Mallet

A mallet is a striking tool with a head made from wood, rubber, or another material softer than steel, used anywhere a hammer's hard face would damage the tool or workpiece being struck. Driving a chisel is the classic use -- a mallet transfers force without denting or eventually cracking the chisel's handle -- as is seating joints during dry-fitting or glue-up, where a steel hammer would leave visible dents.

A dead-blow mallet, weighted internally with loose shot or sand, absorbs its own rebound on impact rather than bouncing back off the work -- useful for seating a stubborn joint with one confident hit instead of several smaller ones.