Make a Mallet or Hammer

In this video, we are going to learn how to build a mallet, or hammer.

This tool will enable you to perform several other bushcraft building techniques when working with wood, such as the mortise and tenon joint or the halved joint

Caution, this project requires:

Protective gloves

Closed footweaer

To carry out this project, you will need:

An auger, hand drill or brace

a knife

a file

a hammer

a saw

and a chisel

You'll also need

A straight piece of wood around 4cm in diameter and at least 30cm in length

as well as a larger log with a diamater around 3 times greater than that of the auger bit, and at least 20cm in length.

Making a mallet can be done in 3 steps which we will outline for you

Step 1: Making the head

Place your auger bit in the middle of the larger log

Make sure the bit is perpendicular to the surface before you begin drilling

For more on this, check out the video on making a mortise

Step 2: Making the handle

Take your 4cm diameter piece of wood and test to see if it fits into the mortise

If it's too large, plane it down at one end with your knife, then try again.

Caution, the handle should not slide right the way through the mortise easily, but should get lodged there. Don't plane down the wooden handle too much

Once the wooden handle is at the right diameter - so that it can enter the mortise but not slip through effortlesly - plane around 15cm of the wooden handle

File the end so that it can enter the mortise more easily

Step 3: Assembly

Place the wooden handle into the mortise

Hit the head of the mallet so that the handle goes through and sticks out at the other end

Using a carpenter's chisel, split the end of the handle that you have passed through the mallet head. In it you will be able to wedge a small piece of wood to secure the handle to the mallet head.

To make the small wedge, saw of a small piece of wood and using the chisel, make your wedge.

Insert the wedge into the split end of the handle.

Saw off the part of the handle that sticks out from the top of the mallet head

Now you know how to make a mallet!