Making a Dead Blow Mallet with a Brass Handle

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This really was a fun project. I wasn't sure how it would turn out and was a bit of an experiment. I think if I made it again I'd make the head a little shorter in length but I'm still pretty happy with it. :)
I forgot to mention what a dead blow mallet is, so I thought I'd do that here. They have less rebound than a regular mallet with a more controlled blow. When the face of the mallet strikes a surface the loose lead inside immediately follows to deaden the rebound.
Link to the Black & Brass Steel Finishes video • Easy Brass & Black Fin...
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[@PaskMakes]

I forgot to mention what a dead blow mallet is, so I thought I should mention that here. They have less rebound than a regular mallet with a more controlled blow. When the face of the mallet strikes a surface the loose lead inside immediately follows to deaden the rebound. Link to the Black & Brass Steel Finishes video kzbin.info/www/bejne/nquZqJesp8Z2Y8k It was a really fun project. I wasn't sure how it would turn out and was a bit of an experiment. I think if I made it again I'd make the head a little shorter in length but I'm still pretty happy with it. :)

[@LostWhits]

I've owned and lost a few deadblows over the years. Never thought to make one.

[@freirecristiane]

Thanks for the explanation. Also, I was surprised when you did the head again. Knowing myself, I would have finished the first one saying that it was a feature 😅😅😅

[@krishm2478]

So the first one wasn't a real dead-blow head because the lead was tight inside....? 🤔

[@Marsmate88]

@@krishm2478 yes.

[@ianvicedomini2648]

It turned out fantastic Neil. Looks awesome and I really liked the little jingle during the show 😂 brilliant video mate 👍

[@sisyphushappyband]

"Anyway, it'll be good for hitting things" is an excellent summation.

[@vaxjoaberg9452]

That's how I conclude most of my woodworking projects...

[@helioramos1974]

😂😂🤣🤣😂

[@leifhietala8074]

It is a hammer after all. "Does it whack?" "Yes, it does!" Mission accomplished!

[@DaleDix]

This guy makes you proud to be Australian.

[@edski24]

Follow up video of hitting things please so the internet can decide? Excellent line 👍

[@sfcmmacro]

I took a jewelry making/metal working class at my university. A good tip I can add is to countersink the openings of your pin holes a little, leave brass or copper pins a little proud and use a center punch or other harder rod as an anvil and slightly mushroom out both sides of the pins before you sand them flush. The tiny amount of countersink and mushroomed pinheads creates an hourglass shape that mechanically prevents the pins from working their way out of the pinholes.

[@Vid_Master]

That is a really good idea!

[@sathos]

or for similar effect instead of pin-mushrooming them, you could peen them into the countersink. Same purpose, different method :)

[@TheTrock121]

Do you anneal the brass pins? I've made a few knives and had trouble upsetting the heads of brass pins. I had better luck leaving them straight and just using epoxy to hold the handle and pins in place.

[@digisports22]

The best thing about this video is that Pask lets the viewers know that he made a mistake. He shows where the mistake is made, what he did wrong and he corrects it. You don’t find many others doing this. They go thru the video as if they know what they are doing.

[@scotthutson736]

He does that often when he makes mistakes. Shows his humanity.

[@traceyosterlind14]

Agreed! This really makes his videos great learning tools!

[@LunaticCharade]

Most of the tubers i follow do that... But that might say more about me than yt in general

[@jaymzx0]

I really liked the step with the decorative bands he liked. Many of us would say, "Dang it, I forgot the lines on it. Oh well.". Pask liked the bands enough that figured out how to do it another way, and did a brilliant job to boot. 👍

[@mutasimaldory]

That is a sign of humility and interest when it happens rarely (and with a user you like), but ask yourself this; would you REALLY want to see it all the time? It would make many videos longer, and some - if the mistake were particularly obvious or avoidable - boring and possibly likely to lose viewers who switch off before the end. I know exactly what you mean, I'm just pointing out it could be counter-productive as well, and personally I would rather see the "polished" version and learn from it, rather than one with endless blow-by-blow steps and retractions..except for when showing the mistake actually really DOES enhance the learning.

[@FishersShop]

Beautiful work again! And for some reason it was super satisfying watching you put in the accent lines by hand. Clever solution.

[@Cabeza492]

What are these lines for?

[@BruceAUlrich]

@@Cabeza492 Just for decoration.

[@zacberes6647]

Now we just need Fisher to upload a new video for the week!

[@2H80vids]

Yep, quite agree. I'd never heard of a v gouge; clever wee tool indeed.😁

[@mrklean0292]

I couldn't have stated better.

[@AndyPanda9]

I absolutely love that you leave the mistakes in the video and let us learn from them and watch how you correct it. Your videos are always wonderful!

[@raymondjones4035]

Sandpaper inside of a jar with the grit facing in ... What a brilliant way to round off square pieces of lead. The music and dance moves, however, are probably the best part of the video. Way to go!

[@lucagunther5405]

The lead shot rumba montage was a rare treat. Took me back to “I Dream of Jeannie” cut-away scenes.

[@PaskMakes]

Glad you enjoyed it Luca! :)

[@jasonsexton8869]

@@PaskMakes Your stylings with the lead shot maraca were amazing, but I feel the need to point out that since you were melting lead already, you can make lead shot by putting a 3 gallon bucket(typical hardware store bucket) of water on the ground and pour molten lead into it in a thin stream from about 2 feet (~60 centimeters) up. It'll turn into somewhat uneven but definitely functional shot. Still, the homemade shake weight was probably an amazing upper body workout, heh. The mallet turned out beautiful, Pask.

[@StephenBoyd21]

There goes Mrs. Pask's best pan

[@kevin_delgado]

The salsa montage none of us asked for, but all of us needed.

[@radchander]

Your rocking and lead shot rollicking was a nice addition to your great work

[@williampeppers812]

Thanks for not cutting out the mistakes, to me this sets you apart from some of the other makers. Which I know have them as well but do not give the instructions on how to correct. Great video.

[@Vickie-Bligh]

As always, your competence shines through. And the fact you aren't afraid to show your mistakes is priceless. Thanks, Neil, for your hard work, tool-making ability, and pure artistry. Everything you make is lovely and a work of art.

[@jeffpagnutti]

One of my favourite things about your process is that you show the mistakes and fix them, rather than cutting corners. It's better to just admit defeat sometimes and start again. Thanks for the video!

[@erdetm]

Wooow the bronzing hack is awesome! Great work as always!

[@robthompson8285]

A dead blow mallet works by inertial energy being abruptly stopped. I see a lot of people on KZbin make these and they don't give the weight in the head anywhere to move around. They've just made a mallet. Well done, sir.

[@mandyleeson1]

Added treat was the Samba 😊Love the finished product, Neil. Thank you.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks Mandy! Glad you liked the Samba but I think I'll stick to making things! ;)

[@youtukang]

☺☺

[@uppityglivestockian]

@@PaskMakes It was highly entertaining to watch in high speed. Very enjoyable start to finish, and as usual, really appreciate the work ethic. Bravo.

[@JovemEverton]

That was not samba, but nevermind, I am just an annoying brazilian haha.

[@mandyleeson1]

@@JovemEverton I'm sorry, Otavio, I suspected it wasn't, but couldn't think how else to describe it. Please excuse my ignorance 😬

[@andrewseymour186]

“It’ll be good for hitting things” -Neil

[@elund408]

good slogan for a T Shirt.

[@sanankynaston9925]

Nice tool you made yourself there. When you took off the edges of the lead weights, and shook the container and put on the music, that put a big smile on my face! Thanks for brightening my day!

[@kamele.belkacem8275]

I am 46 from Algeria, perhaps i am 10 years old younger then you but you definitely my inspiration for the life i want in the next decade, Subscribed for the peace of mind your work provide

[@juneritchie2498]

Love the final result. Thanks for sharing the problem solving; it helps us mere mortals feel like it is approachable! The darker rings are perfect - more interest than matchy-matchy.

[@PaskMakes]

Glad you enjoyed it June and glad we agree on the black rings! :)

[@KPA78]

As usual, a beautiful result! So refreshing and inspiring to watch you work-even with the errors-as your resourcefulness and unflinching work ethic to ‘make it work’ is a joy to watch despite when things don’t always go as planned. Keep it up! 👍

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much - glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@jethropebs]

Neil is the consummate craftsman with patience of a saint. I watch his videos envying his shop setup, tools and skills. Most of all, I envy his TIME! I'd too be doing all of these kinds of projects if I had the time. Neil, if you're reading this, can you tell us what you do as your main source of income and how much this channel of yours contributes to that? Are you self taught with your carpentry and CAD skills? I remember seeing something somewhere about your involvement with photography. Also, and as another viewer commented, thank you for showing your human-side with the errors made while doing your projects,..I've been there and have done that. I suppose it's how we learn, huh? You're much appreciated my man,..keep up the simply amazing and entertaining videos! Jeff from New Jersey, USA.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Jeffrey - glad you're enjoying the videos! This is what I do for living and yes KZbin is my main source of income. I'm self taught with pretty much everything I do including the photography, I just give things a go and give it my best shot. :)

[@jethropebs]

@@PaskMakes You're very welcome Neil,..keep up the amazing work and thank you for your reply. I also enjoy when you mention the wood varieties nthat you use in your projects as well.

[@rickgordon8377]

Oh, nice touch with your galvanized steel conversion. Great solution to the problem.

[@chocolatefrenzieya]

"I have mallets, but this one will be different." You sound like my dad with his 5,003 bowling balls lol!

[@davearonow65]

Damn. I only have 5002 bowling balls. Now I feel like I'm slacking.

[@benm5913]

@@davearonow65 You are. Pick it up slacker.

[@PaskMakes]

Haha! It was different though! ;)

[@kiaghasemi1877]

I hardly ever have seen you using impact drivers for screws :) The fact that it was almost always screw driver has draw my attention. I absolutely enjoy your work and your narrating style. Thanks

[@SchysCraftCo.]

Very nice video this week. This project turned out very unique and we'll hopefully it will get great use out of it. Can't wait to see ur next videos. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Keep Making. God Bless.

[@IanSmithKSP]

Fancy tools like band saws and edge grinders are only enjoyable to use when you contrast it to the slow, tiring way you used to work. That being said, I still return to a hand plane now and again because I enjoy sneaking up on perfection and feeling the material.

[@paavobergmann4920]

sanding, grinding and honing are super addictive imho. I have to stop myself when I am down to going at the surface with paper tissues... ;-) XD

[@georgecunningham9175]

Having you spend a quarter of a video admitting, explaining, and rectifying an error/errors is why I watch your channel so devotedly. It makes your projects more approachable for those of us that lack the initial confidence to even attempt something of this sort. Thank you for being so "humane" - and so dryly amusing! ps thanks for the definition of a dead blow mallet......I shall no longer call it a heavy wood hammer with lead balls in it...........................

[@Joew99001]

Successful woodworking (making for that matter) isn't about perfectly executing the perfect plan. It's really more a matter of planning, starting, discovering, erring, fixing and fixing again. Adaptibility and resilience beat detailed plans every time.

[@georgecunningham9175]

@@Joew99001 Agreed! And that is what makes Pask's videos so enjoyable - he takes an idea from inception to creation while learning and teaching (not pontificating!) as he goes. And as he goes, he takes you/me/us along for the journey, bumps in the road and all.

[@Advoko]

A really nice work, Pask!

[@KL0900]

Hey Advoko is here! Love your channel man!

[@JesperMakes]

Agreed, nice work.

[@alubiarz]

Ll

[@bgpcurran]

I LOVE your videos. I especially appreciate when you make a mistake and fix it without editing it out and without berating yourself. Thank you very much.

[@jak4774]

The soft faced mallet was the 1st video of yours that i watched. Ive been hooked ever since.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks for sticking around! :)

[@michaelmarsh4013]

Creativity, usefulness, and beauty. It is so cool to watch a mistake transformed into something even better!

[@MrMega200]

Now his mistake should go on a bigger handle.

[@heavylead1961]

AHHH The videos I enjoy the most! when you're not under a time frame

[@zuzkasokova1847]

You are truly one of my favorite diy creators. Inspirational, artistic, I can see that you put a lot of effort and heart into your job, all of them are fantastic ideas. Not speaking just about this video, I have seen all of them. And btw I love how down to earth you are :) humble and kind. It is so natural to make mistakes and learn from them. You should be ambassador of that on youtube, because so many creators try to appear perfect. I truly hope that you will not give up making these videos (it's lot of work...), I would sit in your workshop for hours just watching and learning. It is pure pleasure for the eyes, mind and soul. Keep up the great work and all the best. Greetings from Slovakia

[@John-zt3lv]

I knew when I saw this suggested video, I'd like it. Everybody needs one of these. Thanks. Some people may think too much went into making a tool such as this, but I am impressed by the craftsmanship that went into your little project. So much so I subscribed.

[@The42Joker]

I almost spit out my coffee when you started dancing! 🤣🤪

[@scotthutson736]

I literally laughed out loud! 😁

[@_pb2]

I was laughing on the train 😂

[@willfull889]

Moved to the Philippines and the thing i miss most about Oz is the woods.

[@rybiesemeyer]

You earned my thumbs-up with that musical dance interlude

[@chaplainand1]

Good for hitting things. I love it! Thank you so much for your no music and very honest videos. Mistakes - we all make them - it's how creatively we manage them that counts. It's almost like you are teaching us how to be adults as well as craftspeople. Blessings to you and yours. Hope there are no serious fires there this year.

[@TheDarkPreacher65]

Forget a rock tumbler, I want a Pask tumbler. Better at parties, and more entertaining.

[@cougarten]

But does it hammer? I want to see the rebound.

[@mitch3384]

The brass finish on steel is ingenious!

[@jenwhitedesigns]

Like that you didn’t edit out the challenges you encountered during your process-that’s half of making anything and where all the experiential learning happens, no? Turned out wonderfully! Thanks for sharing. ❤️

[@andrewgalbreath2101]

Nice workaround with the hand-powered lathing! "It'll be good for hitting things" lol

[@lesleyghostdragon3149]

Dear Sir, I sincerely appreciate your inclusion of forgotten-steps and changes-of-mind WITH your descriptions and solutions. It's very comforting, in a "pobody's nerfect" way. Thanks for showing your whole process and what it takes to guide any project to completion: determination and flexibility. Oh, and stellar dance moves! ; )

[@patrickhotra9241]

Another beautiful job. And I think it takes a confident man to be willing to dance around his shop while filming.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks Patrick! I must say, I felt pretty stupid while filming it! :)

[@BiggMo]

I appreciate that you include the mistakes and the thought process for corrections. “...learn from other’s mistakes, life’s not long enough to make them all yourself...”

[@wisp666]

Love the lead marimba! 🤣🎉🥳

[@demmarcsxr]

soft scuba weights are filled with lead shot, for future reference.

[@chrisosh9574]

You can also find in most sports shops, the soft wrist or ankle weights that are full of fine shot. I like that mallet more than the three factory made urethane dead blows I have, much cooler looking for a start.

[@scottspropertyservices6877]

They are also in a cheap dead blow hammer from the local hardware😜

[@AndiNewtonian]

That turned out really nice!

[@Kjwcube135]

I like how you kept in everything that you messed up/wanted changed and showed how you fixed it especially that little lathe trick.

[@skittlesryan7862]

Next time you need lead shot just heat the lead up to liquid and then pour it slowly into water. The metal will solidify into what would equate to shot but without you having to make so much lead dust with a saw.

[@ethanpayne4116]

Yeah the fumes from melting the lead aren't great either but if you take proper precaution then they're better than having tiny amounts of lead dust in every nook and cranny of your shop until the end of time

[@martinlouden9005]

Smashing job Neil. Turning the first one through to the lead must have been a bit of a blow. And if your scrambled eggs taste a bit metallic, you've only got yourself to blame!

[@snelgrave101]

Loved the improvisation with the V gouge for the rings on the head of the mallet.

[@mrklean0292]

With craftsmanship like this, I would probably display this on my living-room wall. Great work.

[@danieltreffenstadt1826]

Looks good! Drilling brass can be a quite tricky as it tends to bite quite a lot. If you work with it more often it makes sense to have a few drill bits modified to bite less by taking off the edge, though using slightly blunt bits should help a bit already.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks Daniel and you're right brass does like to bite. :)

[@WOODDESIGN6730]

In fact, very good work.

[@beelzabubbajones6166]

i love seeing the process of mistakes and triumphs, it exemplifies the learning process, great job!!

[@One_for_the_Books]

I watch a ton of project videos I absolutely love your practical approach to things your narration is awesome and I especially love it when you show your mistakes there is nobody that works in projects that doesn't make them. Absolutely love your videos keep up the good work and I especially like the longer ones 20 plus minutes

[@spudhead169]

"It'll be good for hitting things". 'Nuff said bro'.

[@davidkuehne476]

When the drill press grabs your work, holding on tighter and continuing is a 50/50 shot at pretty bad day.... If you don't have one, maybe you should make a machinist's vise.

[@PaskMakes]

I do have a vice but it wasn't the easiest thing to hold being an irregular shape. I'm sure I could've figured something out but thought I'd give holding it a shot. :)

[@terrywalpole5538]

As ever, Neal’s honesty is very apparent and rewards us with the knowledge that no screw up is insurmountable. 👍

[@starforged]

Great video. I especially like where you messed up and corrected it. It's nice to show how to correct things. I tried to show my brother why they call it a dead blow but he would not stand still.

[@MrRicciwalker]

great skills and versatility sir..

[@rogeriocosta1035]

To have the "Dead blow" effect the internal filling material has to be kind of fine and loose to disperse the energy of the impact. The solid core first version would not work anyway. =)

[@zeez9053]

That’s what I was thinking.The chamber should be long in the direction of the impact

[@Vickie-Bligh]

When he decided to fill it with molten lead he said it wouldn't be a dead blow at that point.

[@SiniSael]

"I think I like it" - eitherway its a great build, and thanks for making it with simple-ish tools (I mean who has a lathe?! ;) )

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks! You could shape it by hand if a lathe isn't an option. :)

[@MakerCuisine]

The brass handle looks great against the wood, well done

[@capers72424]

Innovation - A+ Sense of humor - A+ Promoting safety - A+ Willing to learn from mistakes - A+ Gorgeous results - A+ I’m your newest subscriber! Thank you for a great learning experience!

[@forestlampcraft472]

Super!

[@jlarts]

You need to put googly eyes on those pins, I can see it looking at me, lol

[@julesgraham6186]

Another great video Neil, your work is fantastic and inspires me to get back to my workshop! Love the fact your videos are warts and all and aren’t edited to make it look like you don’t make errors like we all do!

[@funkyjohnhuie]

One of my favorite videos of yours. How you ended up making the lines was a stroke of ingenuity she genius. So simple and yet effective. And then I laughed so hard during the shake tabs musical number. Well done!

[@mickwilson127]

There are loads of people stealing your content on Facebook, is there anyway to report them

[@PaskMakes]

I've had messages and emails the past week telling me the same thing. I have know idea how to combat that. Commenting on the posts to tell them who's content it is, would be better than nothing. :)

[@Cletus.223]

No shotgun shells layin' about? You could've used the shot from them...

[@jakobthoma5794]

Australia has pretty strict gun laws iirc

[@Reikianolla]

@@jakobthoma5794 But shotguns are one of the only things they can get tho so the assumption still makes sense.

[@jennamiller3114]

@@Reikianolla I think they have some strict rules on owning ammo.

[@UncleChopChop22]

@@Reikianolla yet almost none of us own guns. Is pointless unless you do it for sport.

[@Reikianolla]

@@UncleChopChop22 I mean he's like a craftsman sort of guy so he could be that sort of guy.

[@nobuckle40]

What's not to like? All the bits together give it a kind of steampunk look. The head does seem a smidge out of proportion. But over all it's a really nice and well built mallet.

[@mikemcclure1855]

Beautiful work. It was so nice, I replicated it. Now it's on display in my den. I restore and display antique hand tools. Just finished a Stanley molding plane, and was offered over six thousand dollars for it. NOT FOR SALE !

[@rutgerhoutdijk3547]

I reckon it turned out great! I hope you like this comment. See you on the next one.

[@terristroh3965]

Could you please stop outdoing yourself? It’s hard enough to get this woodworking thing down and now I have to learn how to dance? Really, Neil!!

[@PaskMakes]

Keep practising, we're moving onto a Rumba in the next video! ;)

[@RobRobertson1000]

"Good for hitting things" - :) yes Neil, indeed. Well done mate. I love especially your honesty and how you share recovering from a setback.

[@allenlewis5689]

The way you added the detail lines was marvelous!

[@arlingtonhynes]

I just can’t get over how weird Australian ketchup is.

[@allgreatfictions]

It's called tomato sauce. Not ketchup.

[@arlingtonhynes]

@@allgreatfictions Aliphatic Tomato Sauce.

[@yssing]

Good use of old fishing weights, we really don't want that stuff in our oceans!

[@ragnkja]

@@ccox7198 Using lead acetate as a sweetener causes insanity, as evidenced by the elites in the Roman Empire.

[@yssing]

@@ccox7198 But now we know how it affects us and the ecosystem, so there is no need to continue to use it.

[@paulpardee]

I'm always impressed by how good you are at refining shapes with a file/rasp!

[@PaulMcGuinness]

Great work Neil (as always) - Loved the brass pins through the head... really finished it well.

[@blubberboy1897]

Personally I think it would’ve looked amazing with a stacked leather handle.

[@leifhietala8074]

Beautiful as always. And for a change we see him being genuinely playful. Lighthearted and cheerful is the overall tone every time, but this is the first time I can remember seeing Pask just take a moment to be silly for us.

[@shannahmiller]

I like the mallet a lot - it's really nice. Even better, is how you show fixing mistakes, and changing your mind. Just goes to show that mistakes don't have to be the end of a project.

[@siriosstar4789]

It's TOO beautiful to use ! Seriously it's just too nice to use .

[@ericrickert3045]

It is always good to have nicely made hand-crafted tools. This was very well presented!

[@_pb2]

I really genuinely love your vids. I go through phases of watching every maker vid that comes up in my subs, but I will always watch yours. Something about the hand tools and being accessible enough without being too basic. Sometimes the thumbnail makes me think "oh I don't feel like a carl jacobson or wood by wright" but then I see it's you and know I'll love it!

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Kate! :)

[@cna9708]

That brass finish with the wire brush was fascinating

[@MachiningandMicrowaves]

The hand-carved detail lines really make it pop. Great save there!

[@AegisAegus]

One of the greatest things about watching your videos is how you solve issues when they come up. Also the song and dance number wasn't too bad either! ;D

[@corydriver7634]

The brass plating technique is pretty cool. Nice mallet.

[@maryannsterling7210]

BEAUTIFULLY DONE, and it is BEAUTIFUL

[@R.Craig.Collins]

Wonderful design, great execution, and a useful but beautiful tool... and as always, thanks for the inspiration, motivation, and distraction during these odd times. I vote that you include your shaking dancing in each video

[@craigtate5930]

I have looked online over and over for the perfect mallet off n on over the past few months. There are many great designs. But this maybe be my all time favorite

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Craig, glad you like it! :)

[@thepleyadian6559]

Congratulations on a beautiful new job, and also on your humility when you show that you made a mistake. That makes you bigger. Congratulations and a hug from Argentina!

[@PapaDan]

Great project Neil. Been watching all the Patreon videos of the progress. How anyone can give this a thumbs down amazes me. Cheers mate!

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Dan! It amazes me too, I've watched plenty of awful videos on KZbin but still never felt the need to dislike it. :)

[@garagemonkeysan]

Superb film. Beautiful dead blow. Mahalo for sharing! : ) 🐒