Mini review: Marshalltown Permashape Trowel

[John Rumm]

If you ever wondered if it really can be worth spending the best part of

32 quid on a plastering trowel, I can now reveal the answer...

I skimmed an under stair ceiling (plus two rather tricky organic curvy bits on the under side of two quarter winders), another ceiling (over dodgy artex), and a couple of walls today. I managed to convince a friend it really would be good fun to come and knock up for me ;-) He brought with him a rather nice toy for me to play with:

recall being impressed upon seeing it before (having ordered it for him) but never having actually used it, could not say for certain if it was much better at the job than the bog standard Wickes one I had been using. Now I can, and it is *so* much better it made even my rough efforts at skimming look almost ok! Long enough to get a good flat surface. The shaped blade ensures no tell tale marks from the corners of the trowel (without having top spend weeks wearing the blade in). When doing large flat areas it makes polishing up very quick and easy. The stainless steel construction is also light to handle, slips over the plaster surface very easily, and is easy to clean after use. So all in all I liked it so much I have now kidnapped it for a couple of days ;-)

[Mark]

its says for professional use, I cant think of any professional that would use a banana shaped trowel for finish plastering, let alone paying over 30 squid for one that's supposedly worn in, when a 30sec rub with a brick achieves the same effect. YMMV P.S most pound shops also sell bent trowels for novices.

[John Rumm]

Most "pros" I have seen will usually lend a new trowel to a renderer for a fortnight to break it it. It is not just a case of getting the shape right (which with enough use, it will inevitibly acquire even if you don't want it to), but also the right amount of spring in the steel.

Perhaps you should buy yourself one?

Personally I think I will carry on with this one thanks. Having used one of wicks' finest trowels for long enough that it acquired the shape and beveled edges of the mashaltown one, it still does not achieve anything like the same results or ease of use. It is also smaller and much heavier, and not being stainless does not leave such a good finish, clean up as well, and rusts when left unused for any period of time.

[BigWallop]

Ee Lad. You can shave with the edge of that float trowel. :-)

[Andrew Gabriel]

In which direction is the blade curved? Is it like a section cut from a cylinder with axis parallel to the handle (which would be fine as the edges are still straight), or is it like a section cut from a sphere (which sounds like a disaster as the edges will be curved)?

[John Rumm]

Yes mostly this, the ridgid ali backplace keeps it striaght along most of the length of the blade. There is then a little curvature up at the corners which keeps the points from marking the surface... it is quite subtle though. The edges also come pre ground.

It is basically the same shape any trowel will be after a couple of weeks of use.

[Mark]

John Rumm wrote in

? Well since plasterers normally do both jobs I assume this is something else you heard on usenet.

To achieve a decent polish on plaster you need a flat straight trowel with just the right amount of springiness, a bent piece of stainless steel is a poor substitute whatever the cost, BTW that type of trowel was designed for dry lining techniques not finish plastering.

Thanks but Ive got a couple I use for rendering, laying adhesive, bitumen, or anything else a disposable tool needs to be used or were a rough finish is acceptable.

That's fine if you are happy with the results and not prepared to invest time acquiring the necessary skill to achieve a professional looking finish.

[John Rumm]

IME, some are, some aren't. I spoke to one who was "just" a plasterer - and would not bother with even internal rendering jobs. I also know a couple who as you say do both. A few strategic questions did manage to elicit some info from them. They always use SS trowels for finish work (which to be honest I ignored to start with!), and they do tend to break them in for a bit on rendering jobs first.

Perhaps you should look more closely at one - "bent" is not a word that reflects the construction. It is mostly straight along the long axis with a slight flair toward the corners. My so called "straight" trowel has acquired the same profile after enough use anyway.

If you look at the mashaltown catalogue you will see they actually have a distinct range of tools for dry lining work.

Happy with the results?, yes I suppose they are "good enough" - I have certainly seen better work turned out by "pros", but I have also seen worse. I have no desire to make a career out of plastering though!

[madmax]

Isn't internal rendering the definition of plastering?

If you have all thoes plastering friends and you are merely "good enough" why not get them to plaster for you. My problem is I dont have any so had to learn 4 myself.

[John Rumm]

Would you prefer, "would not work with sand/cement - only gypsum"...

Alas, not plastering "friends", but plasterers asked for quotes etc. (one was a friend of a friend, but not sure if that counts!)

When it came to technique, so did I... the few tips I got on tools etc helped though, hence why I was passing them on.

[Mark]

John Rumm wrote in

Appears I owe you or your trowel an erratum

I went into my tool merchant last week and he had your mega-buck trowel on display. But these ones weren't bent like a bow along the complete length, only at the edge tips. Looks like the ones I first saw in B&Q must have been dry lining trowels either incorrectly displayed or delivered by Marshalltown. I still don't like them though :)

[John Rumm]

Alas not mine, I have finshed the plastering and had to give it back ;-(

Yup, that is what I was trying to describe!

Fairy snuff! ;-)

Not being a real plasterer, I found it much eaiser to get absolutely line free results when polishing up. Something I could not seem to manage all the time with my own trowel even though it had acquired much the same shape with use. Perhaps a bit more rubbing on a brick will help ;-)