looking for a piece of hard wood for making a mallet

[hedgesparrow]

does anyone have any bits of some very hard wood to make a couple of mallets with. want them for knocking stakes in for hedgelaying.

tried yew did not last long. heard beech is ok what about holm oak or similar.

willing to collect in the hampshire area

thank you

[Graham]

A lump of knotty holly with one branch attached as a handle won't fall apart. I just use my axe as it's one less tool to worry about.

[Jackofsome]

Somewhere in the back of my head is telling me blackthorn or elm although I suppose elm is tricky to get hold of.

 

I am pretty certain that elm used to be the favoured timber for chopping blocks because of the twisty grain.

[agg221]

A dead hedgerow elm, about 6" across. Dig out the rootball with a mattock and trim up to as neat as you want it. You can then either drill it for a handle, or sculpt down the first bit of the trunk.

 

Mine is not pretty but it is very hard and works for anything rough, from driving a froe to banging in posts.

 

Alec

[delabodge]

same as alec,,bit of dead elm from hedgerow,,winner everytime!!

[se7enthdevil]

got some really nice chunky hornbeam if you want it.

[Daniël Bos]

The traditional choice for a head would be (crab)apple, got any in a hedge?

Mine is Crab, just a section of trunk with a branch growing at the right place for a handle. Can't get a more robust tool than that!

[Mull]

2nd post, axe or maybe a 4lb brickie hammer. Unless of course you're a traditionalist!

[Treegeek]

I once worked with a old school joined he had a mallet made of apple swore by Apple for mallets

[kav]

I tend to get a bit of thorn about 5-6" dia and 18" long and 'carve' a rough handle out of it with chainsaw and tidy up with axe. Last about a job.

Or just use a liitle sledge