Leo Cuellar
I didn't really think about it much, because I haven't done much mallet work lately. Most often I use the potato masher for chopping mortices and carving or anytime I need a little power behind a cut. I've only had problems with striking when my attention wanders. I haven't done any dovetailing, but have chopped some pretty serious mortises with these.

The dark one in this picture I found at an antique store labeled as a "potato masher" probably Cuban Mahogany from the weight, grain and age. The other two I made from salvaged Hickory. The big one is a bit clumsy for close work, on smaller projects, but I like the size of the handle. One day I'll reduce the diameter and fill it full of lead shot.

The smaller one has seen some hard use on steel hollow punches and rivet setters and such but has held up very well despite the abuse. The finish is several coats of tung oil.