Reclaimed brick – removing mortar effectively

[JackOrion]

The wall of one of our outbuildings needs a course or two of bricks adding to it. The bricks are late 1800s at a guess, and are quite unique.

 

We have lots of the same bricks elsewhere on site that are in decent shape but they have mortar on them which needs to go before the bricklayer comes back to do the work... I've tried with a brick bolster and hammer, and the mortar drops off with a couple of light taps. The problem being, more often than not, the mortar takes a chunk of the brick with it. See pictures attached.

 

Is this down to technique? The brick bolster / hammer method? Or the bricks themselves? (is it realistic to get the mortar off these bricks without damaging them?)

 

Any tips appreciated. Trying to steer clear of the muriatic acid method I've come across online.

 

 

 

 

[jfb]

If the mortar is lime as you would expect it should come off pretty easy without damage. If cement much harder not to damage the bricks.

[Onoff]

I'd stack them one against the other on the floor with the wanted faces pointing upward and try a pressure washer.

 

I reused a few 1860 something ones I took off the chimney of my first house. Got told once they would use the crap bricks on the stack. 

 

 

[PeterW]

Doesn’t matter - those faces won’t be seen. 
 

I wouldn’t jet wash old bricks - get a decent nylon scrubbing brush and put them on the ground with the face you are going to see uppermost.  Bucket of hot soapy water and give them a good scrub - bit of bleach in the water will get the green off but nothing more needed. 
 

You won’t see anything other than one face so do the best you can on the one you will see. 

[JackOrion]

35 minutes ago, jfb said:

If the mortar is lime as you would expect it should come off pretty easy without damage. If cement much harder not to damage the bricks.

 

Yes, I thought it would have been lime mortar, but the damage to the bricks incurred when chipping it off suggests maybe not...

 

I'm pretty sure a jet wash isn't going to get the mortar off. These bricks I'm attempting to re-use are from an old wall elsewhere on site, so the mortar is on the top, bottom and sides of the brick, not the face.

 

I was under the impression it all needs to come off before they're re-laid... unless anyone knows if brickies can live with a bit of old mortar here or there when re-using old bricks?

[PeterW]

It’s ok to have some bits on them - they will be fine 

[Onoff]

4 hours ago, JackOrion said:

Trying to steer clear of the muriatic acid method I've come across online.

 

Why? It works really well.

 

[Brickie]

4” grinder with diamond blade? 
If the bricks you have were from a brick on edge capping,sounds like it was maybe relaid in s&c at some point. 

[jfb]

i don't think most brickies would be happy with bricks that still have old mortar on it - obviously depends how much.

Like Brickie says, if the bricks are really valuable you could grind off the mortar  - but it will take a while!