Has anyone seen or used the new design 'notched' trowels, like the one in the pic, but i have seen some other designs too, like the ones at YTA (are they still a sponsor)

That's different, surely with the different size teeth your gonna get less coverage or at least different thickness's of addy on the back of the tile. Is it an 8mm with bigger 10mm inserts, in which case your using more addy than needed, if 8mm is needed ( profits ) or is it a 10mm with smaller 8mm inserts in which case the coverage may be a problem. No doubt their homework has been done, it will be interesting either way.

another type here, i'v not used one myself, but i'm sure one of the guys on here will have?

Really want to know now, anyone

i have got a brand new set of these trowels...never used them...very heavy.I won them at KBB.PLATINUM TOOLS make them.

you need to use them brian, and let us know the results

Originally Posted by brian c

i have got a brand new set of these trowels...never used them...very heavy.I won them at KBB.PLATINUM TOOLS make them.

'won them' is that another term for nicked them?

no,seriously i won them,i was with Devonmark and Grumpygouter ask them,also won two cutters and some other tools...

Originally Posted by brian c

no,seriously i won them,i was with Devonmark and Grumpygouter ask them,also won two cutters and some other tools...

He sure did.....lucky bar steward!

I think you will find that the notch design is designed to give full coverage in all situations, and tries to eliminate the need to back butter tiles.

Karl Dahm do similar things with something called a "Euro Notch" trowel.

the sizes are confusing though.Suppose you would get used to them.

I have heard that it is hard to get a good coverage with the platinum trowels and it is hard to get a consistent even bed of adhesive.

I think the euro trowel would be better or wots wrong with a standard solid bed trowel..?..

Originally Posted by Dave

I have heard that it is hard to get a good coverage with the platinum trowels and it is hard to get a consistent even bed of adhesive.

I think the euro trowel would be better or wots wrong with a standard solid bed trowel..?..

That's the way I was thinking, it would nice for someone to give it a go on a test bed and let us know what the coverage is like, volunteers take one step forward

Originally Posted by Dave

wots wrong with a standard solid bed trowel..?..

Because they don't make pretty patterns in the addy like these ones would do...duh

Originally Posted by Colour Republic

Because they don't make pretty patterns in the addy like these ones would do...duh

OH!!! Right off to craft shop for fancy pattern maker....then i will grind a pattern into a steel float.....stuff paying a fortune for platinum trowels that don't work..

I saw these a while back, on ebay i think, I cant remember who made them, the design was something to do with the way that the notches collapse when the tile is pressed into them, the funky shapes are supposed to maximise the collapsing movement or something, I remeber thinking at the time that it was a solution to a problem that didnt neccessarily exist.

Oli ,i think you are spot on with that assumption m8.They are heavy trowels btw...and i had a grout float bthe same..that worked ok for a while until the orange rubber came away from the handle...that was heavy too but was really good for floors.I am sure i put a post up about it.

ive got them v good piece of kit if the floor is well out then its no good but for decent flatness floors great gives ery good coverage and good for flipping marley tiles up small notch one for kitchen splashbacks big notched one for floor tiles not much bigger then 300 sq

not cheap though

i got one to trial when they first came out in the uk

Originally Posted by burncross

another type here, i'v not used one myself, but i'm sure one of the guys on here will have?

I have one. Awesome coverage. Can recommend it. Especially good for PTB.

Originally Posted by grumpygrouter

I think you will find that the notch design is designed to give full coverage in all situations, and tries to eliminate the need to back butter tiles.

Karl Dahm do similar things with something called a "Euro Notch" trowel.

The one in the picture is the "Euro notch" trowel (also called 1Y). It's made by Schneegans GmbH. The Karl Dahm version is slightly different, and is called Flowline.

One of my buddies tried the first trowel that Burncross posted ( I think it's called "The Platinum"). He didn't like it at all and went back to the Marshalltown brand that we use.

The other one (from Karl Dahm), I got to use that at a training center, and found it to be an interesting change from what I was used to. It is a stout trowel, and I would definately buy some if there was a local supplier where I could look at them in person before buying. So far, I've just seen them available online.

Originally Posted by Oli

I saw these a while back, on ebay i think, I cant remember who made them, the design was something to do with the way that the notches collapse when the tile is pressed into them, the funky shapes are supposed to maximise the collapsing movement or something, I remeber thinking at the time that it was a solution to a problem that didnt neccessarily exist.

Oli, that is the description that I heard...one sales rep said that the design of the trowel ensures that the thinset will "close like a zipper" when the tile is set in it. He swore it would eliminate all coverage problems and make sure that all installers could get tiles set properly.



I still say you have to know how to use the damn thing and how to get the substrate right, and I think a good tile setter with a crappy trowel is going to do better than a novice setter with a $50 trowel.

ive been using platinum trowels for nearly a year now i think.
they say what size tiles they are foor and work very well so long as the substrate is nearly dead flat! i always use them on flat surfaces like timber floors etc. well worth the money
and yes they give me near enough 100% coverage dead easily, never had to back butter

I have all 3 sizes of the platinum and find as said that if the walls or floors arn't flat it dos'nt cover that well. What I do is use the flat side and bring the adhesive up and trowel smooth then use the serrated edge, I find that works well for me and find pushing tiles into the ridges very easy. Still have Rubi, karl dahm and benson trowels, it's just whats right and works for that paticular tile and surface.

Have a similar one from Karl Dahm, gives a lovely bed ( but uses more addy )

yea great to try out new tools new makes etc but you trust what you know till you find something better which dos't happen very often
rubi every time for me