Bosch 4.5 Inch Sandwich Tuckpointing Blade

Why a sandwich tuckpoint blade matters

On repointing jobs, speed and consistency are everything. A blade that tracks straight, clears material without binding, and leaves a uniform kerf makes the rest of the process—cleanout, flushing, and packing—go smoother. The Bosch sandwich tuckpointing blade hits that brief better than the stacked single-blade setups I used to run. It’s a purpose-built, double‑blade assembly designed for mortar and grout removal on a small angle grinder, and it brings welcome stability and predictability to a task that can otherwise be fatiguing and messy.

Setup and compatibility

I ran the blade on both a compact corded 4-1/2-inch grinder and a mid‑range cordless model using a standard 7/8-inch arbor. It mounted like any other wheel, without needing washers or spacers, and the guard cleared the blade without modification. Not having to shim two loose blades to get a consistent gap is a small but meaningful upgrade; there’s less fuss up front and less to go out of alignment mid‑cut.

The 4-1/2-inch diameter feels like the right match for this category. With a rated cutting depth of 1-1/4 inches, I could reliably reach repointing depth targets on most joints. That depth also gives a margin for washing out the joint without having to force the tool. If you’re working with a dust shroud—and you should be—the blade stayed within the capture zone on the typical masonry shrouds I use.

Cutting performance

What stands out is how steadily the blade tracks down a joint. The connected double-blade construction keeps the plates parallel under load, so the kerf doesn’t wander and the tool doesn’t chatter. With stacked singles, even a slightly uneven spacer or a dish in one blade can cause the kerf to snake or widen when you don’t want it to. This blade feels locked in: present it to the joint square, and it stays there.

Material removal is fast. Because both sides of the joint are cut together, I didn’t need to do multiple passes from each side to get a uniform channel. On standard exterior brick mortar, I was able to score and then take one controlled cut to full depth, followed by a light clean‑out pass. The blade clears fines well enough that I didn’t feel like I was pushing slurry, provided I kept the feed rate reasonable and the vacuum flowing.

I saw the biggest benefit on wider joints and older, rougher mortar where a single blade tends to hunt and catch on aggregate. The sandwich setup bridges those inconsistencies and keeps the tool from twisting. The result is less hand fatigue and less risk of nicking brick arrises.

On different mortars and grout

I used the blade on a mix of materials: soft lime‑based mortar on a century home, harder Type S on a newer block wall, and sanded grout on a commercial tile demo. In softer lime mortar, the blade can be almost too eager; a light touch and short passes keep you from scarring the brick. On harder, cement‑rich joints, the blade wore evenly and kept its bite without glazing. In grout, especially on wider commercial joints, it behaves predictably and lets you work close to edges without the wheel wobble that stacked blades can introduce.

As always, match technique to material: score first to establish the kerf, then cut to depth; let the diamonds work without leaning into the grinder; and keep the joint centered between the plates.

Control, vibration, and runtime

Stability is the theme with this blade. Reduced wobble translates to less vibration at the handle, which is noticeable over a few hours on the wall. I also found that my cordless grinder ran cooler and, anecdotally, longer per pack than with a pair of singles and a spacer. I attribute that to the blade’s stiffness and the bond’s consistency: fewer bog‑downs and fewer micro‑corrections mean the motor isn’t fighting lateral loads as much.

Kickback risk feels lower because the blade is less prone to sudden grabs at the joint edge. That said, it’s still an aggressive removal tool; the usual cautions apply—two hands on the grinder, guard in place, and a dust extraction setup with enough CFM to keep up.

Durability and life

Bosch’s geometry and bond choices here seem aimed at predictable wear rather than maximum initial bite, and that’s a good thing for repointing. I logged several days of intermittent use in mixed mortar without seeing uneven segment wear or plate dish. The assembly stayed straight, and the kerf remained consistent from first cut to last on that run. With water off the table for this kind of work, heat management is all about technique and airflow; with a proper vac attached and a steady feed, I didn’t experience overheating or diamond glazing.

Compared with stacking two singles, longevity felt better in two ways: the edge stayed squarer, so the final joint geometry didn’t creep wider over time, and I didn’t retire the blade early due to wobble or a bent plate—an all‑too‑common fate for improvised stacks.

Dust management and safety

Mortar removal is a silica‑heavy operation. This blade excels, but only when paired with a quality shroud and a HEPA dust extractor. The twin‑plate design does a nice job confining the cutting action within the shroud’s capture zone. I also like that the kerf it produces is consistent, which helps my vac keep up—no sudden plunges that bury the wheel and overwhelm airflow.

A few practical tips:
- Score the joint before full-depth cutting.
- Keep the grinder square to the wall; don’t lever the blade to pry.
- Take shorter passes to manage heat and dust load.
- Use a narrower single blade or an oscillating tool for tight returns and corners where the sandwich blade can’t fit.

Limitations

No tool is perfect, and this blade has boundaries:
- Fixed kerf width. If you’re dealing with very narrow joints, a single blade will still be the right choice.
- Maximum depth of 1-1/4 inches. That covers most repointing specs, but exceptionally deep cleanouts will need a different approach.
- Not a general‑purpose masonry cutter. It’s tuned for mortar and grout; don’t expect it to perform on brick or stone the way a segmented diamond blade would.
- You’ll get the best results on a grinder with solid bearings and minimal spindle runout. A loose or worn tool can undermine the blade’s inherent stability.

Where it fits in the kit

For commercial and heavy‑duty environments—think long runs on block walls, exterior brick facades, or commercial tile removal—the Bosch sandwich tuckpointing blade is the one I reach for first. Its predictability saves time on layout and cleanup, and it reduces the mental load of constantly checking kerf width and tracking. For smaller residential jobs with mixed joint sizes, I keep this blade mounted for the bulk of the work and swap to a single blade for the narrow outliers.

The bottom line

The Bosch sandwich tuckpointing blade does exactly what a dedicated mortar removal tool should: it cuts straight, fast, and predictably while holding its shape over time. The connected double‑blade construction is more than a convenience—it’s a meaningful improvement over home‑brewed stacks in cut quality, user fatigue, and tool wear. Pair it with a capable small angle grinder and a proper dust setup, and it becomes a reliable, repeatable way to prep joints for clean, long‑lasting repoints.

Recommendation: I recommend this blade. If you regularly remove mortar or grout—whether on repointing projects, block wall prep, or commercial tile demo—the stability and consistency pay off immediately. It speeds up production, reduces fatigue, and delivers a uniform kerf that makes the follow‑on work easier. If most of your joints are very narrow, you’ll still want a single‑blade option in the bag, but for standard and wider joints in heavy‑duty environments, this is the more efficient and durable choice.