New Plastering Trowel

[carryoncamping]

I have a new Marshall Town Plastering Trowel 11"x4.5" I find the corners tend to rip the plaster skim, a problem I didn't have when I borrowed a professional's tools. So I presume it's the new trowel that needs filing down or edges rounding off.

What do the pros do to 'wear-in' their new trowels?

 

[joe-90]

Marshalltown are supposed to be worn-in, but most plasterers I know don't rate them.

Personally I like the Italian ones I can't remember the name of.

 

[carryoncamping]

Marshalltown are supposed to be worn-in, but most plasterers I know don't rate them.

Personally I like the Italian ones I can't remember the name of.

Is it Ragni ? Just found this on the web:
http://www.goldtrowel.org/plastering-tips.htm

 

[joe-90]

Yes. You can get a very nice stainless steel Ragni for £17 from B&Q. A lot of pros rate them highly.

 

[iaith]

just seen the gold trowel link, for the correct way to wear in a trowel. I just rubbed mine on a breeze block wall. it done the trick.

 

[brist]

If the corners are dragging file a small radius on them.

 

[FredFlintstone]

I love my Marshalltown trowels but then I haven't actually used any others with the exception of some cheapo ones which I use for scraping back.

Some people just use their new finishing trowels for sand and cement for a while which starts to break it in nicely. Also, as others have mentioned, round the corners off with a file or sharpening stone. The trowel I use most often did this naturally and when I used the other one I really noticed the sharp edges. I was gutted because until then I thought I'd just developed a technique of not digging my trowel in!

As Joe says, the Ragni ones are well rated. I beieve some like Tyzack ones too. Both are also considerably cheaper than Marshalltown trowels.

Incidentally, for use as a finishing trowel you may be better off with a 13" or 14" trowel.

Regards

Fred.

 

[roughcaster]

I have never owned a Marshalltown trowel Fred,but I have used one.I swear by my Tyzack stainless steel pattern 216 which I have had for many years,and is only used for plastering.I have another trowel which I use for cement render and roughcasting.I think that Marshalltown products ,although they are ok,are overpriced by far, and it is the name you are paying for.

 

[onion]

I have never owned a Marshalltown trowel Fred,but I have used one.I swear by my Tyzack stainless steel pattern 216 which I have had for many years,and is only used for plastering.I have another trowel which I use for cement render and roughcasting.I think that Marshalltown products ,although they are ok,are overpriced by far, and it is the name you are paying for.

all my trowels are marshalltown never let me down.
had a tyzack once i thought the metal was to bendie used it as a scraper
i think its each to your own.

my first trowel was a ragni good trowel but to small in length