I use a small metal sledge for driving pegs. I find that wooden mallets are harder on the peg (more strikes to drive= more chance of damaging the peg). It is also pretty hard on the wooden mallet.
He Sean, you got it. This is what I meant by repetitive deformation in a peg, or simply "mushrooming." If you have acquired or been taught the skill, metal striking tools will surpass wood and leather by a great margin. I carve stone, as well as, wood and wooden joints. I have even carved "splayed scarf joints," in granite for foundational elements of a frame, like you would find in Asian. There is a traditional pneumatic stone hammer, (pneumatic tools have been around since the 1850's, one positive high light of the industrial revolution. Note: they are still made in Barre Vermont by the same foundry and black smiths-"Trow and Holden," if you ever contact them, ask for Randy Potter.) that with an adapter you can drive not only timber framing chisels of all types, but pegs as well.
I believe most folks should use softer/lighter wood and leather mallets for their chisels, if I have lead folks to believe other wise I am sorry. If you do not have the training, skill, technique, proper hammer, and strength, a metal striking tool used all day long to cut joints will cause you and the tools you strike harm. I have had some ambitious students try to use both my hand hammer and my pneumatic, and a few have ended up at the doctors for repetitive stress fractures. I didn't start off using a three pound hammer to strike a chisel. That took years of conditioning, practice and guidance. If you start off with a nice 16 to 26 oz Japanese hammer, you would probably be fine. Just as an odd note, stone carvers take to timber framing better than the other way around. It has often made me think that we should get all young craft folk started with stone then move them to wood.
I would guess that one would want a relatively soft steel for such a job? Maybe even bronze?
Excellent observation, they make bronze hammers for this purpose but they do not hold up as well as a hand forged metal hammer. In some cases you can damage a chisel handle. Most of mine last several years to a decade, but my "favorites," often get used up about every 1.5 years. Then I simply make a new handle, it isn't that hard. If you work a lot and keep really sharp tools, you will wear chisels out quick. I can go through some gouges in under three years.
Perhaps avoiding chisel handle damage has more to do with striking technique and attention to detail when making one's chisel handles than choice of striking tool?
Also well said!!! I believe many of our ancient forbears of this craft cringe and/or laugh hysterically at our fumbling and follies. Such a simple thing as using the correct technique and tool, can make your work so much easier.
I am really glad you have taken something away from this discussion. It is all about the handing down of linage knowledge and rediscovery of what has been almost been lost.
