What Is a Rubber Mallet Used For?

Rubber mallets are a more gentle version of the hammer.

Rubber mallets are a type of hammer. The mallet features a larger striking surface. But since it is made of bounce-resistant rubber materials, it offers a gentler blow and greater control than traditional hammers.

Identification

According to the Hand Tools Manufacturers website, rubber mallets might have wood, plastic or fiberglass handles, and the hammers come in a variety of weights. Colors of the rubber heads of the hammers are usually black, white or gray.

Function

Rubber mallets serve in place of a metal hammer in situations where a metal hammer would cause damage to the material during fitting or installation.

Leisure

Mallets are used in the sport of polo. They also are used in the game of croquet as well as to play certain percussion instruments.

Home Improvement

Rubber mallets are used to work with sheet metal and plasterboard as well as in crafts using leather and upholstery. The mallets prevent rim damage during the process of changing a tire. In gardening, a rubber mallet lets homeowners install edging material, garden stakes and fencing.

Medicine

Some doctors use a rubber mallet to strike a tendon just beneath your kneecap to test your reflexes.

References

• Hand Tools: Mallets
• C.S. Osborne: Black Rubber Mallet
• Aria Health: A Quick Look at Reflexes