# Who makes the best trowel...... and who uses the best knife....



## Drywall_King

In Australia hyde dominates but i still order Richard knifes from home, what do you think??? Stainless or not..... or what ever works... Master Plasterer Dan


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## Drywall_King

Drywall_King said:


> In Australia hyde dominates but i still order Richard knifes from home, what do you think??? Stainless or not..... or what ever works... Master Plasterer Dan


Ohh shocking thing i forgot my Curry Towels are the best.... i have every size


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## Kiwiman

Marshalltown trowels and Sheetrock 6" broadie for me, although the Sheetrock knife is the only brand that has snapped at the handle on me.....but I still prefer to use them.


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## McDusty

Every single knife/trowel is different, even if manufactured by the same company. I don't look at certain brands when it comes to them, i just start grabbing some and looking at the curves and flex's of them. as long as the knife has a hammer end, and the flex/curve i want, then it's the best one for me. 

i have Richards, Kraft, Hyde, Curry and Marshalltown in my toolbox. 


kiwiman, how the hell do you snap knives? I've been taping for 10+ years and only ever snapped 1 knife. It was a 4" richard that was already a hand-me-down and seen many years of use.


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## Mudshark

*cheap knifes*

 I have snapped a few at the handles but those were the cheap ones that no manufacturer would put their name on.


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## boco

Mixed bag here. Trowels are ames. Knives are Advanced (blue steel), Marshalltown and hyde (stainless)


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## cazna

I quite like the plasterex black and red handled knifes, But i prob snapped 10 of em, Mostly the 6, But i dont use em so much now, I have the sheetrocks, Some richards, Plasterex, Marshalltown trowels. Ricks set from advance, I like the 6 from advance, I dont use big knifes much, Prefer the h&t.


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## machinemud

*for me...*

regular trowel: curry the best .always sharp , never rust

curved trowel: marsahlltown do perfect butt joint


taping knive : kraft tool , the best i ever tried


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## moore

[email protected] knifes ..I will order some kraft 5'' 6'' soon .They look like a lasting blade..


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## chris

McDusty;49054
kiwiman said:


> HOTMUD:yes:


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## Bazooka-Joe

*.*



machinemud said:


> regular trowel: curry the best .always sharp , never rust
> 
> curved trowel: marsahlltown do perfect butt joint
> 
> 
> taping knive : kraft tool , the best i ever tried



best I ever had also


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## moore

chris said:


> HOTMUD:yes:


Your right ..That will snap em ,,But when I get a 5 that works just right for me I will use it forever till it snaps ..Doesn't happen often ,,but like mcdusty said some blades are trash new..Iv'e bought 10s 12s that were no go from the start.. I'm just a dumb arse backwards hand finisher..
That uses scrapers ,but IMO Mintcraft are the emperial broad knife ..
They last , I would not use a marshall town broad knife if ya gave it to me.. too flimsy..Mintcraft is a good blade at a good price ..http://brands.hardwarestore.com/94-mintcraft.aspx


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## chris

Embee 6". . Hyde 8 thru 12.Black curved (offset) handel
'


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## 2buckcanuck

McDusty said:


> kiwiman, how the hell do you snap knives? I've been taping for 10+ years and only ever snapped 1 knife. It was a 4" richard that was already a hand-me-down and seen many years of use.


With the Richards at least, leave them in a bucket of water over night, and with in a month or 2, they are guaranteed to snap. water soaks into the handle, and begins to eat away at them. At least that's my theory . You can have a knife for years, and some clown will leave it in the bucket, then they snap, never fails.

I personally, never allow the handle to dip below the water line of a bucket


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## wnybassman

2buckcanuck said:


> I personally, never allow the handle to dip below the water line of a bucket


Same thing with the 6" Hydes. Also, never leave even the tiniest bit of mud right in that nook between the blade and the handle. Over time the extra moisture will deteriorate that area too.


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## gazman

I use Hyde knives, i will go through everyone on the shelf to pick out the one that I want. I also have a couple of the Advance off set knives:thumbsup:.
I use Tyzack trowels never in stainless. I dont like the feel of stainless I reckon that blue steel provides a much better feel and finish.


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## boco

I like the marshalltown stainless steel for my broad knives . There a bitch to break in but last a long time. I break them in by doing bead and patches after I file and sand the crap out of them. For me its really not so much the blade but the handle. The dura soft grip fits my hand just right. This prevents cramping and fatigue. I know my partner likes the advanced handles which are alot smaller


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## mudslingr

I've always been a fan of Marshalltown trowels. Sturdy, light and well balanced. Not too thick and not too thin.

As for knives I really don't care about brand as long as it has the profile and flexibility I want. Richards just happens to be available where I buy my knives.


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## E.K Taper

I live near a big DIY Warehouse and get my trowels and knives there, Marshalltown or Spear&Jackson for trowels/hawks and the knives are generally Hyde, Marshalltown, or Gyproc. Also used the Ames knives and Ragni trowels


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## gazman

How do you find the spear & Jackson? I think that they have bought out Tyzack.


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## Kiwiman

McDusty said:


> kiwiman, how the hell do you snap knives? I've been taping for 10+ years and only ever snapped 1 knife. It was a 4" richard that was already a hand-me-down and seen many years of use.


By scooping mud (A/P) out of the bucket....Must have been faulty.


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## 2buckcanuck

Kiwiman said:


> By scooping mud (A/P) out of the bucket....Must have been faulty.


Come on kiwiman, we know what you broke your knife on:yes:

But thanks for cleaning up behind Julie, DWT's new Mascot


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## getplastered

2buckcanuck said:


> Come on kiwiman, we know what you broke your knife on:yes:
> 
> But thanks for cleaning up behind Julie, DWT's new Mascot


That's funny...:yes:


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## E.K Taper

I like the Spear & Jackson hawk n trowels Gazman, definately worth a buy. Not too expensive either:thumbsup:


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## Kiwiman

2buckcanuck said:


> Come on kiwiman, we know what you broke your knife on:yes:
> 
> But thanks for cleaning up behind Julie, DWT's new Mascot


Insert clever retalatory comment here and make him appear a fool................. Nah, I can't think of anything so one point to you my hairy little friend .


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## cdwoodcox

I have used hyde and wallboard and mostly sheetrock now with the exception of 5'' knifes being mostly hyde. I think it all depends on the person. My brother has this 10'' knife that he loves I hate the damn thing it is too stiff and the metal band at the bottom of blade is too wide.


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## gotmud

2buckcanuck said:


> Come on kiwiman, we know what you broke your knife on:yes:
> 
> But thanks for cleaning up behind Julie, DWT's new Mascot


Welcome Julie! I'm glad we at least got a female mascot:notworthy:


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## 2buckcanuck

All stainless steel here

Marshall town trowels, green handle Richards knives (professional series ), and the advanced knives they sent me. I really like their 6" knife, and use the 8" for wiping flat's. 2bjr lost the 10", and made the 12" useless with the massive ding he put in it:furious:

I examine the blades very carefully when buying, especially the trowels . but the trowels can almost last you a life time so.......


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## moore

I'm with gaz..I like my blue steel..


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## gazman

2buckcanuck said:


> All stainless steel here
> 
> Marshall town trowels, green handle Richards knives (professional series ), and the advanced knives they sent me. I really like their 6" knife, and use the 8" for wiping flat's. 2bjr lost the 10", and made the 12" useless with the massive ding he put in it:furious:
> 
> I examine the blades very carefully when buying, especially the trowels . but the trowels can almost last you a life time so.......



2Buck Jnr may be gone but the scars remain.

I agree about a trowel lasting a lifetime. I still have my original Tyzack that I bought in 1981 when I first started. It is about 20mm narrower than my new one.


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## Drywall_King

machinemud said:


> regular trowel: curry the best .always sharp , never rust
> 
> curved trowel: marsahlltown do perfect butt joint
> 
> 
> taping knive : kraft tool , the best i ever tried


Im the same as you with the trowls, iv used a curry for awile iv never sharpen it and i compare my butt joints to anyones.. with curry a little trick is to put it in a bucket of water and soak it then spend a 30 mins to a hour with some coarse sand paper and rub off all the outer coating, its kinda like wax, season your knife and is good for life, I have every size including a 10' thats my cornice buttering favorite... Dan


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## Stopper

I use a Stainless Marshaltown 12" trowel and a 100mm/4" broadknife when hand finishing, trowels last for ages but knives can wear out quick.

I like a fairly stiff blade on a 100mm Broadknife but am currently trying a very flexible Hyde one, the extra flex is handy when machine finishing when you're dealing with the sloppier mud. 

The sheet rock knives are nice and stiff(good for hand finishing corners when wiping tape) and are nicely weighted back towards the handle and are heavy, the Hyde on is so light it feels like junk. 

I've snapped a few knives, but not back at the handle. Mine have snapped where my index finger presses on the blade.
That index finger has actaully grown much thicker than my other one from pressing on knives for years lol 

I wipe tape after banjoing with an 8inch taping knife and mud pan, but am getting one of those "direct pressure" knives by MarshalTown to try.


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## cazna

Whats a direct pressure knife???


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## gazman

You just beat me to it Caz. Do tell, and a link please:yes:.


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## cazna

gazman said:


> You just beat me to it Caz. Do tell, and a link please:yes:.


It must be these Gaz, How the hell would you use em though??

http://www.marshalltown.com/Products.aspx?D=300&S=329&C=C3161


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## gazman

They look awkward, But I guess looks can be decieving.


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## Stopper

cazna said:


> It must be these Gaz, How the hell would you use em though??
> 
> http://www.marshalltown.com/Products.aspx?D=300&S=329&C=C3161


Thats them, will let ya know what they're like, had to order those Bazooka blades, thought as long as I'm paying all the freight I might as well do some impulse buying...:thumbup:


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## Philma Crevices

I use these, great knives
http://www.all-wall.com/Categories/...ss-Steel/Durasoft-Stainless-Taping-Knife.html


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## Stopper

Philma Crevices said:


> I use these, great knives
> http://www.all-wall.com/Categories/...ss-Steel/Durasoft-Stainless-Taping-Knife.html



Looks like a nice knife alright..the only problem with Marshaltown knives is that the handle is way too long...can get jammed in tight spaces lol, Hyde knives have real short handles, probably the shortest you can get so they're good in that way


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## justadrywallguy

I used to always use the Marshalltowns with the big handles, but have since switched to Sheetrock, kind of pricey but hard to find a Marshalltown that is warped. The Sheetrock brand knives are strait as a arrow. Really like them. Oh and always blue steel never have liked stainless knives.


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## Philma Crevices

The Marshaltowns I got from allwall came straight as an arrow. I was sketchy on buying knives online, but they came packaged really well with all the other goodies I got. With the DWT discount, I think they were somewhere around $10 per.


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## gazman

I have had one of these for about 12 months an honest knife. So I just got another one. $23.00 but that is fairly normal here.


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## Mudshark

I picked the same 8 inch Wal-Board one up recently for 5 bucks - It's old school with the wooden handle but with the stiff blade makes a great knife for wiping tapes.


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## gazman

How much in Canada? I am feeling the pain already.


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## Mudshark

gazman said:


> How much in Canada? I am feeling the pain already.


Thought that would get your attention gazman. 

Not sure what they sell for, I have never seen one on a store shelf. This one I found in a pawn shop, brand new, never used for 5 bucks taxes included.


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## gazman

For 5 Bucks you could scrape the floor with it and still be in front:yes:.
Like I said an honest knife.


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## Bob

Drywall_King said:


> Ohh shocking thing i forgot my Curry Towels are the best.... i have every size



I'd like to about that, I've been in a store where they sell Curry trowels in 1/4" increments, of both length and width. Lou's Drywall accessories in Concord, ON, Canada. It's a wonderful place. My favourite is my 11 3/4 by 4 3/4, because my 12x5 is just too big.


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## gazman

Gday Bob, you will soon learn dont post anything on here without a link. :thumbsup: They look like a nice store.


http://lousdrywall.com/home/


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## 2buckcanuck

Bob said:


> I'd like to about that, I've been in a store where they sell Curry trowels in 1/4" increments, of both length and width. Lou's Drywall accessories in Concord, ON, Canada. It's a wonderful place. My favourite is my 11 3/4 by 4 3/4, because my 12x5 is just too big.


That's a good store

Looks like their only pushing one tool manufacturer right now :whistling2:

http://lousdrywall.com/sale/


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