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A mallet is a kind of hammer, often made of rubber or sometimes wood, that is smaller than a maul or beetle, and usually has a relatively large head. The term is descriptive of the overall size and proportions of the tool, and not the materials it may be made of, though most mallets have striking faces that are softer than steel. ==Tools== Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are: * Rubber mallets are used when a softer blow is called for than that delivered by a metal hammer. They are typically used to form sheet metal, since they do not leave marks and are less likely to dent the workpiece. Rubber mallets are also used for forcing tight-fitting parts together, for shifting plasterboard into place, in upholstery work, and a variety of other general purposes. It is a tool of preference for wood workers using chisels with plastic, metal, or wooden handles, as they give a softened strike with a positive drive. It is the most commonly used mallet. * Wooden mallets are usually used in carpentry to knock wooden pieces together, or to drive dowels or chisels. A wooden mallet will not deform the striking end of a metal tool, as most metal hammers would. It also is used to reduce the force driving the cutting edge of a chisel, giving better control. Hardwood mallets are also used to knock in cricket bats. * Copper, brass and leaden mallets are typically used on machinery to apply force to parts with a reduced risk of damaging them, and to avoid sparks. As these metals are softer than steel, the mallet is deformed by any excessive force, rather than any steel object it is hitting. * Meat mallets tenderise or flatten meat. Made from wood or metal, they are typically two-sided, one flat or with slight bumps, and the other with more pronounced protrusions. Their use has been reduced with the invention of cube steak machines and other electric tenderisers. Less common mallets include: * Rawhide mallets, which may employ rawhide covering a steel head, or simply consist of rolled-up rawhide, are used for leatherwork, jewellery, and assembling electric motors and delicate machinery. * Plastic mallets, made of nylon, polycarbonate, or polystyrene are used especially in leatherwork and jewellery. * Split head mallets have removable faces which can be changed to an appropriate material for the job. * Beetle mallets are large mallets with a circular wood or plastic head, with rounded ends about in diameter, and a handle about long. It is used by paviours for tapping paving stones into position when bedding them. Beetles are also used in jobs such as timber framing to shift the bases of large wooden posts, to fit joints, and to drive in pegs.〔An illustration of the mallet can be found in Charles F. Mitchell's Building Construction, 11th edition, printed in 1930 by B.T. Batford, Ltd.〕 * Dead blow mallets typically have an internal cavity partially filled with steel shot, lead shot, or loose sand. This modification evens out the time-impulse curve of the impact, enabling a more powerful blow to be delivered without risk of marring the target. Mallets of various types are some of the oldest forms of tools, and have been found in stone age gravesites. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「mallet」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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