Masonry Magazine March 2004 Page. 54
BRICKLAYERS' Tools
The More Things
Change,
the More They
Stay the
Same
By Jennie Farnsworth
Despite accelerated changes in technology that have revolutionized almost every industry known, masonry has changed very little over time. Of course, builders a hundred years ago didn't use hydraulic mixers, and the crews working on the Egyptian pyramids would have killed for a telehandler, but the elements of masonry have remained relatively the same.
Although hand tools today are much like those of decades before, the years have brought minute changes to each of the traditional devices to make them more efficient for the person welding the tool, as well as more profitable for the contractor who employs them.
Here are just a few of the tool tweaks that we've found around the industry.
More Comfortable Performance
W. ROSE HAS BEEN in business since 1798, manufacturing trowels and other masonry tools since 1864. This long-standing company, now a subsidiary of the Kraft Tool Company, understands the slow changing process that these tools reflect, but says that, even though they've been around for hundreds of years, they're far from being passed over.
"I really don't see anything taking the place of a trowel," says Kraft Tool's Sales and Marketing Manager, Steve Cook. "There have been reviews on how to automate masonry projects, but nothing has really worked well like a trowel because of all of the peculiarities that you find on-site."
Over the years, W. Rose has made several changes to their trowels to make them better tools, from forging their trowels out of one piece of steel to creating a flexible blade that returns to a flat position every time.
"There's a lot of different kinds of trowels and I think sometimes people, even in our business, are not always aware of all of the different trowels out there," says Cook.
One such feature that W. Rose has recently introduced to their line is the ProForm grip handle, available on their Narrow London, Wide London and Philadelphia trowel patterns.
"The ProForm process is done with a hard material on the inside and then a soft material on the outside," Cook explains. "I would say it's more comfortable, and masons are able to grip it better."