Well, I started carving wood a few years ago and have progressed like the rest of us. First wood carving, then more serious hand logging. When I got to the point of using a hammer and heavier chisels, I KNEW that using a mallet was traditional, but I thought I knew better. rubber mallet. It seemed to work pretty well. BUT now I understand. It's the first one I've had, but I already love it. Less tired hands when working on big projects; I've also found that the power transferred into each bit hit is much easier to control, saving me from those misses that then require creative repair work. Great price, worth your deal.