String maul

[GB_Groundworks]

Alright till your in kerbs or massive yorkstone cathedrals or old mills floor ones then you need the bigger persuader even on council greys 1 tap from a maul better than whaling on it with a little tapper

[Tony McC]

I suppose it depends on how you were trained. My owld feller originally used a wooden iron-hooped maul, similar to a betel. I remember evenings in the 60's when we'd be roasting a hoop over a gas ring to expand it sufficiently to slide over the elm head of a maul and then quenching it in a bucket of water. The heady aroma of singed timber, the hiss as it was plunged into the water, the smell of the steam...all so evocative.

However, while wooden mauls were all well and good, there biggest problem was them drying out in summer and the wood shrinking as a consequence, which was a prime cause of losing the iron hoops, so when rubber mauls became more widely available, a lot of the old-time flaggers and streetmasons switched to them with glee. No more evenings quenching hoops so more time for quenching thirst in the local alehouse.

The biggest problem with the original rubber or "compound" mauls was that they could split when you really twa....errr... belted a particularly reluctant flag or kerb. And it soon became apparent that these all-rubber mauls of that time were a bugger for marking concrete flags. Coloured concrete flags had just become fairly popular, and the reds, marigolds and buffs seemed to mark far more easily than the 'naturals'. There were blues and greens, too, but these were only for those projects were the architect or developer had delusions of grandeur - they were never used for highways work, as far as I recall. So, to avoid marking, the head of the maul would be wrapped in a blanket or a piece of hessian nicked from the brickies.

Then came the stringy mauls. I was told the original intention of adding string was to prevent the rubber splitting, a bit like the use of poly-fibres in modern concretes. The stringy mauls offered much more of a dead blow, with far less bounce or rebound, and so provided finer control, similar to the old wooden mauls. I started laying flags in the early 70s and of the three options (wooden, rubber or stringy) I found the stringy maul was, for me, the best all-rounder, whether laying yorks, concretes or kerbs. At one time I had a smaller version for setts and cobbles (I wish I still had that - bloody useful bit of kit, that was!)

The "modern" stringless mauls use a modified rubber which gives more of a dead blow than the old rubber mauls, but don't seem to offer the same control and finesse that I grew up with. The modern trend to use a 1kg or 2kg mallet is probably OK when laying smaller, lightweight patio-type flags, but when you're putting down 70mm stone flags or road kerbs, you need the extra weight provided by a full sized maul.

And for me, that maul needs to be one of the increasingly rare stringy types. We all have tools that suit our way of working - some will only use Marshalltown trowels or Bulldog grafters - we end up using tools that work for us as individuals. There's no best - just what's right for you.

[Forestboy1978]

I feel the same way FB I have a maul that i never use
£2 rubber mallet from wickes has laid thousands of flags and slabs and still going strong (although looking a little jaded) like me!)
LLL

Well better than "being" jaded LLL I'm not looking in great shape myself lol.

I don't know how many slabs I've cracked with my little mallet whacking away like a mad man cos I've made my mortar slightly too dry.


Tony - Great answer I love all that historical stuff. I can see by looking at it that's it's got a more solid substance. I often smash my persuader down at slightly the wrong angle and then get a hefty useless bounce from it, only to re attempt with more vigour, get perfect contact and get too much of what I needed.

[lutonlagerlout]

exactly guys
if we were laying 3 by 2s all day long the big hitter would come out
but just not needed for laying modern sized sandstones etc
LLL

[digerjones]

This the thing your on about Mr.

[Tony McC]

Sort of....I think that might be a fencing maul (the wooden one) because the flagging mauls had the iron hoop set back from the edge so that it was wood striking the flagstone, not iron.

C'mon Andy - get yer finger out and answer my PM!

[digerjones]

Bought this for you today Mr Mr Tony McC .the maul that is

[Tony McC]

A van? Wow!!! That's *so* generous! :;):

[digerjones]

Thought it would burn if you didn't want it.

[Tony McC]

Burn the van? It's a Moggy isn't it? That would be criminal!

Still, if you must burn it, take that mallet out first and I'll have it!

[digerjones]

Burn the van? It's a Moggy isn't it? That would be criminal!

Still, if you must burn it, take that mallet out first and I'll have it!

Burn the van how dare you, it's getting me into the great Dorset steam fair in a couple of weeks
When you coming down for these mauls. Will they go on the bike :p .
How far off Warrington are you, neighbours sister is house sitting next door, I could send it back with her.

[ilovesettsonmondays]

70 quid for a wooden beadle brand new now

[Tony McC]

When you coming down for these mauls. Will they go on the bike :p .
How far off Warrington are you, neighbours sister is house sitting next door, I could send it back with her.

I'm about 7 miles north-east of Warrington, closer to Leigh if anything, but only 2 mins from M6/M62 Croft Comedy Interchange.

I can collect on the bike - PM me an address.

[digerjones]

Here's a maul not sure if it's a string http://www.audlem.org/buysell.html.