In my area the most common trowel Bricklayers use is a Marshalltown. It's an awesome trowel, but is it the best?
Well there are a few more worthy blades we can throw into the mix.
If you are a seasoned pro, no doubt you will already have your trowel of choice. But if you are an newbie apprentice, needing to select your first trowel, this is for you.
Scroll down to the bottom of this article to the Poll and leave your thoughts on the top bricklayers trowel.
The pattern and size of your trowel should be based on the type of masonry work you are doing. An earlier article deals with What Type and Size of Brick Trowel you will Need.
It's likely you don't have endless options down at your local hardware, so think about buying online. Not all trowels are created equal. The last thing you want is a dud for your first one.
The fairest way to do this is to get a bunch of brickies to individually score a trowels; balance, durability, comfort, flexibility and value. Combining these scores should separate the golden trowels from the cheap or overpriced junk. The purpose of this review is to provide an informative and unbiased guide.
I personally have two trowels that I like to use, one for bricks and one for blocks, but I will keep My Opinion out of it. If you disagree with the top brick trowel as chosen by these bricklayers, check the poll at the bottom of the page.
Balance: A well balanced trowel to a degree is a matter of preference. Most brickies however will favor a trowel that has it's balancing point on the blade as close to the shaft as possible. This means it won't be front heavy. If a trowel achieves this balance simply by increasing the weight of the handle though, the overall weight of the trowel can make it tiresome to use.
Durability: Generally the quality of the steel and the forging process have the biggest impact on its durability. A good way to test this is by hitting it against something hard. The longer the ring, the better steel.
All trowels will wear, but the slower it happens, the longer a trowel will be at it's optimum size. When cutting bricks, two piece welded trowels have an extra weak point. Handles too can become loose over time.
Comfort: Thickness and length of the handle can effect comfort. The angle of the handle, known as it's "set," can also play a big part in making a trowel more comfortable. Badly designed finger guards can be irritating.
The pattern and size of your trowel should be based on the type of masonry work you are doing. An earlier article deals with What Type and Size of Brick Trowel you will Need.
The Best Brick Trowels - Overview
What brand should you go for?
It's likely you don't have endless options down at your local hardware, so think about buying online. Not all trowels are created equal. The last thing you want is a dud for your first one.
The fairest way to do this is to get a bunch of brickies to individually score a trowels; balance, durability, comfort, flexibility and value. Combining these scores should separate the golden trowels from the cheap or overpriced junk. The purpose of this review is to provide an informative and unbiased guide.
I personally have two trowels that I like to use, one for bricks and one for blocks, but I will keep My Opinion out of it. If you disagree with the top brick trowel as chosen by these bricklayers, check the poll at the bottom of the page.
Balance: A well balanced trowel to a degree is a matter of preference. Most brickies however will favor a trowel that has it's balancing point on the blade as close to the shaft as possible. This means it won't be front heavy. If a trowel achieves this balance simply by increasing the weight of the handle though, the overall weight of the trowel can make it tiresome to use.
Durability: Generally the quality of the steel and the forging process have the biggest impact on its durability. A good way to test this is by hitting it against something hard. The longer the ring, the better steel.
All trowels will wear, but the slower it happens, the longer a trowel will be at it's optimum size. When cutting bricks, two piece welded trowels have an extra weak point. Handles too can become loose over time.
Comfort: Thickness and length of the handle can effect comfort. The angle of the handle, known as it's "set," can also play a big part in making a trowel more comfortable. Badly designed finger guards can be irritating.
Flexibility: A trowel with good flexibility will have better feeling, especially with laying blocks. It also eases strain on the wrist as mortar is spread or bricks are cut.
Value for Money: This category should really be irrelevant, but if you are on a budget. I have given each trowel below a score in this category based on how it did in the first four categories compared to its price.
Value for Money: This category should really be irrelevant, but if you are on a budget. I have given each trowel below a score in this category based on how it did in the first four categories compared to its price.
The Results
#1
Trowel: Marshalltown
Balance: 9
Durability: 9
Comfort: 8
Flexibility: 10
Value: 7
Overall Score: 86%
#2
Trowel: W.Rose
Balance: 9
Durability: 10
Comfort: 8
Flexibility: 8
Value: 7
Overall Score: 84%
#3
Trowel: Ox
Balance: 8
Durability: 6
Comfort: 8
Flexibility: 8
Value: 9
Overall Score: 78%
#5
Trowel: Faithful
Balance: 8
Durability: 5
Comfort: 7
Flexibility: 7
Value: 8
Overall Score: 70%
#6
Trowel: WHS
Balance: 6
Durability: 7
Comfort: 7
Flexibility: 7
Value: 7
Overall Score: 68%
#7
Trowel: Bon
Balance: 7
Durability: 8
Comfort: 6
Flexibility: 6
Value: 6
Overall Score: 66%
#8
Trowel: CK Tools
Balance: 4
Durability: 5
Comfort: 3
Flexibility: 6
Value: 7
Overall Score: 50%
#9
Trowel: Goldblatt
Balance: 4
Durability: 4
Comfort: 3
Flexibility: 6
Value: 7
Overall Score: 48%
