Making a Shipwright's Caulking Mallet

In this episode of tool making on the Art of Boat Building I make a shipwright’s caulking mallet. If you google shipwright tools most likely one of the first things that comes up is a caulking mallet and these strange looking mallets are very specific to caulking a boat. They have this very long head and these longitudinal slots. From my reading, the slots are to reduce the fatigue and add a little bit of springiness to the mallet when it’s being hit on a caulking iron. The other thing I’ve read is it gives the mallet a nice ring. You can imagine the number of taps you have to make on this over the day you’d want a pleasant sound. This may be ship lore but I’ve also read that when there’s a large ship being caulked they tune the mallets so all of the shipwrights’ mallets were ringing in the same tone. Either way, I hope you enjoy this build of a shipwright’s mallet on the Art of Boat Building. “If you’re going to make it, make it beautiful.” -Bob Emser- Subscribe for more Boat Building from The Art of Boat Building: https://www.youtube.com/user/bobemser/featured?sub_confirmation=1 Share this video with a friend: https://youtu.be/AF4LWOPDIDw How to support The Art of Boat Building. Purchase Official Merchandise here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-art-of-boat-building/ Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/theartofboatbuilding Watch next Recommended Playlists Carvel Planking Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNEOO85GTL9c7j90pis6HEBCzfdjPMjty Haven 12 1/2 Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNEOO85GTL9esMHaAcxR-C_rUz_HsWw-A Tool Making: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNEOO85GTL9dybkv4vs5lvflq1b47XPpz Let’s connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobEmserAmericanSculptor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofboatbuilding/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BobEmser Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobemser/ Bob Emser American Sculptor: https://www.bobemser.com Video equipment used: CanonM50: https://amzn.to/2TVob5l Takstar SGC-598 (shotgun mic): https://amzn.to/2ZSVmup Saramonic Lavalier Mic https://amzn.to/3drnZCK Disclaimer: Some of these links go to one of my websites and some are affiliate links where I’d earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. #theartofboatbuilding #artofboatbuilding #makeitbeautiful#woodenboatbuilding #buildingasmallboat #buildingasailboat #shipwright #toolbuilding #Haven12 #herreshoff #shipwright