I made a joiners mallet. I’m trying to challenge myself by only hand tools. The wood was found in the basement; I think hickory head and I have no idea what the handle pieces are. The handle and head were each laminated and the handle was mortised in, wedged, and glued. I rounded out the handle with a spokeshave and rasp.
There are plenty of things I could have done differently, but I’m just glad I pushed myself to finish it. And now have a fairly heavy-duty mallet, so I dont need to swing on the chisels as hard. I think if I were to make another one, I would find a single block of wood for the head instead of laminating cut pieces.
The finish definitely doesn't need to be fancy. Linseed oil or paste wax is fine. Or both, that's traditional for shop tools. It should be something that is quick and easy to apply that will provide some protection for the wood.