(Part 2) Best mallets according to redditors

Oh, also my mallet. It does it's job for tent stakes and 4 inch nails. However, it does not do its job for hammering 2' rebar a foot into the ground.

The AMAZING guy at Bird Camp across the street lent us his steel mallet, because "you were getting more rebound off of that thing than it was being driven into the ground, and I was embarrassed for you." :C

I work with leather as a hobby and I'd be happy to tell you about the tools I use. Others may have different opinions of course.

Where should I buy my leather?
I get all my leather from Tandy Leather Factory. Link The prices are great, and they have a huge selection of quality, thickness, and sizes. Of course there may not be one near you.

If you have to buy from a craft store then you're going to be paying a lot, but that may be your only option. You should lookup "Saddle Supply" for your area too. The tools and materials are all the same.

What tools are a must-have?

• Rotary Leather Punch : This punches different size holes for different rivets, eyelets, or laces. The only downside to this rotary type, as opposed to this type is that you have to be within 2 inches of the edge of leather. But I find that is rarely a problem for me.
  
• Utility Knife AKA Box Cutter : DO NOT USE SCISSORS TO CUT LEATHER. If you ignore everything else, this is the one thing you should remember. Using scissors will bend the edge of leather all to hell. A new blade on a utility knife like this will cut through leather like butter. I use two, a regular size one and a small compact one for tight turns.
  
• 4 Prong Chisel : You'll use this to punch holes along the edge of the leather to sew it together. I use the 4 prong, but they also come in 1, 6, and 8.
  
• Rubber/Wood Mallet : For hitting the chisel. You'll probably say, I have a hammer I'll just use that. Don't, it'll mushroom your chisel and be loud, and destroy whatever you have under the leather you're punching through. Get a mallet form Walmart.
  
• Stitching Needles : For stitching leather together of course.
  
• Wax Thread : For stitching leather together. If you opt to use the hole punch and leather cording to bind your leather together it's going to look like a Boy Scout made it at camp. Trust me, take the time to stitch your stuff nicely.
  
• Rivets : These come in different colors, materials, types, and sizes.
  
• Rivet Setter : for striking rivets of course.
  
  Leather
  
• I use a 9oz leather for my goggles. It's thick and stiff (that's what she said) and is almost like balsa wood in hardness.
  
• For cuffs I'll recommend an 8oz leather. It's thick enough to be stiff, but will bend to a nice curve. Here are the cuffs I make. For the Straps I use about a 4-5oz leather. It's thin enough to bend easy, but thick enough to be strong. Of course, if you end up making something like bracers that need some extra strength you can go to a 6-7oz leather instead.
  
  Here is a project I'm currently working on that uses a mix of all the tools above. http://imgur.com/xEvP3
  
  Also, there are many many other tools you can add, but I think these are the basic must haves.

Five dollar solution.

The $100 Woodworker starter pack:

• Dovetail layout guide $12.46
  
• Dozuki saw $20.74
  
• Clamps $10.97 X2 = $21.94
  
• Vice $17.84
  
• Chisel mallet $22.18
  
  
  Total $95.16
  
  

These three hammers also accomplish the same tasks. ...generally speaking.

Don't pick the wrong one.

The first set is just gouges a chisel and a skew so unless you are planning on doing purely relief carving then I would agree with /u/brazosrr. The flexcut set has all the knives you will need for a very long time. For the Hammer you do not want a ball peen hammer for carving what you want is a wooden mallet like this How every you do not need that until you get bigger tools so I would not suggest it.

It comes down to how much you want to spend. If I were to rebuy by tools I would get just flexcut and swiss made. I have have never had a problem with them and they hold there edge for a long time.

I measured/marked the holes using a combination square. Then I drilled 5/8 holes in opposite corners cut area. Then I used a cheap ($20) electric jig saw to cut out the area as best as possible. I would follow the lines on one side, then flip it over and cut it again. The jig saw blade bends so it cuts on an angle. Finally, I used a chisel to remove excess material and clean up the holes and straighten them out.

Combination Square
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005XUHIBG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

1" Chisel (or you can get a set of three for a little more)
https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-M444-1-Inch-MARPLES-Chisel/dp/B0000CBJH8/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1493124918&sr=8-20&keywords=irwin+chisel+marples

Mallet
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00020JNDI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Jig Saw
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-BDEJS300C-Jig-4-5-Amp/dp/B00OJ72L84/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493125013&sr=8-1&keywords=4.5+amp+jigsaw

He'll order a large wooden mallet online, paint the head grey with some spraypaint. wrap a thin ragged leather strap stolen from a baseball glove around the handle.... It would be perfect, so little effort, so much praise from fucking worthless nerds. At the very least it will impress the shit out of you, right "rodohilo"? Right? Because badly painting a red sled got your e-panties all wet.

AND I CAN TAKE 50 PICTURES OF MYSELF WHILE I COMPLETE A TWO-TASK PROJECT! OH GOD, WHICH INSTAGRAM FILTERS WILL I CHOOSE! THATS LIKE THE HARDEST PART OF MY PROJECT BRO!

Fuck, what am i doing! I dont want to give this asshole any ideas. All this sweet, sweet praise for my shitty adult arts and crafts could be mine all mine! Oh sweet, i could have a huge bunch of shut-ins and manchildren calling me all sorts of cool! DONT STEAL MY IDEAS! STAMPED IT! DOUBLE-STAMPED IT!