Nichael Cramer wrote:

>Fellow Rude Mechanicals:
>
>On another list where I hang out, the claim was made
>that among plasterers a mortar board is (or was) known
>as "hawk".
>
>(The point being made was that when Hamlet claims that 
>he "know[s] a hawk from a handsaw", the phrase suddenly 
>sounds lightly less loopy than it usually does.)
>
>Is anyone familar with this usage?
>
That's what I've always called it as have all of the drywallers I've 
ever worked with.

Dan