Is expensive sandpaper worth it?

Robert_Phelps

Robert_Phelps

Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Messages
475
I've got a dagger on my workbench and to keep from screwing it up I've been doing some shaping by hand rubbing. I've been buying the $20 per 50 sheet wet/dry paper from Jantz, and I'm just flying through the stuff. What do you guys use?

Is the $50/50 sheet (3M/other) paper worth it? (Or worth it in all grits?) Does it actually last twice as long or more than the cheaper stuff?
 
to me its worth it in the lower grits is where it shines makes the cheap stuff looks bad but once you get the deep scratches out and get past 220 it seems to be about even IMO
 
Depends, does working on a blade and then finding out that there were "other" grits on that sheet besides what was printed on the back?

I usually buy my papers from Barbkat on ebay. Good stuff at great prices.
 
I don't have a lot of use for cheap sandpaper, I've got some that is supposed to be 1000 grit that seems to leave scratches deeper than 600.
Ken.
 
What you want for a hand-rubbed finish is Rhynowet Red paper. You can get it from Supergrit. It cuts like mad, keeps cutting for longer than any other paper I've used, and leaves a nice finish. It's available all the way up to 2500 grit. I think it's about $.30 a sheet.

-d
 
My 'ol man use to work at GM,he grabbed me several atack's of 3m paper..,far better then hardware store crap! he got me one stack of norton in 400 grit,this stuff is the cats meow!!! when i'm finished on the grinder i start with the norton 400,and with in 5 minutes all scratches are gone.it keeps going and going...nothings outlasts....ok,just buy the good stuff!:thumbup:
 
Funny I was thinking the same thing:foot: When I was growing up there was the submarine builder, general dynamics; folks used to call the local duct tape 'EB green' because so many workers would toss a roll into their lunchboxes and take it home!:rolleyes:

John L said:
No wonder GM is broke.
Click to expand...
 
I use 3M Imperial Wet or Dry sandpaper. When I hand rub a blade, I start with 220 grit then 400 and I'm done. It usually doesn't take more than 1/8" of a sheet to remove all machine grinds. I do my machine grind up to 180 grit and then to a scotchbrite belt before I start hand sanding though.

I only use cheap sandpaper for handles and not even for the finishing of handles.
 
do most people stop at 400? I have 800, 1000, and 2000 grit but I'm not sure if I should bother with it.
 
For heavier sanding on flat blades, diamond files (used with WD 40 as a lube) work well.
 
I've been using the Stearite loaded Norton sheets from www.usaknifemaker.com and i really like it.

before that I was using the 3M from Lowes and the new stuff is MUCH better, and cheaper because I buy in bulk
 
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