clarification mallet/hammer query

[Don Dougan <dondougan@xxxxxxxx>]

" It also sounds like I could use a nylon mallet with portland.
Could you just confirm (or otherwise) that I've got this right . . . "

Ann:
Yes, a nylon mallet (or zinc/bronze/lead dummy used with mallet-headed
chisels is/are  excellent combination(s) for Portland stone.  The
advantages of the mallet will be that it is  less tiring to use, or the
advantage of the denser dummy is that it will remove waste a bit more
quickly.

One option for efficiency:  use the lump iron hammer with a hammer-headed
point chisel (sometimes called a punch) during the initial roughing-out
stage to remove the biggest chunks of waste relatively quickly.   Then
use the mallet or dummy combined with the mallet-headed chisels to define
and refine the carving.

The first time I used mallet-headed chisels and a mallet (after eight or
nine years of using only a steel hammer and hammer-headed chisels for
hand carving) I couldn't believe how comfortable it was.   I rather
joyfully carved a whole (11" high) Indiana limestone (similar to Portland
Stone) sculpture in an afternoon without even stopping to take rest
breaks -- which I don't have the stamina to do when carving with a hard
hammer!

NOTE:  Mallet-headed chisels are hard to come by in the States - I bought
my first couple of dozen mallet-headed chisels from an antique tool
dealer, and now buy from Tiranti (in London) when I need new ones.  Most
of the US suppliers don't carry anything but hammer-headed chisels.
Hint: if enough american carvers demand mallet-headed chisels maybe they
will keep them in stock!

Hope this clarifies things somewhat - hope your first carving with the
mallet is as enjoyable as mine was!

Don