Caulking Mallet and Handle
Item Details
For sale is a Caulking Mallet in good, used condition. Hard to find.
A caulking mallet and its handle are tools used in traditional wooden shipbuilding and repair, particularly in the process of caulking seams between wooden planks to make them watertight.
The caulking mallet has a specialized design, typically featuring a large, cylindrical or slightly tapered wooden head. The head is often made of a dense hardwood like oak, lignum vitae, or another durable wood that can withstand heavy use.
The mallet is used to strike caulking irons, driving caulking material (like oakum or cotton) into the seams between the wooden planks of a boat or ship. The wooden head prevents damage to the caulking irons, which could happen if a metal hammer were used.
The wooden head of the mallet also helps produce a distinct sound when striking the iron, which experienced shipwrights use to judge the correct force and depth needed to properly seat the caulking material.