Rawhide mallet- These mallets consist of a metal head with a rawhide face. They have the advantage of being able to strike heavily with minimal surface damage due to the cushioning elements of the rawhide covering. The amount of strike force needed - Again a key consideration. If you're working with tough materials, you will probably need to opt for a mallet with a heavy head. A rubber mallet used on machinery, whilst not marring the surface will not deliver the weight behind the strike that a brass or copper mallet would deliver.

Rubber/Plastic mallet - Consisting of a barrel head made of rubber, a rubber or plastic mallet has the advantage of delivering a powerful blow, using a soft head for minimal marring of surfaces. They tend to recoil as their rubberised nature gives them an element of bounce, so safety measures like eyewear should be taken. They can also become dented and pitted if used to strike sharp objects, so they tend to work best on blunt items. Much like a hammer, mallets are used for striking applications, however because of their softer materials they tend to be used in applications where marring the surface of the workpiece needs to be avoided. Bossing mallets - A type of mallet featuring a rounded face and a conical face, primarily used for shaping wood or metal into the desired shape and surface.Wooden mallet - A wooden mallet tends to be a staple in woodworking applications such as carpentry. Their primary function is to hammer together wooden pieces during assembly such as dovetail joints, without damaging the surface of the piece. They are also used for chiselling where a steel hammer would otherwise damage the end of the chisel. They usually also feature a long wooden handle, although some may feature other materials such as fibreglass. They are often used in industries involving woodworking or upholstery as they deliver a softer strike force more suited to the materials that tend to be used in such applications. Rawhide - A type of leather that has not been exposed to tanning, primarily used to cover the face of rawhide mallets because of its softness.

Mallets are a type of hammer designed for a range of applications, the key difference between a standard hammer and a mallet is that mallets usually consist of a barrel shaped, non-metallic head. There are many applications where the right mallet will make all the difference to the results of your work. To help Cromwell has listed the most common elements to choosing the correct mallet for the job.