Mallets and Mauls

I am, basically, a newbie leather worker.

I’ve been doing it a couple years and with each project I improve dramatically, but there are still quirks to my process. Some of my learning happened at our Renaissance Festival, watching a master at work, and asking her questions.

She suggested I upgrade my mallet/maul next… and I still haven’t done that.

I use a rubber mallet.

It’s better than the wooden mallet that came with my introductory leatherworking box kit, but is probably not quite ideal. Rawhide and polymer seem to be preferred materials, but so far I like my rubber mallet just fine. The master workers also tend to use “mauls” over mallets and I’m still not entirely sure what the difference there is.

Probably the striking angle or something. Maybe the wrist movements you use. I don’t generally hold my mallet by the handle, which probably looks a bit weird to watch. I only hold it by the handle when I’m setting eyelets or rivets or snaps, when I need the full force of the blow my mallet will provide. Otherwise I hold it by the head. The handle creates a good counterbalance and I find it to work very nicely for me.

“It needs to be a good weight,” she told me, working on the piece of leather before her with her maul and tools. “Otherwise, your arm gets tired real fast.”

Good thing I bought the 16oz?

I do know the wooden piece they sent with the kit is too light and doesn’t do as nice a job. But I guess we’ll see if I find doing more leather I feel I should really upgrade that tool. Even then, it will still have a spot in my tool box. Flattening wire without marring it is important when you make your own earring hooks and findings; the rubber mallet does a fine job.

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