MALLETS AND SLEDGES

Most soft-faced hammers have heads that can be replaced as the need arises. Lead-faced hammers, for instance, quickly become battered and must be replaced, but have the advantage of striking a solid, heavy nonrebounding blow that is useful for such jobs as driving shafts into or out of tight holes. If a soft-faced hammer is not available, the surface to be hammered may be protected by covering it with a piece of soft brass, copper, or hard wood. Using Hammers Simple as the hammer is, there is a right and a wrong way of using it. (See fig. 1-2.) The most common fault is holding the handle too close to the head. This is known as choking the hammer, and reduces the force of the blow. It also makes it harder to hold the head in an upright position. Except for light blows, hold the handle close to the end to increase leverage and produce a more effective blow. Hold the handle with the fingers underneath and the thumb along side or on top of the handle. The thumb should rest on the handle and never overlap the fingers. Try to hit the object with the full force of the hammer. Hold the hammer at such an angle that the face of the hammer and the surface of the object being hit will be parallel. This distributes the force of the blow over the full face and prevents damage to both the surface being struck and the face of the hammer. MALLETS AND SLEDGES The mallet is a short-handled tool used to drive wooden-handled chisels, gouges, and wooden pins, or to form or shape sheet metal where hard-faced hammers would mar or damage the finished work. Mallet heads are made from a soft material, usually wood, rawhide, or rubber. For example, a rubber-faced mallet is used for knocking out dents in an automobile. It is cylindrically shaped with two flat driving faces that are reinforced with iron bands. (See fig. 1-1.) Never use a mallet to drive nails, screws, or any other object that can damage the face of the mallet. The sledge is a steel-headed, heavy-duty driving tool that can be used for a number of purposes. Short-handled sledges are used to drive driftpins, and large nails, and to strike cold chisels and small hand-held rock drills. Long-handled sledges are used to break rock and concrete, to drive spikes or stakes, and to strike rock drills and chisels. made of a Figure 1-2.-Striking a surface. The head of a sledge is generally high-carbon steel and may weigh from 2 to 16 pounds. The shape of the head will vary according to the job for which the sledge is designed. MAINTENANCE OF STRIKING TOOLS Hammers, sledges, or mallets should be cleaned and repaired if necessary before they are stored. Before using them, make sure the faces are free from oil or other material that would cause the tool to glance off nails, spikes, or stakes. The heads should be dressed to remove any battered edges. Never leave a wooden or rawhide mallet in the sun, as it will dry out and may cause the head to crack. A light film of oil should be left on the mallet to maintain a little moisture in the head. The hammer handle should always be tight in the head. If it is loose, the head may fly off and cause an injury. 1-3