Bricks

[danfoto]

I wish to "soften" or put a radius on one edge and a corner of a couple of the secondhand bricks from which our new garden wall has been built.

I know I can do that with care and an angle-grinder, but I seem to remember once hearing of some other way of doing it. Does anybody have a tried and tested method? The end result doesn't have to be precise.

[DaveP]

Well with loose red facing bricks you can nibble them into approximate shape with a scutch hammer etc and smooth the surface by rubbing against a matching brick - works unless your operations reveal a large included pebble.
If they are already in a wall I suspect you're going to be stuck with an angle grinder, and the problem is that masonry discs are usually edge cutting discs. They are not designed for or strong enough for face grinding, which is what you would need to do to achieve a respectable finish, so if you try it - please wear face protection!
could you not cut a bevel rather than going for a radius?

[Alex L]

What are you using them for? We used some old bricks to make a standing flower bed. Turned out to be a big mistake. The old bricks didn't like the moisure and without getting heat from a house as intended, they started to crumble away.

Just a warning in case you planned something similar.

[reohn2]

It depends how soft the bricks are.
I'd gently take the corner off with an angle grinder and if a more precise radius was required and the bricks were soft enough finish them off with a belt sander,though you may go through a couple of belts in the process.

[danfoto]

Thank you gentlemen. I think what I was trying to remember was the rubbing with another brick. Off now to find the dangle grinder, gloves and goggles ...

[531colin]

Thick recessed discs for grinding masonry come in all the usual diameters....eg Screwfix