Mallet question

[Cory Joe Stewart]

I was recently watching a clip of Homer Dangler carving and he was using a very large parting tool to trace teh outline of the carving.  H was also using a mallet for control. I am familar withusing a mallet with chisels and do know it gives much greater control than pushing.  However, in woodworking classes I have taken (not gunbuilding) the rule was never ever, ever, ever, strike a carving tool with a mallet. 

Opinions on the use of mallets with carving tools???

Coryjoe

[okieboy]

 There are others here to comment on what you do and don't at decorative carving, but on tools I will speak up. You do what works between you and the tool, but never forget, "Tools serve us, we don't serve tools."

[Jim Kibler]

It is not at all uncommon to strike carving gouges and chisels with a mallet.  Although I'm not extremenly familiar with furniture and architectural carving techniques, I'm near certain a mallet is often used to drive tools.  Now, for delicate modeling of relief carving on a gun, I wouldn't drive tools, but for incised carving using a V-tool driven with a mallet is perfectly acceptable.  

[greybeard]

Hi;   I use my light engraving hammer with my V tool for outlining carving ALA Homer. I push it for finer lines. I  feel more controle with the lighter hammer. Just me .

[Captchee]

Some time back on The Woodwrights shop they had on Mary May .
She stated that  she uses a mallet on harder woods .
 Here is a link to  the video of that  show .  5th down from the top .
  very good video to watch . very tallented woman

http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/schedule/29season_video.html

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

There are others here to comment on what you do and don't at decorative carving, but on tools I will speak up. You do what works between you and the tool, but never forget, "Tools serve us, we don't serve tools."

I agree do what works best for you!

[Lucky R A]

     I use a V tool the same way I use an engraving tool and drive the V tool with my engraving hammer.  For outlining a carving I lay the V tool over to the outside of the line.  I then come back with a sharp point carving knife and slightly undercut the outline before doing any grounding.  On regular incise carving I use a very narrow V tool and then lay the chisel over exactly the same as you would with an engraving tool to widen the lines where desired.  For molding and detail work I push the tools.   Ron

[Dphariss]

I was recently watching a clip of Homer Dangler carving and he was using a very large parting tool to trace teh outline of the carving.  H was also using a mallet for control. I am familar withusing a mallet with chisels and do know it gives much greater control than pushing.  However, in woodworking classes I have taken (not gunbuilding) the rule was never ever, ever, ever, strike a carving tool with a mallet. 

Opinions on the use of mallets with carving tools???

Coryjoe

Get Gusler's Video on carving  Kentucky rifle.

Dan

[Jay Close]

Well, there are mallets and then there are mallets.  Some carving tools used by wood sculptors are designed for vigorous mallet power. On the other hand, don't use a gigantic mallet with a light and delicate tool. It's a matter of scale and finesse.  I suspect your woodworking instructor was overstating his case to help preserve the workshop tool collection, finesse not being a characteristic normally associated with classroom woodworking.

But just as there are different mallets, not all carving tools are built to take mallet use. A professional quality carving tool usually has a shoulder or bolster on the blade just where the wooden handle attaches. This  greater bearing surface keeps the tang of the tool from being driven deeper and eventually splitting out the handle. Most less expensive carving tools lack this bolster and are more vulnerable to the effects of being mallet driven.

[t.caster]

Mallet? Here is what I use to chase my chisels, when I do that sorta thing. I chiseled & shaped it out of a piece of maple firewood. I also made a smaller one.
It's on the right side of this pic. I've always called it a "Chisel Chase", I believe that is the oldtime term.

[David R. Pennington]

I either bought my tools or made them and if I want to use a mallet on them I can. Light controlled taps is all you need. Control is the issue. The impact of a very light tap moves the tool only a small fraction of an inch at a time whereas pushing the tool by hand in contrary hard maple might cause you to have to apply more pressure than you can control and the oops occurs. The other key is SHARP tools. Carving tool should always be very sharp. Take the time required to learn how to sharpen and maintain them that way.

[SuperCracker]

Hi;   I use my light engraving hammer with my V tool for outlining carving

me too. Or a tiny little ball peen hammer.