I hate to keep kicking this horse but... I just received my electronic issue if Popular Woidworking today. An article on mallets was on the inside. What a coinkydink.

On the topic of dead blows the cabal says:

"Minimal rebound makes better use of the applied force"

How do I get a better use of force here? How did this myth start? I want to blame someone. Norm? Can I blame Norm?

Again if F = ma. And I apply the m a little at a time apposed to all at once, how is this a better use of the applied force? I think we officially debunked Leon's hammer driver explanation