Knives

 

knives also

 

Why knives?

 

I use sand paper to finish.

Knives of course. The only time I use a trowel is for a textured trowel finish.

 

I use sand paper to finish.

Knives of course. The only time I use a trowel is for a textured trowel finish.

Ditto.

 

Why are knives better than trowels?

 

Why are knives better than trowels?

Because when I use a trowel and when I use multiple sized knives the knives give me faster, better, and more consistent results.

If you know something I don't please spill it. If you are just asking then I recommend using each and seeing what works best for you.

 

I have hardly any experience but recently I did a 50x20 room and I used a 12 inch trowel on the finish coat. I thought that is seemed to fill the voids and feather my joints out better.

I am a really big amatuer when it comes to mudding. The only reason I used a trowel in the fist place was because I though that was what all you pros used.

 

Use what works for you. I use both. sometimes knives & sometimes I'll use trowel 14".

 

To finish:

6" knife for finishing corners and angles.

12" pan knife for bead

12" flat trowel for flats and butts (my butts are 24" wide finished)

 

12" flat trowel for flats and butts (my butts are 24" wide finished)

There's a funny here, but I won't say anything this time.

 

If your not using your 36" knock down knife for finishing, your all a bunch of sissies!!! This thing is friggin great for those hard to hide butt joints LMAO!! Just kinda hard to load that baby up with mud to spread is all...oh and it gets kinda heavy when it's full of mud too. For the record I did'nt know they made anything smaller than a 12" knife :whistling

 

GOOD TO SEE SOME POSTS :thumbsup: !! When I started I used just knives. Had a knack for it right away (self taught). Then, many years ago, worked with a guy who had 20 yrs experience and all he used was trowels (and was very fast). So of course I tried trowels. Got the knack for that too (and man you can apply alot of mud fast). But found there was a lot more sanding (tends to be a heavier coat). Since then I now work with a guy who also has years of experience and has only used knives. From his teaching and just watching him I have mastered the knife (when before I was good, now I am great at it). I can't believe how minimal the sanding is and you can look down a wall that I've taped that has been painted (with a light) and you can't see a thing. Well maybe some flashing where the joints are. My vote is for the proper use of knives!!!

 

I'm Just an Electrican that makes holes.

"You guys" and plumbers are how/why I became the master at lighting fast patching:furious:

:jester: :laughing:

Never tried a trowel, I keep having flash backs of everytime I do tile and glops of thinset slinkey down the wall of plop on my foot, shirt, pants, face, etc...aint no way i'm try'n da trowel since it took this long to get my knife degree

 

You answered my statement, how about answering my question? Or is that a Trade secret?:innocent:

Apply mud to joint, apply tape, take your knife and go across joint to remove excess mud.

 

You answered my statement, how about answering my question? Or is that a Trade secret?:innocent:

Yeah, it's really hard to explain a whole procedure. This one is easier shown than told. IHI has it right, just remember, wax on, wax off.

 

I was trained with knives and trained to tape and finish by hand. I then learned to use automatic tools by myself. Then an old plaster drywall guy taught me to use the hawk and trowel. It is faster and flatter. I use a 6" knife constantly for many things but if I am spreading mud without my fancy auto tools then it is hawk and trowel. Faster and flatter everytime.

 

i have used a hawk and trowels for 10 years.I use a 12" curved trowel for the first coat and a 16" flat trowel for the last coat,so i would have to say i'm a hawk and trowel man

 

knives:furious:

 

It's all good

:thumbsup: I have been doing the tapping by hand for over 15 years.I have used trowles and the six inch knife in new york, then i moved to georgia and use only knifes..they are both just as quick.(depends on the operator)never used fancy tools. I do it by hand.

 

Trowel or knife

I've been taping for 15 years, used a pan and knives for the first year then moved up to a hawk. I would never go back to a pan. I also found the commercial hawks are way too small, I made my own out of an old street sign (cut down to a 15" square) and added a wood handle. Works great and you can really load on the mud. It makes it easy when using your 8”, 10”, 12”, and even a 16” knife.

 

Trained with knives and Hawks in the early 80's
After many years, I don't do much taping now, but I def. can still do it...
One of those things you NEVER lose.

My thoughts:
Seen Trowels used adeptly.
Was on a job a few years back skim-coating 30" flats with a 12" knife (2 non-factory seams) - completely smooth, managed to convert some to 'the knife'.

I've always figured, it's what you were trained on.

Tho, I am sold on knives.

To me: Trowels are for plastering, knives are for taping...

Don't shoot me for that. I am entitled to my own humble opinion.

 

To finish:

6" knife for finishing corners and angles.

12" pan knife for bead

12" flat trowel for flats and butts (my butts are 24" wide finished)

In my opinion, having watched pros and my husband (not a pro taper) I'd think that the smaller knives would be easier to control for someone who doesn't know what the hell they are doing.

My husband did some taping here and umm needless to say, the PROS are coming in today to do the job right. :whistling

He is of the "bigger is better" mindset. Doesn't use a hawk but was using at LEAST a 14" trowel. I have plops of compound all over my floors, dressers, electronics AND it doesn't even look that good. :no: I was going to attempt a small room, with regular old tape (he got the fancy expensive stuff

) but he got the guys in here before I could do it. I was just going to use a 6" knife. More control for my little hands.

By the end of the today it won't matter, the pros we use have the big trowels and hawks and they actually know how to use them. :clap:

 

I've been experiementing with various techniques with both knives and trowels. I've found a system that works pretty slick for me, an prolly no one else...

4" knife for embedding tape, both flats and corners/bead.

6" knife for first coat (corners, bead and tapered seams).

12" trowel thereafter... for everything (yes, it can be done!)

I've come to appreciate the trowels. I have a larger 20" masonry trowel I use to float out pillars or large seams.

steve

 

pan and knifes, hawks and trowels just depends on what im doing .

oh and yes the 20 inch trowel is a neccesity.