Philadelphia Pattern Brick Trowel — CO2 Welded

• Art. Nr: 109721, 100721–107721 (9 sizes)
• Sizes: 4-1/2"–12" (114–305 mm)
• Material: Carbon steel, polished blade
• Construction: CO2 welded blade and shank
• Handle: Soft grip, BF21

Product Name & Model

Product name: Philadelphia Pattern Brick Trowel
Construction line: CO2 Welding Carbon Steel
Full name: Philadelphia Pattern CO2 Welded Brick Trowel

Art. Nr (nine sizes): 109721 (9"), 100721 (10"), 101721 (11"), 102721 (12"), 103721 (4-1/2"), 104721 (5"), 105721 (5-1/2"), 106721 (6"), 107721 (7").

The nine art numbers are one product family listed as two size groups: 9" to 12" and 4-1/2" to 7". Both belong to the same line, Philadelphia Pattern Brick Trowel / CO2 Welding Carbon Steel. This line is the welded counterpart of the forged Philadelphia line (009721, 000721–007721), and the two lines match one for one across all nine sizes.

Other handles can be fitted on request; contact Leading Tools sales.

Core Features

• Blade pattern: Philadelphia, triangular blade with a pointed toe and a wide, squared heel. The wide square heel is the most visible difference between the Philadelphia pattern and the London pattern's rounded heel, and it is what allows the blade to hold a larger charge of mortar.
• Toe: pointed, for directing mortar into head joints and into tighter placements.
• Heel: wide and square, the loading surface. It is the reason this pattern is the higher-mortar-capacity brick trowel, and the reason it is recommended for concrete block and larger masonry units rather than for standard clay brick alone.
• Blade depth: deep, full cross-section. A fuller blade area carries more mortar per pick-up than a narrow-profile pattern.
• Balance: forward-weighted compared with slimmer London-pattern blades.
• Construction: blade and shank fabricated as separate parts and joined by CO2 welding.
• Blade material and finish: carbon steel, polished blade.
• Handle: soft grip BF21.
• Size span: 4-1/2" to 12" (114–305 mm), nine sizes in one pattern.

Product Advantages

A full professional size range. Leading Tools offers the CO2 welded line alongside the forged line with the same pattern, the same nine sizes, the same blade material class and the same soft grip handle; the difference is construction alone. The welded line carries the identical Philadelphia geometry across the whole 4-1/2"–12" span.

The geometry does the work, and the geometry is unchanged. Mortar capacity, spreading behaviour and buttering control on a brick trowel come from blade pattern: heel width, blade depth, toe shape, not from how the blade is attached to the shank. Everything the Philadelphia pattern is specified for is present in this line: the wide square heel that picks up a full bed's worth of mortar in one dip, the pointed toe for head joints, and the deep blade that tracks steadily across a bed.

Built for the higher-volume material. The Philadelphia pattern exists because concrete block and larger stone units take more mortar per course than a standard clay brick, and the pattern is designed for laying block with a larger mortar charge.

Carbon steel blade. The blade is polished carbon steel; it rusts if left wet, so it must be dried and oiled after use.

Soft grip handle across all nine sizes. Every art number in this line is supplied with the BF21 soft grip handle.

Primary use. Loading and carrying mortar; spreading and furrowing full bed joints; buttering head joints; striking off and levelling; placing and tapping units to line and level.

The two constructions. In the CO2 welded line, blade and shank are fabricated separately and joined by weld; the forged line (009721, 000721–007721) is one forged piece. See the Selection Guide below.

How to Use

When to Use

Basic Technique

This sequence, 30° spread, furrow, butter, place, tap to level, is the standard method.

Why the Philadelphia geometry suits this work

Pointed toe → directional control. The narrow front section places mortar where you aim it: into a head joint, into a tight return, into a partly filled head joint. This is the geometric difference the pattern is identified by.

Wide square heel → mortar volume. The squared heel is the loading platform, and it is the most visible difference between the Philadelphia and the London pattern's rounded heel. More mortar per dip means fewer returns to the board and a steadier laying rhythm over a course.

Deep blade → steady bed tracking. A fuller blade body carries and spreads a bed with less wobble than a slim profile, which is why this pattern is put in front of block and larger units rather than only clay brick.

What CO2 welded construction does and does not change in use

It does not change loading, spreading, furrowing, buttering or striking off. Those are blade-geometry operations and the blade is the same as the forged line's.

The one difference is construction: blade and shank are joined by a weld. In practice this comes down to two working habits rather than a limitation on normal laying:

1. Use the blade as a trowel. Do not pry a unit, cut brick or force an adjustment with the blade; break or cut brick with a brick hammer or chisel.
2. Include the weld area in the routine tool check. See Care & Maintenance below.

Application scenarios

Standard clay brick wall construction. The pattern carries enough mortar for continuous bed laying while the toe handles head-joint buttering, which suits repetitive coursing where rhythm and consistency drive the day's output. Take 9" or 10" (109721, 100721). If the crew works exclusively in standard clay brick, also consider the Narrow London line, which is the pattern designed for that material.

Concrete block and larger stone. This is the substrate the Philadelphia pattern is designed for, because of the larger mortar volume each course takes. Take 11" or 12" (101721, 102721).

Repair, patching and partial rebuild. The 4-1/2" to 7" sizes (103721–107721) are manageable inside tight repair zones, short wall returns and partial rebuilds where a full-size blade is oversized.

Crew and site issue. The blade-to-shank weld should be added to the crew's routine tool check.

FAQ

Q: What is the practical difference between the CO2 welded and the forged version of this trowel?
A: The blade is the same: same Philadelphia pattern, same nine sizes, same carbon steel polished blade, same soft grip handle. The forged line is made from one piece of steel with no joint, while this line joins blade and shank with a weld.

Q: Which one should I actually order?
A: Both lines have the same blade, sizes and handle. Order the CO2 welded line (109721, 100721–107721) if the welded construction is acceptable and the weld will be included in the routine tool check; order the forged line (009721, 000721–007721) if you prefer a one-piece blade and shank with no weld to inspect.

Q: Why choose the Philadelphia pattern rather than a London pattern?
A: The Philadelphia has a pointed toe and a wide, square heel, which lets it pick up a bigger charge of mortar. That is why it is used for concrete block and larger stone units, while the narrower, round-heeled London is used for standard clay brick. Leading Tools offers Narrow London and Wide London in both constructions.

Q: What size should I order?
A: 9" to 11" covers most professional laying. Take 11"–12" for block and larger stone, 9"–10" for standard clay brick, and the 4-1/2"–7" sizes for repair, confined access and training.

Q: Can I use it to cut brick?
A: Not with the blade. The blade can lightly tap a brick into position; break or cut brick with a brick hammer or chisel, and do not pry with the blade or use it as a lever. This applies to both the CO2 welded and the forged line.

Specifications Overview

Construction: CO2 Welded Blade and Shank

The construction of this line is specified as "CO2 Welding Carbon Steel". The blade and the shank are produced as separate parts and joined by CO2 welding.

The construction does not change what the Philadelphia pattern is for, how it is used, or how much mortar it carries; those are set by blade geometry.

Specifications

CO2 Welded vs. Forged: the same blade, two constructions

Both lines carry the identical Philadelphia pattern in the identical nine sizes. Everything in the table below is downstream of one decision: whether blade and shank are one piece of steel or two pieces joined by a weld.

The blade is the same, so the work is the same; the only difference is whether blade and shank are one piece or joined by a weld.

Pattern comparison: Philadelphia vs Narrow London vs Wide London

Buyers usually choose pattern before construction and before size, and Leading Tools offers all three patterns in both constructions.

Selection Guide

Step 1: Choose the construction: CO2 welded or forged

The two lines share the same blade geometry and differ in how blade and shank are joined, so take this decision first.

The CO2 welded line (109721, 100721–107721) covers:

• The duty cycle is normal bricklaying: loading, carrying, spreading, furrowing, buttering, striking off and tapping to level. All of that is blade-geometry work, and the geometry is identical to the forged line.

The forged line (009721, 000721–007721):

• Blade, shank and tang are one forged piece, so there is no weld to inspect.
• In either construction, the blade can lightly tap a brick into position; break or cut brick with a brick hammer or chisel, and do not pry with the blade or use it as a lever.

Step 2: Choose the pattern

Choose Philadelphia when mortar volume per pass is the priority: concrete block, larger stone units, deeper bed joints, high-volume repetitive coursing. Choose Narrow London when the work is standard clay brick and control matters more than capacity. Wide London sits between the two.

Step 3: Choose the size

By work style.

• Prioritise control, lighter handling and access into tight spaces → the 4-1/2" to 7" band (103721–107721).
• Balance mortar capacity against handling → 9" to 10" (109721, 100721).
• Prioritise productivity, larger mortar loads and long repetitive wall runs → 11" to 12" (101721, 102721).

By substrate. The Philadelphia pattern is aimed at the larger units: it is designed for laying block with a larger mortar charge, with the London pattern for standard clay brick. For block and larger stone, take the upper sizes; for standard clay brick, either take 9"–10" here or compare the Narrow London pattern in the Leading Tools range, which is the pattern designed for that material.

By repair versus new work. The 4-1/2"–7" group is not simply a smaller version of the same job. It is a different job: patching, working inside a confined opening, short returns, partial rebuilds and training. The size-to-work logic is the same one applied elsewhere: for example, tuck pointing trowel width is selected against joint width rather than by preference.

Step 4: Confirm the material is right for the user

Carbon steel, as specified here, will rust if it is put away wet. Stainless has high corrosion resistance and low maintenance, though chlorinated water, coastal air or prolonged soaking can still cause rust spots, so rinse with clean water and dry after use; contact Leading Tools sales for a stainless steel blade. If the buyer has a daily clean-and-oil routine, carbon steel is workable; if the tool will sit in a damp van for a fortnight between uses, the maintenance burden described under Care & Maintenance below is real and should be factored in.

Handle

All nine art numbers are supplied with the soft grip handle BF21. Other handles can be fitted on request; contact Leading Tools sales.

Full Size Reference

All nine art numbers, complete. Pattern, material, construction, blade finish and handle are identical across the nine; only the size code changes.

Cross-reference: same blade, one-piece forged construction: 003721 (4-1/2"), 004721 (5"), 005721 (5-1/2"), 006721 (6"), 007721 (7"), 009721 (9"), 000721 (10"), 001721 (11"), 002721 (12"). Nine sizes, matching this line one for one.

Care & Maintenance

Two things drive the care of this tool: it is carbon steel, so it needs a rust-prevention routine; and it has a blade-to-shank weld to check. Everything below follows from those two facts.

After Each Use

1. Remove wet mortar before it sets. Mortar left to harden builds an uneven crust on the blade face that spoils mortar release and traps moisture against the steel.
2. Rinse or wipe the blade clean, including the heel and the underside of the shank where mortar collects.
3. Dry the tool fully, and pay particular attention to the welded transition, where water can sit in the joint line.
4. Apply a thin film of protective oil over the whole blade and the shank. Carbon steel needs an oil film, not just a dry wipe.
5. Store dry. Not in a sealed toolbox with a wet tool, and not in a damp van overnight.

Carbon Steel Rust Prevention

The blade here is carbon steel, so the maintenance routine is not optional.

• Do not leave mortar residue on the blade overnight.
• Do not store the tool wet inside a closed container.
• Oil after every clean, and daily in humid conditions.
• For longer storage, apply a heavier oil coat and keep the tool off concrete floors.
• Light surface rust can be removed with a fine abrasive followed by an immediate rinse, dry and oil. Do not leave bare cleaned steel unoiled.

If the buyer will not run this routine, contact Leading Tools sales about a stainless steel blade.

Weld Area Check: specific to this line

Check the blade-to-shank weld as part of the routine tool check:

Check before work at height and before any task that loads the blade laterally.

Blade and Edge

Handle Care

The handle supplied on this line is the soft grip BF21. Keep it clean and free of hardened mortar; wipe with a damp cloth rather than soaking. Avoid harsh chemical soaking. Inspect for tearing or damage to the grip, and check that the handle has no play on the shank: a loose handle on a welded tool is a reason to look at the weld as well as at the handle.