amy858•15h ago

Had a guy at the supply yard show me his trowel from 1987

I was picking up brick for a retaining wall last Tuesday and this older mason, Jerry, was there getting mortar mix. He pulled out this beat up Marshalltown trowel with the handle wrapped in duct tape and said he's never bought a new one in 35 years because he keeps the edge sharp with a diamond stone after every job. How often do you guys actually dress your tools vs just letting them wear down naturally?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo5014h ago

I heard a guy say sharpening after every use is the only way to keep a trowel feeling new.

ruby_grant10h ago

A buddy of mine from the local masonry supply shop said he had a helper who used to just leave his tools caked with dried mortar at the end of the day. He finally showed him how to dress the edge with a stone after his trowel kept tearing up the finish work. That helper told me later it felt like he'd gone from pushing concrete around to actually shaping it.