Common Rawhide Mallet Sizes & Weights
Rawhide mallets can usually be purchased online from 2 oz to 24 oz (56.7g to 680g) head weights. Their sizes tend to start at 3 in. x 1-¼ in. (76.2mm x 31.75mm) and get larger.
On the lighter end of the spectrum, the rawhide is rolled tight with a resin coating that hardens. Those lighter weight mallets are popular with leather workers. They are good for tapping down stitch lines, installing hardware like snaps and rivets, and pounding on glued layers to help secure the adhesive bond. These tasks do not require a heavy mallet head.
Heavier mallets can contain a steel or lead core to increase their striking power. In leather working, the heavier mallets are useful for tooling leather. Being able to sink a stamping tool into the grain and create a deep set impression is best achieved with a heavier tool. Weighted mallets are also useful for working with soft/precious metals. While brass, copper, silver and gold are softer than steel, they are still metals and having a bit of weight in the mallet head assists in manipulating those metals without damaging them.