In search of the perfect mallet
Fenwick Elliott Mallets
www.insearchoftheperfectmallet.com
Dimensions and weight
The dimensions of the Series 4 head are fixed by the manufacturing process. It is a shade under 12" long, 2 1/4" inches wide and 2 1/8" inches tall. It comes in a choice of 3 weights
| Light | 35 ounces (2lb 3oz) |
| Medium | 37 1/2 ounces (2 lb 51/2 oz) |
| Heavy | 40 ounces (2 1/2 lb) |
Adding, say, 9 ounces for the shaft and grip, the all-up weights are thus:
| Light | 44 ounces (2 3/4lb) |
| Medium | 46 1/2 ounces (2 lb 14 1/2 oz) |
| Heavy | 49 ounces (3lb 1oz) |
But comparison with a traditional mallet is not entirely accurate, because the Series 4 delivers a lot more power from any given swing speed. Some players thus prefer to reduce their overall weight a little when shifting from a traditional mallet.
The newer narrow head
The first protptypes and short runs of the Series 4 had a 2½ inch wide head, and some of the earlier feedback we got was that maybe this was a shade too wide. We agreed with this assement, and from 2007, all of the Series 4 heads have been the 2¼ inch width. Our pionner users have all given this slightly narrower version the thumbs up, and so there will be no more of the older, wider heads.
Materials
The chassis is made of composite materials including carbon fibre (graphite), and is very light; at 10 ounces it represents only about ¼ of the total weight of the head. The head is effectively hollow, the volume within the skin being filled with lightweight foam. The weighting is contained in pockets at either end which are filled with stabilised tungsten powder.
The striking faces are made of a laminated composite, developed for impact.
Sighting lines
The heads have a white sighting line running from end to end, and two smaller side lines at each end.
They also have a small 9 inch marking in lines for players of the American game.
Fixing
The head is fixed to the shaft by means of a 25mm diameter hole, into which the shaft is inserted and then held in place be means of a collar, bolted up with a fixing screw. The fixing is thus similar to that used by several manufacturers, all of whom use a 25mm hole (for the simple historical reason that suitable drill bits come in 5mm increments, and 20mm is too small and 30mm is too big).
This fixing allows the shaft to be removed from the head for traveling if required, and also for the shaft to by held at an angle to the head for players who like that arrangement
Trundling
Some people like to trundle (see glossary), but don't do it with a Series 4 head. The head is very strong in the direction that it is intended to be used in, but is likely to sustain damage if used sideways. Similarly, if you use the side of the head like a garden rake to retrieve balls from under rhododendron bushes, you are likely to chip the paint/varnish finish.
Colour
Can you have any colour?
Yes, as long as it is our standard grey.