General purpose mallet recommendations

[CadRhino]

I will need to get a new machinist/general purpose mallet.
I am thinking rawhide one end/plastic the other maybe.
Anyone have recommendations on what they have/prefer?
Thanks
Nathan

Similar Threads:

• General-use steel recommendations
• Need Help!- What general purpose cutting tool to use?
• specialized, single-purpose CNC for making "talking strips": general building tips?
• Trying to decide on a general purpose endmill, that will last.

[popspipes]

I use a harbor freight plastic weighted mallet, it still will mar a mirror finish on aluminum though.........

[Jim Dawson]

+1 on the Harbor Freight mallet (dead blow). I have several sizes.

[CadRhino]

Harbor freight = +2

+1 on the Harbor Freight mallet (dead blow). I have several sizes.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I have several of the ~$5 H-F orange plastic dead-blow hammers. They're great, and cheap enough you don't care when you break one, though the two I have are over 10 years old now. Hardly a day goes by I don't use one of them. Rawhide is too soft to be of much use in a metal shop.

Regards,
Ray L.

[GLCarlson]

That settles it. I need one too. I'm off to HF for my once every five years buying spree.

[CadRhino]

That is good to know about rawhide.
What about solid copper heads?

I have several of the ~$5 H-F orange plastic dead-blow hammers. They're great, and cheap enough you don't care when you break one, though the two I have are over 10 years old now. Hardly a day goes by I don't use one of them. Rawhide is too soft to be of much use in a metal shop.

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

That is good to know about rawhide.
What about solid copper heads?

Not sure I understand the point of copper. Higher mass, but then why not use lead, which is higher still, and much less likely to damage the thing being hit than copper. I use lead mallets to remove the wire-wheel knock-offs on my '64 Jaguar, but almost never have use for it in the shop. Never used a copper mallet in my life. I do know they will do serious damage to the knock-offs on the Jag, so would never use one there. The lead never leaves a mark, even on the chrome plating.

Regards,
Ray L.

[popspipes]

Copper is soft for awhile then it work hardens and would leave some serious dings. Lead hammer I use for the Bridgport to whack the drawbar with......

I like the HF Dead Blow for aluminum or really whatever needs a good whack.....

[CadRhino]

Thanks

Copper is soft for awhile then it work hardens and would leave some serious dings. Lead hammer I use for the Bridgport to whack the drawbar with......

I like the HF Dead Blow for aluminum or really whatever needs a good whack.....

- - - Updated - - -

64 jag 😍

Not sure I understand the point of copper. Higher mass, but then why not use lead, which is higher still, and much less likely to damage the thing being hit than copper. I use lead mallets to remove the wire-wheel knock-offs on my '64 Jaguar, but almost never have use for it in the shop. Never used a copper mallet in my life. I do know they will do serious damage to the knock-offs on the Jag, so would never use one there. The lead never leaves a mark, even on the chrome plating.

Regards,
Ray L.

[mountaindew]

I use lead mallets to remove the wire-wheel knock-offs on my '64 Jaguar, but almost never have use for it in the shop. Never used a copper mallet in my life. I do know they will do serious damage to the knock-offs on the Jag, so would never use one there. The lead never leaves a mark, even on the chrome plating.

Regards,
Ray L.

A jag with real spoke knock off wheels. Nice! Always wondered, do you torque a knock off?

[SCzEngrgGroup]

A jag with real spoke knock off wheels. Nice! Always wondered, do you torque a knock off?

Nope! You use a 6# lead mallet, and keep whacking it until it no longer moves. Use the same lead mallet to remove it.

Regards,
Ray L.

[slowtwitch]

STUNNING!!!!!!!

[thaisurplus]

guys

different hammers for different jobs

lead hammer is the original "dead blow" hammer , it will Flow at the point of impact and impart all of the energy into what your hitting. lack of damage to surface finish as well as it will not melt from compression energy

copper hammer is used when you need the hammer to grab but not slip off a target, it to will deform slightly reducing blowback. will not damage chromed steels

plastic dead blows without replaceable faces are junk, good for walnuts
plastic dead blows with replaceable faces are great. can make replacement faces from any material and swap when you need.

Ray is Right
lead hammer , pound untill it moves then poundit the oposite way untill it dont move. seems barbaric but it is the Right way.

Nice Jag

[grg12]

About lead hammers - i heard juwleliers don't use them beacuse they leave residue - if contaminated gold is heated (soldered) residue creates hard to remove stains.

[al010964]

Probably over kill but just bought a nice lixie dead blow Lixie Industrial Mallets, Sledges & Hammers 2" 56oz (hard/med/soft) with screw faces.

As no HF in Australia and the local stores want $80+ for a dead blow....

i had a friend who had one and it was very nice.

Cheers,
Adrian

[SCzEngrgGroup]

plastic dead blows without replaceable faces are junk, good for walnuts

The Harbor-Freight deadblow hammer has replaceable faces - they just come with the whole rest of the hammer attached. They cost about $5 each, and both of mine have, so far, lasted 10+ years, and are still going, so I have a hard time considering them "junk".

Regards,
Ray L.

[popspipes]

Sounds like this Topic has about been beat to death ha!! Couldnt resist.............

I have a HF deadblow, still works but the plastic is splitting on the sides of it, some plastics keep shrinking over time, guess its time for a new one??

[Contract_Pilot]

Trusty Cook.... They make them for Snap-on.

[Don Clement]

That is good to know about rawhide.

I have two rawhide mallets. I almost exclusively use the HF shot filled dead-blow mallets though
.

Don