More quality tools from our hard working friends in Pakistan!

[Jim Stewart]

Children NOT doing labor is a recent western developement and one I don't think we are better off for having. Who's in worse shape? The Paki kids, or the next generation of fat, lazy, gender studies grads we are churning out?

?????????????

Shaking my head. I can't think of a civil response to this strange comment.

-js

[wierdscience]

Who know's --- if we really knew what the scoop was the kid could be very fortunate and actually be in a safe haven working there...

Not saying its "a great thing"...

Children NOT doing labor is a recent western developement and one I don't think we are better off for having. Who's in worse shape? The Paki kids, or the next generation of fat, lazy, gender studies grads we are churning out?

[vectorwarbirds]

I could not find any reference that suggests using a trowel to split bricks. Trowels can be very expensive and good ones are specially made to have proper flex and balance. Here is a fairly complete discussion of masonry tools and techniques:

https://work.chron.com/bricklayer-tools-13328.html

And a warning to stop using the trowel to cut bricks:

https://www.concreteconstruction.net...e-777cb4400000

However, the following does mention the use of the trowel to cut bricks, although it may be controversial:

https://ibrick.info/how-to-choose-a-brick-trowel/

This shows how to cut a brick with a trowel, but it is a cored brick, not a solid brick, so it would be much easier.

I worked for an old Italian masonry company and never once saw a mason cut a brick with his trowel. They had chisels and a small cutter hammer for that job.

[A.K. Boomer]

Well over in these parts ---- the layers just weld a plate onto the cheap wrench,,, the plate is of course your trowel,,, like you say brick in one hand - trowel in the other but the difference is when you need to crack a brick you just use the shorter L side of the cheap tool,

You purposely seek out the non-hardened wrenches not only because they are easier to weld the trowel without cracking, but because you do not want to crack a brick with a hardened tool,,, its really hard on the hand joints and years of doing it will give problems... you don't want a piece of lead either - you want something like the tool in the vid... just plain soft steel...

[Richard P Wilson]

Read as many references as you like ,Paul, but professional bricklayers (at least here in the UK) use the trowel to cut bricks. Brick in one hand, trowel in the other, couple of smart whacks - job done. no messing with the brick saw, or putting down trowel and brick to pick up lump hammer and bolster (brick chisel) to do it that way.
JT is quite right, they use the edge where the blade is widest, not the point end.

[nickel-city-fab]

As far as I'm concerned, an unhardened wrench is not fit for purpose. Doesn't matter if its in commercial use, home shop use, or no use at all except in an emergency. It is still unfit for purpose. Unhardened tool can be made into good drift pins, though.

[old mart]

I had a little laugh when I read the comments , especially the one about the lack of a brand name. I don't think I would be able to twist one, even if they are just mild steel.
That chain on the swaging machine would look good on a bicycle.

[J Tiers]

Sorry, professional bricklayers cut bricks with the edge of the trowel, so it does need to to strong. A couple of well directed hits and the brick is in 2. Far faster than going over to the brick saw, and no dust.

When I have seen it done, they have done it with the "back edge" of the trowel, not up at the point. Worked fine for them.

[PStechPaul]

I could not find any reference that suggests using a trowel to split bricks. Trowels can be very expensive and good ones are specially made to have proper flex and balance. Here is a fairly complete discussion of masonry tools and techniques:

https://work.chron.com/bricklayer-tools-13328.html

And a warning to stop using the trowel to cut bricks:

https://www.concreteconstruction.net...e-777cb4400000

However, the following does mention the use of the trowel to cut bricks, although it may be controversial:

https://ibrick.info/how-to-choose-a-brick-trowel/

This shows how to cut a brick with a trowel, but it is a cored brick, not a solid brick, so it would be much easier.

[A.K. Boomer]

Kretz is right there's all kinds of different ways of doing things and it's all ok,,,

over here or at least in my town we just use the trowel as a trowel and buy a cheap ass wrench like in the video to break the bricks with...

[Fasttrack]

Sorry, professional bricklayers cut bricks with the edge of the trowel, so it does need to to strong. A couple of well directed hits and the brick is in 2. Far faster than going over to the brick saw, and no dust.

This thread has reached critical mass and I'm being sucked in!

After skimming 3 pages of ridiculousness, it seems the disagreement comes down to the intended use of the tools. In your example, a professional brick layer absolutely needs a strong trowel and will use it to break bricks. That's the right way to do it if you're a pro - it's far more efficient than cutting bricks with a saw or even pulling out a chisel. You get into a rhythm and can be extremely effective with no "tool changes", meaning you're a more cost effective craftsman. But for a DIYer who has all the time in the world, so to speak, labor efficiency doesn't matter so much.

Same thing with these wrenches. They aren't the right tool for a professional mechanic or for use in an industrial environment - but that should have been obvious. For a one time use to break a lug nut free or crank up a scissor jack to replace a tire on the side of the road... well it's probably fine. And if it isn't... well most people call a tow truck these days anyway. Guys and gals like us who believe it's important to know how to change one's own tires probably have their own cheater bar in the vehicle anyway.

I still find it interesting to see how things are being made - we should all think of videos like this when we are perusing the Harbor Freight ad with $9.99 socket sets or whatever. In those cases, this is the kind of quality you're getting and the kind of labor you're supporting.

[eKretz]

Sorry, professional bricklayers cut bricks with the edge of the trowel, so it does need to to strong. A couple of well directed hits and the brick is in 2. Far faster than going over to the brick saw, and no dust.

The same hits work from a brick chisel. Which is intended to split bricks... But again, you use your tools the way you'd like. I have no problem with that. You begin to understand where the arguments and debate come from, eh? The people who have a problem with difference of opinion and leave no room for compromise.

[Richard P Wilson]

This debate or arguing happens all the time with every subject under the sun, nothing new. There are plenty of people who can't accept an opinion contrary to their own, they're in no short supply. I don't have a problem with guys admiring a little hard work, I was just saying these tools are not high quality items. But I digress. And yeah, not admiring the child labor which is probably poisoning the poor children.

And no Richard, I'm not a bricklayer. But I have done some brick laying. I don't beat on my trowel trying to break bricks in half like a savage, so no, the trowel really does not need to be very strong. It is lifting, applying and smoothing mortar, as it was intended to do. Which does not require a lot of strength, as I already noted.

Sorry, professional bricklayers cut bricks with the edge of the trowel, so it does need to to strong. A couple of well directed hits and the brick is in 2. Far faster than going over to the brick saw, and no dust.

[eKretz]

This debate or arguing happens all the time with every subject under the sun, nothing new. There are plenty of people who can't accept an opinion contrary to their own, they're in no short supply. I don't have a problem with guys admiring a little hard work, I was just saying these tools are not high quality items. But I digress. And yeah, not admiring the child labor which is probably poisoning the poor children.

And no Richard, I'm not a bricklayer. But I have done some brick laying. I don't beat on my trowel trying to break bricks in half like a savage, so no, the trowel really does not need to be very strong. It is lifting, applying and smoothing mortar, as it was intended to do. Which does not require a lot of strength, as I already noted.

[A.K. Boomer]

Who know's --- if we really knew what the scoop was the kid could be very fortunate and actually be in a safe haven working there...

Not saying its "a great thing"...