“If you don't want a mark in the metal don't put it there”. This simple saying would save jewelers lots of time if they were able to apply them. Jewelers spend hours fixing damage that they themselves did to the metal. Soft hammers and shaping tools limit the injuries to the metal being worked, with the best quality of all (the least damage to metal while still shaping it) being paper mallets. Leather however remains tried and true as material for making mallets from. Some can be found at your local Pet Supply Store.

Photos: Charles Lewton-Brain

You can buy round leather dog chews in different diameters at the pet store, cut them in half, drill through them and mount an appropriate sized hammer handle in them to make very inexpensive good quality leather mallets, particularly in the small sizes. Look for one that is solid all the way through as some will have cavities in them. One chew makes about three hammers.