Posted by Markkw
on December 16, 2008, 5:09:26, in reply to "Circus Mallet"
Message modified by board administrator December 16, 2008, 5:26:36
Here is the pic of Jeff's Circus Mallet. I'll go along with Fred and say it's likely from the bell-ring game if it's newer and without a mfg name or some kind of identification or there's no real way of telling the age unless something in its construction gives away the use of modern equipment. The circus and others who set-up for large events often used a lot of wood peg & pin type mechanical connections where this mallet would have been used. Also, some used iron tent stakes with a large head on them where this mallet could also have been used.
This may not have anything to do with the circus at all either - it could very well be a mallet that was used by any industry where they needed a soft-face hammer big enough to beat the crap outta stuff. It's hard to see in the pic but it appears the head is laminated and the iron straps appear to be hot-rolled steel - Without seeing it in person, my guess is that it's not all that old.
Jeff,
This one isn't a hammer it's a bucking head - primarily used by tin knockers to back-up the folded locking joints when hammering them closed, also used to back-up rivets. Normally you'll find these with one round face as this one has and one squared face for reaching into corners. Mechanics and machinists use these too, mostly for assembly work like driving bearings & seals where the bucking head would be placed on the item to be driven then it would be hit with a wood mallet or in modern times a nylatex type deadblow.
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