My $30 corner tool FINALLY bit me on a big commercial job

I was finishing a 40-unit apartment complex over by the river last Tuesday and thought my trusty cheap corner trowel would hold up. Nope, the blade snapped right off halfway through a long hallway and left a nasty gouge in the fresh compound. I had to stop, borrow a coworkers Level 5 tool, and redo that whole section. Has anyone got a favorite brand that actually lasts more than a few months?

3 comments

3 Comments

tessa_clark7423d ago

Marshalltown's gone downhill. Goldblatt's the way to go now.

olivia_harris1923d ago

Same thing happened to me with a Marshalltown that was maybe 6 months old. Snapped right at the rivet on a big ceiling patch and sent chunks flying everywhere. Spent the next hour digging dried mud out of my hair and picking it off the floor before my foreman saw. Picked up a Goldblatt after that and it's been through two full house flips without a single wobble. The handle feels better in your hand too, not as skinny and cheap feeling. Wish I learned that lesson on a smaller job instead of in front of everybody.

margaret_kelly5513d ago

Man, that story gave me flashbacks. Had a similar thing happen with a drywall T-square once. Thing decided to fold in half on me mid-cut and I almost took out my own kneecap. Now I'm paranoid every time I grab a tool that's seen a few jobs, especially anything with rivets. @tessa_clark74 might be onto something about Marshalltown slipping, but in my experience every brand has a bad batch now and then. Goldblatt's been solid for me too, but I swear by the old school wooden handle ones if you can find em at a garage sale. Just dont ask me how many times I've whacked my own hand with one of those, ha.