I recently finished removing (4) 1/2" layers of fir from a pair of glulam beams (for my workbench, but that's another story). I did this by making lots of 1/2" deep saw cuts across the beam faces, then using some bench chisels to waste away the majority of the wood. Lots of pounding involved.
My query revolves around the durability, or lack thereof, of the leather shock washers on the striking ends of the chisel handles. I need to preface my question by noting that the chisels have been passed down to me from my great-grandfather's toolbox. He was a carpenter who built his own house in 1906 in California. The chisels have the original handles and leather shock washers, and most likely date back to somewhere around 1900. Unfortunately, even though I was using a wooden mallet, I destroyed one of the washers before I noticed, and the second chisel's washers are pretty beat up, too.
I thought the washers were supposed to protect the handles. Were they falling apart because they're 100 years old, or because they do that anyway?
Now I need to replace the washers. Should I use some kind of leather again, or maybe switch to brass rings? Metal rings might protect the handles, but would beat up the mallet. Any idears? Also, if leather is correct, what is the best kind? I possibly have a source of free shoe sole leather scraps, which would seem to be ideal, being fairly hard and tough.