A kalkmouw is a long, narrow tray that is open at one end and has a handle underneath. It was used to carry lime mortar and hand it to the bricklayer. In the past the kalkmouw was made of wood; later it was also made of steel. It is a classic bricklayer’s tool from the days when mortar was still carried around by hand.
How it was used
The labourer (the bricklayer’s helper) scooped mortar into the kalkmouw and carried it to where the walling was going on. Through the open end the bricklayer could easily take the mortar out with the trowel, or the labourer could tip the mortar smoothly onto the wall or into the mortar tub. The long shape and the handle made carrying and pouring accurately easy, even on the scaffold.
Application
The kalkmouw belongs to the traditional building site and craft masonry. Today mortar is usually moved with wheelbarrows and tubs, and on larger projects by machine, but the tool nicely shows how the mortar supply used to be organised.
Points to note
- The tool illustrates how the mortar supply was arranged before machines
- The labourer made sure the bricklayer always had fresh mortar within reach
Related terms
- Mortar
- Trowel
- Lime mortar
- Masonry
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