Trowels/Floats

Members online

No members online now.
Status
Not open for further replies.

mudslinger

New Member
Hi, whats the best way to wear in my trowel edges etc ? Used to rub it down a smooth concrete block, any ideas , tips?

cheers

Highlander
 
hi, aye , used to breaking them with scratch coat texturing,its for sand and cement so i guess it's ok. I noticed before people asked one trowel or two, i always thougt people had seperate setting(skim ?) trowels/tools compared to there floating trowels, that right?

cheers for reply

Highlander
 
I have my marshalltown 13 which I guard with my life as its my skimming trowel.

I have a 16 which I wearing in at the min which will be my troweling up trowel

I will then buy a 14 to start wearing in...lol

Danny
 
I have a couple of builder mates they use finishing trowels when roughcasting, is that the norm in the uk ? I always used the biggest marshaltown you could get for floating as most i knew did and told me too.
Is that just builders or do Plasterers in the uk use them also? I admit finishing trowels are nice for rendering around those end elevation plastic air vent things!!!

Sorry i find it different to abroad and replys are appreciated :)

Cheers

Highlander
 
An oil stone or a diamond stone will speed up the breking in process of any trowel but nothing beats using it to break it in. S&C, floor screed or even the last trowel up when your skimming is ideal.

When your floating part of the process is compacting the plaster to the wall so in this case IMHO small is better, come to that I always give my skimming the final trowel with an 11" after setting and flattening with a 14". Being an old timer all the guys I worked with only used 11", myself included and I've had, tennosinavitus (spelling?), tennis elbow and a cold shoulder. So you can guess that I'm not a big lover of the bigger trowels that seem to be the norm now.
 
Hi, A new trowel has edges which resemble say a brick (only smaller) that is they tend to be slightly rough. High quality trowels tend to be a little smoother to start with.
A "broken in" trowel has its corners and egdes rounded (albeit only slight) and therefore tends not to leave ripples and scratches when applying pressure (trowelling up). Mark
 
a 'worn in' trowel will be a pleasure to use, leave no lines etc, will probably have an edge like a knife, rounded corners and be slightly dished
A new trowel will be flat, square cornered, leave lines all over your wall and be a complete bitch to use compared to an older trowel
sharpen it up, take the corners off it and you could even place it flatdown on the floor and lift it so only one corner is in contact, then press down hard a few times (not enough to kink it) and repeat for all four corners, this will dish it up a bit...only slightly mind..then it'll be easier to use but itll still need plenty of use to get used to the way you use it...
these 'pre worn in' trowels u buy are only dished up, still got a square edge and square corners...
 
a 'worn in' trowel will be a pleasure to use, leave no lines etc, will probably have an edge like a knife, rounded corners and be slightly dished
A new trowel will be flat, square cornered, leave lines all over your wall and be a complete bitch to use compared to an older trowel
sharpen it up, take the corners off it and you could even place it flatdown on the floor and lift it so only one corner is in contact, then press down hard a few times (not enough to kink it) and repeat for all four corners, this will dish it up a bit...only slightly mind..then it'll be easier to use but itll still need plenty of use to get used to the way you use it...
these 'pre worn in' trowels u buy are only dished up, still got a square edge and square corners...

I do my own with a powerfile or my bench grinder. (Sander)
I have a small workshop in my basement for my hobbies on metalwork. And as long as you dont grind the corners too hard and heat them up, (You will lose the temper in the steel) it works fine:) If the steel turns blue, you have let it get too hot!

And i always use carbon steel trowels, as they last longer and stay sharper. The stainless ones are easier to clean though! But softer steel.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top