Drywall finisher told me my mud job looked like a 5th grader did it

I was patching a hole in my living room last weekend and this older guy Dave who lives two doors down walked by, saw it through my open garage, and just laughed. He came over and showed me how to feather the edges with a 12 inch knife instead of my 6 inch one, and it completely changed the finish. Has anyone else had a neighbor or random stranger give them a tip that totally humbled and helped them at the same time?

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lisa_brown2mo ago

Tbh Dave sounds like a real one. That 12 inch knife trick is a game changer once you get the hang of it. I had a similar moment when a painter next door walked over and told me to stop using tape and just cut in freehand. Felt dumb at first but now I can't go back.

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emma3492mo ago

Yeah, that Dave guy sounds like a solid dude. It's rare when someone calls you out but then actually takes the time to show you the right way instead of just walking off laughing. That 12 inch knife trick is something I wish I learned years ago too - it's wild how much difference a bigger blade makes when you're trying to blend edges. @lisa_brown you're spot on about the tape thing, I still use it for tricky corners but freehand cutting is way faster once you trust your hand. Nothing wrong with being humbled when it saves you hours of sanding later.

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