http://www.grizzly.com/products/Shop-Fo ... -oz-/D2810
I occasionally found myself using this on something delicate, like something finished, or chrome plated or otherwise something that could be scratched by the brass head, and wanted to provide a cover that could be used in those situations. Many MANY years ago, I built a woodworking bench, and bought a hunk of vegetable-tanned leather to face the chop faces on the vises, and plenty left over. I have used this leather (it's almost 1/8" thick) so many times, when it's finally gone I will definitely be buying another chunk.
Anyway, I thought a sleeve made of this stuff would be perfect for my little mallet.
I cut a strip just a bit wider than the mallet head, and used a razor-sharp plane iron to slice the ends to form a "scarf joint". It took some shaving, but eventually got it to be the right length. I assembled it to the mallet head, dry, by using a little piece of popsicle stick to hold the scarf joint together, and secured the whole thing with two zip ties tightened as tight as I could get them using a pair of pliers. I then disassembled everything, careful to not tighten the zip-ties any further, and applied some contact cement to the bevels on the scarf joint. When the cement dried, I formed the sleeve, slipped the two zip-ties over the sleeve, slipped the piece of popsicle stick into place, then jammed the entire assembly over the mallet-head and let the glue dry completely.
When the glue had set, I repeatedly tapped the top edge of the sleeve against a steel surface, forming a bead to capture the sleeve against the top of the mallet head. I then moistened the top and inside edge of the bead with some water and rubbed some PVA glue into the leather to "size" it.
Came out pretty well. Now I just have to make sure I don't lose the darned thing!!
