Which of These Four Woodworking Mallets is Right for You?

There are plenty of woodworking mallets on the market but how do you know which is the right one for your project? You don’t want to be whacking your woodworking tools with any old hammer or you could find yourself replacing some of your favourite tools. Use the right mallet that does the job without damaging your tools or project.

Cabinetmakers Mallet

Wooden mallets are gentle on tools and wooden projects compared to steel hammers which can leave dents, break or mushroom the wooden handle of your chisels.

The two striking faces mean you can use one side for smooth, clean work and the other side for driving out bolts which may damage the face.

Wrist action rather than a swinging arm is usually needed, so the face is at a 90-degree angle. For fine carving work, users can hold the mallet further up the handle near the head. Choose one with a head that isn’t too big or too small for you to use comfortably.

Carpenters Mallet

Also known as the ‘general mallet’, the carpenters mallet has a short, shaped handle and large head for working with chisels and wedges. These mallets are also suitable for blunt force tasks such as banging together a carcase. Beechwood, hornbeam and ash woods are often used in the manufacture of mallets with the head and handle made from different materials.

Carvers Mallet

The rounded mallet gives solid contact even when hit from odd angles. Being smaller and more delicate than carpenters mallets, carvers mallets are ideal for using with carving chisels rather than heavier woodworking tasks.

Brass Head Carving Mallet

When cutting a mortise or carving wood, you want the full force of a strike to be forward. A wooden mallet striking a wooden handle results in a forward and backward motion as it bounces.

A brass head means there is no bounce and the full energy of the blow is used. A rounded head allows you to strike the mallet at any angle and the strike only needs to come from the wrist as a light, controlled tap rather than a swing of the arm like bigger mallets require. These mallets offer you the accuracy and control you need for more delicate woodworking projects.

Which Brand of Mallet?

Like most woodworking tools on the market, you get what you pay for. A good quality brand will give you many years of service if you look after your tools. Fortunately, there are three well-known, quality brands producing mallets for use with their woodworking tools.

The Veritas is a well-known Canadian brand. Veritas is the manufacturing arm of Lee Valley Tools Ltd which is a leading US retailer of woodworking tools. Veritas produces 250 products which are used by discerning woodworkers around the world.

For over 50 years Crown Tools has been manufacturing woodworking hand tools from its factory in Sheffield England. For the majority of their products, old and new techniques are used to hand forge, temper and grind tools.

Two Cherries is another brand that has been turning out quality tools for decades from its German factory. Its craftsmen are using time-honoured techniques to produce tools that can last more than a generation.