Dried and set mortar is softer than brick; it cuts away predictably.
Once the mortar is removed, the entire brick is extracted quite easily.
confirm to use a genuine masonry chisel.
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Neither a wood chisel nor a cold chisel (designed for metal) is appropriate for this job.
Using the wrong chisel can shatter the tool and send metal fragments flying.
Drilling or cutting into bricks produces a lot of dust, so wear a dust mask.
Lee Wallender
Be patient and go slowly.
The simultaneous explosion of all of the charges creates a cutting plane.
Manually cutting a portion of a brick works in much the same way.
Lee Wallender
Rather than explosive charges, the hammer and chisel blows force breaks the brick along the drilled hole line.
Tip
Excessive pressure can quickly dull your masonry bit.
The trick is to take your time on this operation.
Lee Wallender
Bricks resist drilling, so take frequent breaks to let the bit cool down.
Chip the Mortar to Free the Brick
Work on the mortar.
once you nail chiseled through the brick, you still need to loosen the surrounding mortar.
Lee Wallender
Be patient and lightly chip away, or use your chisel as a lever to pry the brick.
Alternatively, use a small pry bar to pull out loosened mortar.
Remove the Brick by Hand
Pull out the loosened brick.
Lee Wallender
With all the obstructions gone, you should be able to remove the brick by hand.
Some wiggling may be necessary.
Always use a face mask to avoid breathing in dust.
For a large project, a circular saw with a concrete or masonry blade offers clean, accurate cuts.
For a small project, a hammer and chisel are fine for cutting a couple of bricks.
You need the right blade or attachment.
A hammer and masonry chisel are the best tools for cutting brick by hand.
