"NOSPAM" wrote in message
...
Howdy all,

I just finished my first attempt at a wooden mallet (round head) to
occasionally use around my shop. Its nothing fancy, mainly for utility -
I'm thinking I'll use it mostly for assembly and some light work with my
wooden handled bench chisels when needed.

I suppose I could just leave it unfinished, but I remember reading
somewhere about a mallet maker who dipped their mallets for upwards of a
month in Linseed oil to penetrate the wood and ad some heft. I'm
contemplating doing this, but I'm looking for a few other opinions.
SNIP
Also, can anyone suggest other options to Linseed oil that would give a
"harder" finish to the wood? Would tung oil or polyurethane better
increase its resilience to impacts (can you recommend a brand name I can
ask for) or are they pretty much all the same?


Heft comes with size, of course, though leverage from a long handle might be
plenty for crude work. If you're going to soak, give it a couple months in
warm 50% PEG. Not only will it gain water weight, it'll give some crush and
cushion when striking. I appreciate the benefits when I'm carving for long
periods of time.