I may be wrong as I’m sure someone will point out, I’m sure the person holding the trowel is what makes it a good trowel, be it carbon,stainless,super flex,or mediflex, if you have no idea what your doing or how to do it they all will be terrible, I like a nice worn in Marshall town stainless for skimming, but have found the Nela super flex excellent as well, we all have our own preference