Darby
A long hand float used on small slabs or in tight areas where a bull float cannot reach, serving the same leveling function immediately after screeding.
What does darby mean?
Darbies are typically wood or magnesium and are worked in sweeping arcs to cut high spots and fill low ones. They give a finisher closer control than a bull float, which is why they persist on small residential work, steps, and curbs. Like any early finishing tool, overuse brings paste and water to the surface.
In practice
Steps, curbs, and small pads are usually darbied rather than bull floated because there is nowhere to swing a long handle.