The Halder drop mallet is a handleless dead blow mallet. It doesn’t rebound, and features replaceable nylon heads at both ends. The striking faces are wear-resistant and said to be splinter-proof, even in freezing temperatures.
Halder says that the drop mallet allows for gentle work with low noise and minimal force, and I tend to agree. In my experience, hammers or mallets designed like this, where the head is also the handle, allow for greater control and can also be used in more compact spaces.
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No, you won’t get the same level of striking power as with a traditional hammer or mallet, but you gain finesse.
The Halder drop mallets are available in different sizes, with diameters from ~3/4″ to 2″ wide and lengths of ~6-6.5″.
Following is a table of the different sizes and weights. The model numbers link to KC Tool purchase pages for convenience, since they carry the full line. (Use coupon TOOLGUYD4LIFE to save 10%).
| Width | Length | Weight | Model No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.79″ | 5.91″ | 7.58 oz | 3408.020 |
| 0.98″ | 5.91″ | 11.99 oz | 3408.025 |
| 1.18″ | 6.1″ | 16.58 oz | 3408.030 |
| 1.38″ | 6.1″ | 22.22 oz | 3408.035 |
| 1.57″ | 6.3″ | 27.69 oz | 3408.040 |
| 1.77″ | 6.3″ | 34.04 oz | 3408.045 |
| 1.97″ | 6.5″ | 44.09 oz | 3408.050 |
Replacement inserts are also available.
I’ve been exploring Halder’s Simplex mallets, meaning I ordered way too many of their non-marring and dead-blow mallets to get a feel for the brand, and have been quite pleased so far.
I have been searching for a good alternative to Nupla’s Handi-Hammer handleless dead blow hammer, given how hard it has become to find, and I believe Halder’s drop mallets could serve this role. It’s also possible I’ll like them better than the Nupla, but it’ll take some time to tell.
While the Nupla has a steel face and a rubber face, the Halder have two hard nylon faces, and as mentioned they’re replaceable. I suppose that’s a fair compromise.
Pricing ranges from $24 and up (before coupon). The dead blow mallets are said to be made in Germany.
Buy Now via Amazon
Buy Now via KC Tool
At the time of this posting, many of the sizes are backordered, but with fairly quick estimated ship times.
Have you ever used a tape measure, screwdriver handle, or pliers to pound on anything? That’s the type of application where handleless hammers come in handy, at the least.
Given the length of these tools, I think that the 30mm (1.18″) version (~$25 via Amazon, ~$24 via KC Tool after coupon) might be a good middle ground starting point, or maybe the 25mm (0.98″) size. This is approximately the width of Surefire and other brands’ tactical flashlights.
(Side note – I’ll be ordering a sample from KC Tool. They’ve got free shipping on $75 – are there any other tools you’d like me to consider purchasing for review?)
What is a dead blow hammer? Dead blow hammers or mallets, handle or not, feature hollow cavities that are filled with sand, shot, or sliding weights. When you strike a target with such a tool, it does not rebound or bounce back in the same way as other hammers or rubber mallets, which can allow for quicker and more comfortable work. Read More: Intro to Dead Blow Hammers