pig sticker...

[Jim Palmer]

You inferred my suggesting people use smaller mallets and overdrive them. I did not. You somehow came to the conclusion that my largest mallet is some kind of light weight and therefore my suggestion of everyone should find what works best for them somehow means they should start out flailing away with a light weight mallet.

To me, it seems you are not only being critical of me personally, but you are also trying to change the meaning of what I have said.

If someone is "following theory based guidance" they would know about force and mass. If they want to use mallets and chisels, they should know before they start.

My most heart felt statement in all of this and in many other instances is people need to use the method that works best for them.

My statement about "first lesson in physics" comes from a real life situation where I made a very light mallet for a friend. It was intended for use on his home made chiming instrument. He was extremely happy with it. So happy in fact he decided to take it with him camping to drive tent stakes. He learned quickly he had made a mistake. He learned about the application and transfer of force. He did not injure himself other than his pride. That is sometimes the price of learning.

We can all learn from all we do.

We may disagree, but we can agree to so do.

jtk

Theory based guidance is where someone offers guidance whilst lacking practical experience. I clearly stated you incorrectly suggest whacking chisels in an uncontrolled manner which may lead to injury of the tool, user or both.

The heaviest price of learning by such example is injury and a juvenile or novice may risk severe injury if convinced by your suggestions centred around the use of force when driving chisels. I'd already attempted to correct this oversight by suggesting more controlled use involving correctly hefted mallet.

The first lesson in any working environment is "Work safely".

[Jim Koepke]

Theory based guidance is where someone offers guidance whilst lacking practical experience.

My misunderstanding, my thought is the theories of physics and other sciences are useful in working wood. (ymmv)

I clearly stated you incorrectly suggest whacking chisels in an uncontrolled manner which may lead to injury of the tool, user or both.

I am sorry, nowhere in my posts can I find my suggestion that someone should wield a mallet in an uncontrolled manner.

My testiness may be due to ideas which are not mine being attributed to me.

Maybe my comment, "whack it with mighty blows," summons an image of someone holding a huge mallet wound up with the head at knee level, eyes closed, tongue between teeth with their thumb atop a chisel handle. Maybe cartoons no longer teach our young about the inevitable outcome of such work practices.

It seems unlikely to me a person cutting their first mortise is going to somehow chance upon my post and only my post when they search information on using a pig sticker cut a mortise.

The heaviest price of learning by such example is injury and a juvenile or novice may risk severe injury if convinced by your suggestions centred around the use of force when driving chisels. I'd already attempted to correct this oversight by suggesting more controlled use involving correctly hefted mallet. The first lesson in any working environment is "Work safely".

I understand your concern and agree with your statement on safety. Woodworking has many dangers due to sharp tools coupled with the perils of inattention.

This makes me think of Mark Twain's comment of the man who carries a cat by the tail learning something he could learn in no other way and leaving him with a memory which never will grow dim nor fade with time.

jtk