-looking mallets scare me. I do not enjoy getting hit.

That mallet is an absolute beautiful tribute to the turner's art.
No doubt about that in my mind, what so ever.
As much as I'd like to own it, I' not so certain that I'd find it practical
in the BLACK ARTS of impractical, artistic, wood carving.


----------



## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

Gary, beautiful mallet! the texturing tool that you are using is acually a tire patch roller! Its used to press the patch firmly onto the glue. Amazed that it worked so well, great idea!:laughing:


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Don't want to hijack Gary's thread, but no offense Robson, your post are quite confusing at times. Your all over the place and I'm just trying to understand your humor. Lol
We all know you carve and your a master. That's what I see in all your post. Yea I comprehend what you said, and I get it. 
Sorry Gary. 
Dominick.


----------



## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Robson Valley said:


> Where's the nail polish? What does that mallet weigh?
> Sorry, but the value of the mallet, to me, is in the results.
> I don't like the idea of a hyper-polished wood mallet = looks far to slippery to me. I'm quite paranoid about getting hit. If I needed to sink a throw of dovetails - so be it.


Gary made a mallet for himself and posted it. If you do not value the mallet, no worries, it was not made for you.

The rest of us appreciate the turning, the texturing, the wood and the post.

Interesting to find out the tool was for a rubber patch.


----------



## Gary0855 (Aug 3, 2010)

Those tools, with out a doubt, work much better than my ravioli sealer. But it cost $0.50......

This is my Heavy Mash Mallet. Found the Brass head in the dirt under a fence I was replacing, Trued up the head on the lathe, and made a handle. It's a good 5lbs.

Yes, that is Black Walnut. I'm not sure if it is a good wood to use for a mallet, but I couldn't bring myself to use Flamed Box Elder.


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Gary0855 said:


> Those tools, with out a doubt, work much better than my ravioli sealer. But it cost $0.50......
> 
> This is my Heavy Mash Mallet. Found the Brass head in the dirt under a fence I was replacing, Trued up the head on the lathe, and made a handle. It's a good 5lbs.


The head looks vintage. Do you know what it was originally from?


----------



## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Gary0855 said:


> Those tools, with out a doubt, work much better than my ravioli sealer. But it cost $0.50......
> 
> This is my Heavy Mash Mallet. Found the Brass head in the dirt under a fence I was replacing, Trued up the head on the lathe, and made a handle. It's a good 5lbs.


That is a heavy duty mallet, and looks like it has seen a lot of use.

I see you used the same texturing on the handle. Looks good. :thumbsup:


----------



## Gary0855 (Aug 3, 2010)

Dom, it was so misshaped when I found it, both ends were deformed. I had to chuck it up and get it back to some kind of round. That's not a smooth operation on a wood lathe.
Where it was found in NJ, was not more than a 1/8 mile from where the Tuckerton Wireless Tower stood, it used to transmit to Europe in the early 1900's.
I would say it could be that old easily.


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Gary0855 said:


> Dom, it was so misshaped when I found it, both ends were deformed. I had to chuck it up and get it back to some kind of round. That's not a smooth operation on a wood lathe.
> Where it was found in NJ, was not more than a 1/8 mile from where the Tuckerton Wireless Tower stood, it used to transmit to Europe in the early 1900's.
> I would say it could be that old easily.


Interesting. Thanks for sharing that.


----------



## Gary0855 (Aug 3, 2010)

Robson, 
1. Yes the Walnut mallet is very light, it would not be for stock removal that's for sure.

2. I am not a carver, but I do some inlay work, and relief carving. Small tap tap strokes is all I need.

3. It is not slippery at all and is not really that shinny.

4. Don't be scared, I use two hands on the mallet at all times.

5. What are you trying to say? I don't use nail polish,.......anymore!


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Gary0855 said:


> Robson,
> 1. Yes the Walnut mallet is very light, it would not be for stock removal that's for sure.
> 
> 2. I am not a carver, but I do some inlay work, and relief carving. Small tap tap strokes is all I need.
> ...


Your not a carver, but you do relief carvings? 
Your a carver than Gary. Lol
Got any pics of your relief carvings?


----------



## Gary0855 (Aug 3, 2010)

Dom, I say that in the pretense that some guys drive nails but that doesn't make them a carpenter.

I am a Novice with a capital "N"


----------



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Gary0855 said:


> Dom, I say that in the pretense that some guys drive nails but that doesn't make them a carpenter.
> 
> I am a Novice with a capital "N"


Those are nice. 
I'm with you on using a smaller mallet for carving. 
Just a tap tap is all you need. I use a small rawhide mallet for carving and a larger one for hogging out a lot of material.


----------

