Old guy at the supply yard told me my trowel was too light.

Happened on a Tuesday morning. I'm grabbing mortar mix and this retired mason in line behind me just points at my trowel. Says I'm fighting the brick instead of letting it lay. Made me switch to a 10 inch Marshalltown. Been night and day since. Anyone else run into random advice that actually stuck?

2 comments

2 Comments

brookefox2mo ago

Respectfully, I'm gonna push back on that. I've been laying brick for years and a lighter trowel works fine for me, it's all about what feels right in your hand. That old guy probably learned on heavy tools back when everyone used them, but that doesn't mean his way is the only way. I tried a 10 inch Marshalltown once and felt like I was swinging a shovel, threw my whole rhythm off. You might be getting better results now because you changed your grip or stance without realizing it, not just because the trowel is heavier. Don't you think it's more about your technique than the tool itself?

claire9581mo ago

@brookefox you're totally right about that grip thing. I swapped to a lighter trowel a few years back and thought it was the tool that fixed everything, but really I think my whole arm angle changed without me noticing. A buddy of mine pointed out I was holding it looser and letting the tool do the work instead of forcing it. The heavy ones definitely feel like you're fighting the thing instead of working with it. That whole "old timers know best" thing gets pushed way too hard in trades, sometimes it's just about what clicks with your own style. Technique over tool every time, that part you said is spot on.