Rant: Bought a cheap trowel from a discount store and it bent on my third brick

Lost $12 on that thing and the crooked line of mortar cost me an extra 20 minutes to fix, anyone else had luck with a specific brand of trowel that wont fold like paper?

3 comments

3 Comments

nelson.nancy1mo ago

Respectfully @kimreed, I think cheap tools have their place but not for actual brick work.

kimreed1mo ago

$12 for a brick trowel is actually pretty typical even for decent ones, but I'd argue it's not really the price that was the problem. The bigger issue is that discount store tools are usually made for light work, not for something like laying brick where you need a sturdy blade.

cameron5381mo ago

Ain't that the truth @kimreed? I've snapped two cheap trowels on brick before the handle even got warm. The metal bends when you're trying to spread mud on a hot day, and the handle slips right out of your hand. Spend the extra ten bucks or borrow a good one from a buddy. It's just not worth the headache.