Stone mason's mallet

Wooden mallet used by the stone mason when working stone with chisels. It has an elongated, often slightly curved head. The direction of the wood fibres is perpendicular to the handle, which often has a spherical bulge at the bottom. Frequent use often creates wear in the form of a cavity. If the wear is too strong, the ends are sometimes shortened to create a new face. The lost weight is sometimes compensated by iron nails hit in the head. The hammer may also be fitted with two ferrules (1). 

Sometimes vinegar wood is recommended for bluestone, palm wood for sandstone and beech wood for limestone (2). [MOT]

(1) BESSAC: 161.

(2) JELLEMA: 45.